Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada canadian bucks

I am looking for places where I can photograph white tail or mule deer bucks after hunting season and before they drop their antlers. Here in Montana/Wyoming, the bigger bucks get pushed out of the high country and that is the best time to see/photo them. I'd be driving north from Helena, MT so would like to find some places between here and Edmonton. On the other hand, if there was a place that had LOTS of those old mossy horns, I'd consider going as far as Peace River.
Thanks a million for any advice!

Royce

Royce;
I trust that this finds you and yours well and sufficiently prepared for Christmas Fred.

Regarding your question I was trying to think of a place here in BC where we've seen good numbers of big bucks after season, but as with your Montana bucks the bigger mulies here push up into as high a pocket as they can survive in after the rut.

Whitetails can be goofy to spot too or at least that's been my experience with them.

Where we farmed in Saskatchewan we'd see some real bruisers, but it was almost always at night.

I don't know if there's still as much hunting pressure there as there was back in the late '70's and early '80's when we lived there though and that was liking the main contributing factor to the nocturnal behavior.

If I think of any leads by all means I'll share them Fred, but more or less just wanted to say hello and wish you folks a Merry Christmas.

Dwayne

Well that is a tough one, lots of luck involved. Wouldn't hurt to check out Elk Island Park, just east of Edmonton. Your chances are as good or better there as anywhere else, and at the very least you'll get to see some other wildlife. Lots of buffalo and elk in there. That whole Edmonton bow zone is a good area for big bucks, and with the snow they should be yarded up I'd think.

If you want more specific info,especially for area further south where the big muleys are, I would suggest checking out Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum, those fella's can likely put you in some good area.

The Canadian buck has fluctuated on the world market over the last few years, but although it is not large, it is strong and doing pretty well. Now if the darn deer would do as well. . . . .

I would checkout the Cypress Hills area. Between the ranches and the Provincial Park there are lots of deer and elk. Granted it is off your mentioned travel route but it is great deer country. Brings you into my AO.

To see deer along your chosen route, major 4 lane highway, you would need to get off the highway and poke around the rural routes.

Oh, I expect to get off the main roads to see deer-My intent was to describe how far I was willing to travel- We just got back from a few days in Wyoming beating the gravel roads and worse looking for critters. Saw some bucks, but not a lot and nothing really large. Saw some bighorn rams, and that alone was worth the trip.

And thanks to everyone for all the tips.

Fred

I would travel up either Highway 22, West of Hwy 2 or Highway 21 which is East of Hwy 2 and travel/explore the gravel off each of them. Or come a bunch further East and head up the 41 near where I live. All good choices for seeing lots of wildlife.

I would think the prairie lands would be better for spotting and photographing deer after season but thats JMHO. Deer near the boreal will be inside the woods where the food is that time of year making them difficult to find . Just a thought.

Royce,

If you're after opportunities to photograph a lot of good deer, have you considered a preserve of some sort? Of course, if you're in it for the hunting/finding aspect, that's not likely to make your socks go up and down.

Used to be a fair number of big mulies along the Frenchman river breaks just outa Valmarie Sk. Which is sorta in yer area.

Royce, for a pure photo trip try some of the large urban parks. There are some incredible deer in fish creek and nose hill parks in Calgary.

I once hjnted whitetails in SW Saskatchewan in early Dec. We took 3 respectable deer but saw many monster mulies in that week. I believe Sask is z top spot for them though residen only.
Free to photograph though and close to Montana.