Our Agent in Canada, Don Sangster, had been looking for a serious, big-whitetail operation in Alberta for some time now, and he has found it.
This outfitter has over 20 years of guiding experience in various parts of Canada (and abroad), and he started his own whitetail operation in northeastern Alberta in 2018. But he didn’t just set up shop any old place. He hunts over 15,000 square miles of Crown land in some of the best big-buck territory the province of Alberta has to offer, in 3 different zones around Lac la Biche. This area is a mix of farmland, swamps and big bush, which is a perfect recipe for growing big whitetails, and they have great genetics to go along with it.
While there is certainly no shortage of outfitters in Alberta who offer whitetail hunting, many of these operations are multi-species outfitters, with their main focus being moose, elk, black bear or waterfowl – whitetails are often 3rd or 4th on the list. As a result, many operations simply can’t or don’t spend the necessary time and effort (ie. scouting) required to put their clients in the best spots to tag a big buck. This Alberta operation?…All they hunt is whitetails!
This focus on whitetails is crucial in Alberta because, unlike in neighboring Saskatchewan, baiting is not permitted for hunting whitetails in Alberta. And when you are unable to rely on being able to draw the deer to you, you simply must spend countless hours (and burn countless tanks of gas) scouting for big bucks, both before and during the season, to ensure that your hunters are all sitting in high-percentage stands. Now there’s no doubt that the advent of cellular trail cameras has made this job a lot easier (and this operation runs a lot of cameras!), but they still spend a ton of time scouting prior to each hunting season.
The result of all of this legwork is that when they put you in a stand, you can sit there with the confidence of knowing that there’s a reason they put you there. Simply put, they have either seen or got pictures of one or more big bucks, or there is at least a lot of big buck sign in the area. That confidence really helps give you the patience to sit long hours in a stand!
When you combine a great hunting area with a lot of hard work, success is usually the result, and this outfitter certainly has been successful. Their hunters consistently enjoy approx. 85%-95% shot opportunity and approx. 75% success, with a 150+” average! That is very high, anywhere you go! And it’s particularly impressive when you realize that most people who hunt Alberta do so because it’s known for big bucks, and many hunters already have a few nice 140”-150”-class bucks on their walls, so they are holding out for something exceptional!
Hunters will be taken to their stands each day by truck, ATV, on foot, or a combination,] and most hunting is done from ground blinds, tower stands or ladder stands (heaters are available). This outfitter has a lot of different stands available to hunt, and most are located on field edges, cut-lines or back in the timber along scrapelines or well-used travel routes. The vast majority of hunting is from stands, as that has proven to be the most productive, but occasionally some spot & stalk is employed as well. Shooting distance averages approx. 250 yards, but being proficient out to 400 yards is wise, as you just never know. Shooting sticks are a good idea.
Hunts are 6 days and basically span 4 weeks in November, with usually 4-6 hunters per week. Snow and cold are the norm at that time, but that’s what keeps the bucks moving during the day, so be prepared and dress warm.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodations can vary from year to year based on availability, but will always be spacious and modern, with full amenities. Typically there is room for 8 guests, but it’s usually just 4-6 hunters per week.
GETTING THERE
Simply fly into Edmonton International Airport (YEG), rent a car, and drive approx. 2.5 hours to the lodge.
2024 PRICES (subject to change without notice until deposit received; all prices in USD)
$5,950 per person 2×1 (rifle or archery), plus 5% tax and licenses (approx. $700) for a 6-day hunt, including meals and lodging. Non-hunting observers are $2,500 ea. (subject to availability).
A 50% deposit is required to book, with the balance due by May 1.
NOT INCLUDED:
Travel to and from Edmonton, Alberta; overnight hotel accommodations in Edmonton inbound and/or outbound (if desired); licenses; 5% tax; taxidermy; meat processing; gratuities.
LICENSES
The outfitter will acquire your licenses for you (at your expense) and have them waiting. You must first obtain a Wildlife Identification Number (WIN) from the province of Alberta (available online).
GETTING YOUR WEAPON INTO CANADA
You are allowed to bring rifles, shotguns or muzzleloaders (NO HANDGUNS, SUPPRESSORS OR AR-15-TYPE RIFLES!). A simple one-page form is required to be filled out to obtain a temporary Canadian firearms permit. This form can be down-loaded or mailed to you well in advance from The Royal Canadian Mounted Police at https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/wam/media/2347/original/d369a605ac3363b569af5ea5dc40c88d.pdf. Click on the link for the NON-RESIDENT FIREARM DECLARATION (form RCMP 5589/CAFC 909). Completing this in advance should reduce your time clearing customs. DO NOT SIGN IT UNTIL YOU APPEAR IN FRONT OF CUSTOMS, but fill it out. A confirmed declaration costs a flat fee of $25, regardless of the number of firearms listed on it. It is only valid for the person who signs it and for those firearms listed on the declaration. NO FORMS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING YOUR HUNTING BOW INTO CANADA! NO HANDGUNS, AR-15s OR SUPPRESSORS! IF YOU HAVE A DUI OR A CRIMINAL RECORD, CALL US! YOU MAY BE DENIED ADMITTANCE.
TO PREVENT PROBLEMS WHEN RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES, YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR FIREARMS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT BY TAKING THEM TO ANY CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL (“CBP”) OFFICE BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE UNITED STATES. THE CBP OFFICE WILL REGISTER THEM ON THE SAME CBP FORM 4457 USED TO REGISTER CAMERAS AND COMPUTERS. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU OFTEN CANNOT SIMPLY DO THIS AT THE AIRPORT WHEN LEAVING THE U.S., SO YOU SHOULD DO THIS IN ADVANCE OF YOUR TRIP.
