NAWC hunts some of the best country in North America for huge Whitetail bucks and our deer heard is strong and thriving. November in Alberta is widely known by sportsmen around the world as a cold snowy time of year, winter is just setting in and the whole north country starts to lock down, tight as a drum. It is also known as the best time to hunt and get a glimpse of a monster Trophy Whitetail.
Our hunting is done from heated elevated stands that have been set up in an area previously scouted by your guide, in an area that we feel will give you the best opportunity to harvest a deer. We also utilize heated ground blinds in the same fashion. These stands are typically set up near feeding areas or between feeding and bedding areas to ambush the buck as he follows a hot doe. The secret to taking a big buck is to be in the right area and to remain on your stand and be ready when he shows himself. We will do our part and put you in the best area possible but the rest is up to you. Put your time in, be quiet and BE READY. These bucks can appear out of nowhere at any time of day.
You will be dropped off at your stand in the morning and your guide will spend the day scouting other areas for deer movement and especially looking for sign that a big buck is working an area. If need be we will move you to a different area. This ensures you are always hunting the best area possible for success.
Once a deer is taken it will be cared for by our professional staff. Every effort will me made to ensure your trophy reaches the taxidermist or the dinner table in the best possible condition.
Deer taken range between 130” and 200” Boone and Crockett (gross score) and our average score is roughly 150” B+C. While we love to see the high scores and strive to keep a high average, we urge clients to hunt for weight. When you take a deer that has exceptional mass you are most likely taking an old mature deer and a deer that you will be very happy with when you put a tape on him. Remember these deer have huge bodies and can sometimes fool you when you’re trying to judge them. Our rule of thumb is, big looks big and when you see a big heavy buck with a good frame, there will be very little doubt that he is the one you want.
We are often asked what calibre of rifle to bring, anything in the 25-06, .270 or 30-06 class is excellent. We don’t recommend bringing anything smaller than a 25-06. Yes we know there are many good smaller calibre rifles that will kill deer just fine but remember these are very big deer and you are hunting them during the rut and they can be hard to put down. That being said there is also no need to bring a cannon either. Bottom line is bring an adequate rifle that you are comfortable with and shoot well.
Because we hunt bush country and a lot of the area is quite overgrown Shots average around 150 yards. Much of this country was highly developed by logging and oil and gas 30 years ago and has now grown up creating the ideal habitat for big bucks. All of the old logging decks and trails remain and we have opened up shooting lanes near feeding areas and natural funnels thus controlling how far you will need to shoot. Other areas are more open and you may have to take a shot out to 300 yards. You should be proficient with your shooting and judging distance, a rangefinder is highly recommended.
Weather in Alberta during the rifle season can vary between -40 and blizzard conditions to hot and blue skies. Most likely though it will be quite cold with freezing temperatures and some snow on the ground. Hunters should definitely come prepared and bring good proven cold weather gear that is warm and quiet. Also underwear and lighter clothes for layering is a must. We hope for foul weather and some snow on the ground as this definitely pushes the deer to move and stay active all day. However this is one of the factors that no one can control and we must work with the weather we have.
Rifle Rut Hunts November 1 – November 30:
Archery Hunts August 25 – August 31
We hope this has given you an idea of how we conduct our Whitetail hunts and some insight into what you can expect on your hunt and from us. I invite you to contact me anytime and I will be happy to answer any further questions you might have. Thank you for considering Northern Alberta’s Whitetail Camp for your next adventure. “See you in deer camp”
