Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
10-25-2006, 03:57 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Calgary ab Canada
Posts: 972
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
The forum right under or above this posting is the one I'm talking about. Get in a nd read...a couple of fellas go hunting in the Edmonton bow zone every year. Join the fun...
10-25-2006, 05:08 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Montana
Posts: 309
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
Thanks, JD. Down here (I'm on the Montana border.....where Montana, Alberta, and Saskatchewan come together). Our peak rut period is November 15 to the 25. We really don't see much rut activity before November 10. I keep a log of all the bucks I kill and the vast majority have been during that 10 day period and the biggest ones have come during the later part of the peak. I've killed some nice bucks before the 15th, but they were not rut related.....not with does or looking for does.
It was suggested to me that the rut is in full swing in the Edmonton Bow Zone starting around November 4th. That would be very different from here, so was wondering about it.
It was suggested to me that the rut is in full swing in the Edmonton Bow Zone starting around November 4th. That would be very different from here, so was wondering about it.
10-25-2006, 07:02 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mtn. Hse. Alberta
Posts: 823
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
tatonka
Are you going up to hunt deer with a bow in the Edmonton area?
Sounds to me like you are asking two questions "when is the peak of the rut in Edmonton bow zone" and "when is the best time to be hunting there".
If you are bow hunting, you are probably sitting in a tree stand waiting for a buck to come into range. In the "peak of the rut" the best tree could be anytime and anywhere. If you are looking at buck sign and trying to find the best tree to sit, the "peak" is the worst time for that to find that tree.
Bucks make rubs and scrapes before the "peak" and may revisit them after the "peak". During the "peak" they will be with a doe somewhere or with some does checking for a hot one.
I like to hunt (and rattle and call) before the peak and after the peak. Not to say that sitting in a funnel all day is not a good way to kill a big buck during the niddle of Nov.
To answer your first question the "peak" of the rut around Edmonton will not be too much different than where you live. Most people say "around the middle of Nov."
Robin down under
Are you going up to hunt deer with a bow in the Edmonton area?
Sounds to me like you are asking two questions "when is the peak of the rut in Edmonton bow zone" and "when is the best time to be hunting there".
If you are bow hunting, you are probably sitting in a tree stand waiting for a buck to come into range. In the "peak of the rut" the best tree could be anytime and anywhere. If you are looking at buck sign and trying to find the best tree to sit, the "peak" is the worst time for that to find that tree.
Bucks make rubs and scrapes before the "peak" and may revisit them after the "peak". During the "peak" they will be with a doe somewhere or with some does checking for a hot one.
I like to hunt (and rattle and call) before the peak and after the peak. Not to say that sitting in a funnel all day is not a good way to kill a big buck during the niddle of Nov.
To answer your first question the "peak" of the rut around Edmonton will not be too much different than where you live. Most people say "around the middle of Nov."
Robin down under
10-26-2006, 09:54 AM
#7
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Montana
Posts: 309
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
Duffy,
I'm just looking into going up there to hunt right now.......it's a lot of money (a lot to me anyway) for non-Canadians to hunt up in your neck of the woods, but I'm ready for a new adventure (if I can scrape up the dough).
I guess the best time to hunt is a little different for everyone. Down here, it's the peak of the rut hands down. I've tried hunting scrape and rub lines during the "pre-rut" and during the peak, but have had very little success. It seems that most all of the scrape and rub activity takes place at night. I've seen some smaller and mid-size bucks during legal shooting hours working scrapes, but have not seen a reall wallhanger. My favorite time to hunt is toward the end of the peak when things are starting to wind down. I've killed my biggest bucks during that time period. If a person gets into an area with a good number of does and finds a funnel as the rut is winding down, the action can be unreal.
At any rate, thanks for the input. I appreciate it. Good Hunting!!!
I'm just looking into going up there to hunt right now.......it's a lot of money (a lot to me anyway) for non-Canadians to hunt up in your neck of the woods, but I'm ready for a new adventure (if I can scrape up the dough).
I guess the best time to hunt is a little different for everyone. Down here, it's the peak of the rut hands down. I've tried hunting scrape and rub lines during the "pre-rut" and during the peak, but have had very little success. It seems that most all of the scrape and rub activity takes place at night. I've seen some smaller and mid-size bucks during legal shooting hours working scrapes, but have not seen a reall wallhanger. My favorite time to hunt is toward the end of the peak when things are starting to wind down. I've killed my biggest bucks during that time period. If a person gets into an area with a good number of does and finds a funnel as the rut is winding down, the action can be unreal.
At any rate, thanks for the input. I appreciate it. Good Hunting!!!
10-26-2006, 11:23 AM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Calgary ab Canada
Posts: 972
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
Why come up here when you have some nice deer down there? I've seen some gaggers taken out of Montana along the Milk River. Notdiscouraging you from coming up but just wondering why you would spend $5000+ to kill a deer when you have some great ones in your back yard. I'd love to go down there & hunt! Looks like some beautiful land.
10-26-2006, 01:34 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Montana
Posts: 309
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
Hey JD,
Yes, we have some nice bucks here but we can only kill one buck per year......fill your tag early and you're done, so I'm looking to get in more hunting. I recently retired and now have a lot more time to hunt.
There are some nice bucks here along the Milk River (the river is about
a 1/2 mile behind my house), but our top end bucks do not approach what you guys kill up there in your neck of the woods. Those hunting shows you might have seen on TV about hunting the Milk River make it look like it's "Whitetail Heaven"......... Ya, right. Those shows are filmed east of here in the Saco/Hinsdale area and are on a private ranch leased by an outfitter and a portion of the ranch is reserved specifically for Bill Jordan and his crew and a few other select TV personalities. I corresponded with a guy from North Carolina who booked a hunt with this guy and all they saw were a few mediocre bucks where he took them. They were driving back to the ranch house one afternoon and this guy spotted a field full of deer and several nice bucks. When he asked the outfitter why they weren't hunting there his reply was, "That area is reserved for Bill Jordan and his crew". Needless to say, the guy was not a happy camper!!!!
There are some nicebucks all along the Milk River, but not like you see on TV. Access can be a real problem also. A lot of it is being leased out to outfitters. I do have a few pretty good places I can bowhunt, but again, the top end bucks where I huntare probably somewhere in the 150's. Every few years someone will kill a buck that is over 160, but not very often. The average mature buck here probably scores 130 to 145. We also don't get the body size here that you get in Alberta. Very few bucks here will dress out over 225 pounds and I've never seen one that would approach 300 pounds.
So, why do I want to hunt Alberta? I guess because I want to hunt somewhere where a buck could walk out that would make me drop my drawers! I have no grand illusions of killing a190-200" buck.....I would be happy to just hunt an area where I know bucks like that exists....just to see one would make my whole season.
After all of that, I watched a very nice 6X6 bed down right across the road from my house right after daylight this morning. I have photos of him I took about 2 weeks ago also. I could have easily killed him with a rifle this morning, but I prefer hunting him with my bow. This buck is bedded down as I write in a 2 acre patch of weeds next to an old building less than 100 yards from the county road and the railroad tracks. Is today the day? I don't know, but I'll be seeing if I can intercept him latter this afternoon when he gets up to feed......
Yes, we have some nice bucks here but we can only kill one buck per year......fill your tag early and you're done, so I'm looking to get in more hunting. I recently retired and now have a lot more time to hunt.
There are some nice bucks here along the Milk River (the river is about
a 1/2 mile behind my house), but our top end bucks do not approach what you guys kill up there in your neck of the woods. Those hunting shows you might have seen on TV about hunting the Milk River make it look like it's "Whitetail Heaven"......... Ya, right. Those shows are filmed east of here in the Saco/Hinsdale area and are on a private ranch leased by an outfitter and a portion of the ranch is reserved specifically for Bill Jordan and his crew and a few other select TV personalities. I corresponded with a guy from North Carolina who booked a hunt with this guy and all they saw were a few mediocre bucks where he took them. They were driving back to the ranch house one afternoon and this guy spotted a field full of deer and several nice bucks. When he asked the outfitter why they weren't hunting there his reply was, "That area is reserved for Bill Jordan and his crew". Needless to say, the guy was not a happy camper!!!!
There are some nicebucks all along the Milk River, but not like you see on TV. Access can be a real problem also. A lot of it is being leased out to outfitters. I do have a few pretty good places I can bowhunt, but again, the top end bucks where I huntare probably somewhere in the 150's. Every few years someone will kill a buck that is over 160, but not very often. The average mature buck here probably scores 130 to 145. We also don't get the body size here that you get in Alberta. Very few bucks here will dress out over 225 pounds and I've never seen one that would approach 300 pounds.
So, why do I want to hunt Alberta? I guess because I want to hunt somewhere where a buck could walk out that would make me drop my drawers! I have no grand illusions of killing a190-200" buck.....I would be happy to just hunt an area where I know bucks like that exists....just to see one would make my whole season.
After all of that, I watched a very nice 6X6 bed down right across the road from my house right after daylight this morning. I have photos of him I took about 2 weeks ago also. I could have easily killed him with a rifle this morning, but I prefer hunting him with my bow. This buck is bedded down as I write in a 2 acre patch of weeds next to an old building less than 100 yards from the county road and the railroad tracks. Is today the day? I don't know, but I'll be seeing if I can intercept him latter this afternoon when he gets up to feed......
10-26-2006, 01:41 PM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: Edmonton Bow Only Area---Peak Rut
I'd love to go down there & hunt!
!I happen to agree with duffy the peak of the ruthas been feast or famine for me, more times the later soI prefer late preand secondary would be post myself. I'd have to think peak would be right aroundNov 15th but being a resident of the province to the east I have no real experience with the edmonton bow zone. Best resource is talking to outfitters and then getting in contact with some of his clients. If he won't give you a cross reference of clients then look to another outfitter. You don't want the 5 guys who slammed pigs but a number that were unsuccessful as well. Early in(member of this site)was in the zone last year and heading back this year so he'd be a good fella to pm!
PS Forgot, I believe youngfart is versed with the area as well, he is an alberta resident and would be another to get in contact with.
Good luck