Most hunters dream of giant whitetail bucks with massive antlers, stickers, and drop tines. Unfortunately, few hunters will see such an animal in a lifetime because they rarely occur in the USA. However, Canadian provinces offers the chance for a truly magnificent deer along with other species such as wolves and coyotes.
My first experience with the Booner bucks of Canada occurred on a spring bear hunt as the outfitter invited me into his modest home. Suddenly, I was immersed in a bone collection beyond belief. My host thought little about the several 180-class bucks that adorned his walls. “I used to give them away,” he said modestly. “My neighbor down the road has taken three like that in the last three years.” I was so impressed that I booked a hunt with the outfit and took the biggest buck of my life that scored 163 B&C.
Why so Big?
Alberta and Saskatchewan are the prime destinations for monster whitetails, yet other Canadian provinces also offer big deer. Why are deer from Canada often larger than their cousins from the lower 48? Ironically, the deep snow and brutal Canadian winters have forced whitetail deer to evolve larger in order to survive. It’s not uncommon for a northern whitetail to exceed 300 pounds in body weight, a mass that’s needed to survive against predators like wolves and to handle deep snow.
Much of northern Canada is rural to wilderness, conditions that allow deer to grow to old age. The Canadian plains are ideal for agriculture such that bucks use this crop nutrition to grow large antlers as in Kansas, Iowa, or Illinois. In addition, many deer live in huge expanses of wilderness where they may never see a human.
Decide Quickly
Ron Nemechek, of North River Outfitters, has been guiding whitetail deer hunters in Northern Alberta for 38 years and does his best to advise clients for optimum success. Nemechek has had years where 10 percent of his clients bag a 170-or-better deer and at least that many miss one. His hunting area borders enormous alfalfa fields where shots can be long as wilderness bucks show up to mate with rural does. His clients often hunt from large heated stands in order to tolerate the sub zero temperatures during deer season. “You must make up your mind quickly, Nemechek advises. “These deer emerge from the boreal forests to mate with does and you may only see a buck once.” www.huntnorthriver.com
Alberta or Saskatchewan?
The Safari Club Convention is an excellent place to make this decision. You can talk to outfitters from each province and speak with officials from the individual provinces who are present to advise and accommodate hunters with travel and tourism details. Access to hunt in Canada is as easy as flying into the nearest airport and passing through customs. Finally, Canadian outfitters often donate hunts to SCI to support their conservation programs and can be purchased in on-line auctions. Seeing the show in person is the best way to make an informed decision, yet if you can’t be there, an on-line auction is the next best thing.
