Looking for help as a first time hunter, navigating the process

[Declared Bishop]

So, I am new to the world of firearms, and part of the reason for getting my R and NR licenses, was to learn how to hunt. I now have my licences, and have acquired a rifle that I plan on using strictly for hunting. I would primarily be looking to harvest deer, and the occasional Moose or Elk. My father used to hunt and brought back his harvests every year, but, I was never allowed to go with him, or wasn't available. He is passed away now, and I don't know anyone that is local to me that can guide me through the process, or answer my questions.

I have a WIN card from the early 2010s, but that was for fishing, not for hunting. Do I need anything else?

How do I navigate the MWA page for draws and such? I know it is difficult to get tags for Moose and Elk, but why? how do you know if tags are available?

I just have too many questions to type out. If anyone is willing to talk me through some of this or offer advice, please, reach out!

Cheers!

 

[MK2750]

You will need to complete the hunter training course. It is available on line. Google search "AHEIA hunter training" and all the information is there. It cost around $100.

Once you have successfully completed the hunter training you can purchase a Wildlife Certificate. It is mandatory to have this and is basically a general hunting permit. Individual licenses or tags are then purchased separately.

A game bird license is needed to hunt grouse, if you wish to hunt pheasant, you will need a license for that as well. If you wish to hunt migratory birds you will also need to purchase a federal migratory bird hunting permit.

With your Wildlife Certificate you will receive at no charge the Alberta Guide to Hunting for the season. It has a map of the management areas, a summary of regulations and details of the open seasons/bag limits. It is fairly self explanatory. You find the area you wish to hunt on the map and determine which management unit it is in. You find that area in the booklet and it will tell which critters are available to purchase licenses for and which require a special draw. There is boxes beside each and a legend to determine what each means. Google "Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations" to see entire thing on line.

Whitetail Deer are the easiest to pursue as most areas in Alberta have an open season, meaning you don't have to enter a draw to purchase a tag. Elk tags are also available in many areas for over the counter purchase. The others are mostly draws in decent areas with some having extraordinary wait times. For each year you unsuccessfully enter a draw you are awarded priority points, meaning you are more likely each year following to be successful. Some critters require many years of priority to even have a chance of being successful. You should build priority points every year by entering the draws, even if you are not intending to hunt that animal this season or even in the near future. You do not have to enter a specific area if you have no intention of pulling that tag, meaning you are simply accumulating points for future use. The guys at any decent sporting goods store can explain the process pretty well.

As far as actually going hunting, there is hundreds of miles of crown/provincial land you can access without permission. Ducks Unlimited and the ACA have purchased tons of land across Alberta with very good hunting. Some of this land does require permission from land owners. There is thousands of acres of lease land in the province. Lease land generally does require permission as well but it is government land and allowing reasonable access for recreational use is part of the lease agreement. Finally, there is of course private land. Accessing private land does require permission even if not posted. You should know exactly where you are at at all times as ignorance is not going to help you if charged with trespassing.

Google search "Alberta Discovery Guide" for a detailed listing of land available for recreational use. Take note of the restrictions on each parcel as hunting is not allowed on all land parcels.

Google search "Alberta Recreation Access" to find the map and contact information for lease land in Alberta.

I would also recommend purchasing the iHunter app for Alberta. It is an awesome tool for navigating different areas and showing boundaries.

 

[Hmatt]

Yea complete the Hunter education course, add it to your profile on Alberta RELM and you’ll be good to buy tags. I’m also in a similiar boat to you. Last season I just barely got permission for land to hunt and I ended up getting cold feet as I had no mentor.. this season I have lots of permission and a couple mentors coming down to hunt white tails and moose if any of us get a draw. There are a few guys in Calgary area who may contact you and invite you. I had a few offers last year but never followed through.

 

[Declared Bishop]

You will need to complete the hunter training course. It is available on line. Google search "AHEIA hunter training" and all the information is there. It cost around $100.

Yea complete the Hunter education course, add it to your profile on Alberta RELM and you’ll be good to buy tags.

Done!

No one has reached out to me yet, hopefully this shows I am serious about things, and someone takes a chance on me.

 

[Van Isle]

Well done! Now you have 3 things to do:

1) practice with your firearm in a safe manner. Practice the rules of gun safety ALWAYS. And practice the fundamentals of marksmanship on the firing line. Dry fire practice is also excellent, it's free, and can be done at home. Find your hunting round that shoots consistently accurately.

2) get out in the field. No gun, be bear aware, and start burning rubber and gas to find the critters. This happens all year, but especially in the summer through fall. No one can do this work for you. Conduct e-scouting online, find local conservation lands where you can hunt, find crown land where you can hunt. Knock on doors to try and find good private land where you can hunt (difficult.) Practice navigation, finding your way to your truck, using map, compass, GPS, phone. Practice still hunting and observation. Practice making fires where permissible, safe and practicable. Keep a log book of things you learned, things you need to learn.

3) get your tickets in order:
-R/PAL (current?)
-WIN card (expires every 5 years)
-Wildlife Certificate (yearly)
-Alberta Public Lands Camping Pass (if required)
-tags for target species (whitetail, elk, etc.) Know what you are going after, where, and if you need a special tag or if it's a general licence. No need to purchase a tag for a hunt that is very unlikely to be successful, but the money does go to conservation efforts so that's cool.

Adult-onset hunting is hard. You have to do the lion's share of learning by yourself until you start meeting people. You can join active conservation groups to meet like-minded folks. Join and participate in a local range.

Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good; just get out and do. There is no substitute.

Good luck!

 

[Declared Bishop]

well, my certificate came in the mail, that was pretty quick! lol

Also, put in for all the draws I was interested in, "Priority only" since I know I am not going to get drawn for anything, except the Goat. I put in for the goat draw as apparently it is a once in a lifetime draw as if you are drawn, you can't enter ever again.

I plan on picking up a couple general tags if they become available hopefully for a mule and whitetail, I don't much care if its a buck or doe.

Also picked up a set of Vortex Diamondback 10x42 binoculars and glasspak today in anticipation of scouting areas to hunt. Once I think I have narrowed down the WMUs I want to hunt, I am going to start door knocking and trying to set up permission to access the land and for permission to hunt.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Great questions and even better enthusiasm. Like you I was either too young or not invited to the adult hunt camp of my father's generation. I had to learn on my own.

Take the hunter education courses that are available. Read the wild land survival books - not to become a survivalist, but to understand what Bradford Angier and Sid Marty were experiencing. You'll never meet their level of craft, but you will learn how little you know. And humility is important.

Get some simple outdoor gear (boots, long underwear, rain gear, hats and gloves, compass and GPS navigator, etc) and go on day hikes in places you THINK there may be deer. Start developing fieldcraft skills and start spotting the deer on the field edges at dawn / dusk. They've always been there, you just have not known how to see them.

 

[MK2750]

You are well on your way. Keep in mind you are always in bear and cat country in Alberta. Predatory black bears and sows with cubs are every bit as dangerous as grizzlies. Your common sense is the best tool but bear spray and some lethal defense is never a bad idea. I have a couple of grizzlies on trail cam where you would never expect to see them and of course moose and elk with calves should be given a wide berth.

If you have trouble getting things organized shoot me a PM in the fall and I will put you on to some spots.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

.... Your common sense is the best tool but bear spray and some lethal defense is never a bad idea. I have a couple of grizzlies on trail cam where you would never expect to see them and of course moose and elk with calves should be given a wide berth.

....

Grizzlies in Sylvain Lake! That's a long way from where I'd expect the edge of their territory.

BTW, I was a seasonal Park Ranger in Rocky Mountain House about a hundred years ago. I was expecting to be issued a log cabin and two horses. I got a blue cloth cowboy hat and a 3/4-t Chev 4x4.

 

[Declared Bishop]

well, sometimes I just get the best luck...

Randomly met an older couple today and had a great conversation with them. We were talking about anything and everything, and I mentioned that I am hunting for the first time this year, and was a little nervous going around and door knocking to ask for permission to hunt on private land. Turns out they have a ranch with about 400 acres in the foothills, about an hour southwest of Calgary and offered me access...

I swear if I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all, but then days like this make me look like a liar LOL!

 

[Hmatt]

well, sometimes I just get the best luck...

Randomly met an older couple today and had a great conversation with them. We were talking about anything and everything, and I mentioned that I am hunting for the first time this year, and was a little nervous going around and door knocking to ask for permission to hunt on private land. Turns out they have a ranch with about 400 acres in the foothills, about an hour southwest of Calgary and offered me access...

I swear if I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all, but then days like this make me look like a liar LOL!

That’s very good luck!

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

well, sometimes I just get the best luck...

Randomly met an older couple today and had a great conversation with them. We were talking about anything and everything, and I mentioned that I am hunting for the first time this year, and was a little nervous going around and door knocking to ask for permission to hunt on private land. Turns out they have a ranch with about 400 acres in the foothills, about an hour southwest of Calgary and offered me access...

I swear if I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all, but then days like this make me look like a liar LOL!

Go for a visit as soon as you can. Scouting includes looking for funnels and obvious concealed routes. Make notes where you see tracks, poop piles, and freshly stripped vegetation. That will help you decide two or three stand locations.

I had a neat experience sitting with my back against a round bale, as two fawns danced and dodged in the sun, completely oblivious to me watching them 50yds away.

 

[MK2750]

Grizzlies in Sylvain Lake! That's a long way from where I'd expect the edge of their territory.

BTW, I was a seasonal Park Ranger in Rocky Mountain House about a hundred years ago. I was expecting to be issued a log cabin and two horses. I got a blue cloth cowboy hat and a 3/4-t Chev 4x4.

There is no Grizzlies in Sylvan Lake as far as I know although they did shoot a cougar down by the golf course a few years ago. I don't hunt around here.

It might surprise you that the Grizzly population is increasing around RMH. North or south you are certainly in Grizzly country and a long ways east although not likely along the highway 11 corridor. The Prairie Creek area south of Rocky has had several hanging around the last few years. A popular fishing area near Spruce View has had signs up for Grizzly activity the last couple of years, that is just 30 km west of Highway 2. If you are around Caroline or any where west of Rimbey you had better be bear aware.

I haven't been hunting those areas for 100 years but long enough. 15 to 20 years ago I never gave Grizzly bears much thought, now I don't leave the truck without at least some bear spray.

 

[Boltcarrier]

Do they still pay $10 a tail for coyote in Alberta...

 

[Scott_N]

Harvesting an antlerless mulie or whitetail can be a great way to start a newcomer's hunting career with tags being relatively easy to draw in many WMUs in Alberta.

 

[Declared Bishop]

Picked up my next pieces of kit to go hunting this fall.
Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 binoculars and a glasspak chest rig.

Hoping to figure out the backpack next.