turkeyward

I believe Alberta should be pretty much the same as Montana and Wyoming. The lope rut there is usually last week of Sept and first week of Oct. for the peak times. They will start gathering the harems before that though. If there is a very dominant old buck that survived the hunting season last year and had a harem then, there is a possibility he never left his girls. If not pressured he will stay with his girls for the whole year. More for safety in numbers than for having a harem. When we archery hunt I would rather do it earlier in the year before the rut. This is for several reasons; it's usually hotter and dryer. Hot and dry makes for good blind hunting on water holes. Also when the rut is on, most of the time when a buck is rutting he very seldom stands still long enough for an archery shot, even when at a water hole. Also when rutting the buck is with does and spends a lot of time intermingling with them. This also makes for a difficult time getting a shot opportunity. Also a heads up on the string jumping; them buggers are really super quick. If they are alert (and always are at water holes and crossing points and while decoying and calling) they will be at least twice as fast as any white tail buck. They will be gone when the arrow gets there if they are much over thirty yards and your bow is very loud. Good luck - get a lope call and learn to use it. If nothing else it will get them to stand still for shot.