Hunting in whitecourt or swan hills?

[Peterandall21]

I am pretty new to hunting and have been doing a lot of research this last year online and learning from friends and excited to fill my first tag. I have a bear and whitetail tag and I curious if it were to be better to go to swan hills or whitecourt to fill my first tag? I’m not looking for a trophy, I’d really like to shoot a bear, but would be thrilled with a white tail as well. I understand I will need to get my boots on the ground a scout, ect. - Any suggestions which area to start?
Appreciate any help! Thanks!

[obsessed1]

Both areas will have game. Hunt as close to home as possible. It makes getting out easier and hopfully more frequently. Pic an area and spend time in it. Avoid hopping areas too much as you never really get the learn an area well.. obviously if there is no sign of the species your hunting move on to areas that do have sign. Go out every time with the intention of learning something new about the game you are persuing. Make mental or even physical notes. Good luck out there!

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

Both areas will have game. Hunt as close to home as possible. It makes getting out easier and hopfully more frequently. Pic an area and spend time in it. Avoid hopping areas too much as you never really get the learn an area well.. obviously if there is no sign of the species your hunting move on to areas that do have sign. Go out every time with the intention of learning something new about the game you are persuing. Make mental or even physical notes. Good luck out there!

What he said

[Drewski Canuck]

As for Swan Hills vs. Whitecourt, the bigger question is what type of equipment do you have?

Many many years ago we drove in on the Shell Meekwap Gasplant Road which accesses the south side of Goose Tower.

The going in was easy with dry conditions. We had an Argo back then and were invincible, and naive. Truck was a 2 wheel drive, with no tire chains.

We drove in, set up a brand new wall tent, and started hunting a huge area, only to break down with the Argo about 4 kilometres back. Back then Argos had a Tecumseh 16 overhead valve engine, and the valve seats were press fit into an aluminium cylinder head. Valve seat popped out, engine stopped. A TRUELY STUPID DESIGN.

We pulled off the head and drove to Whitecourt for help. Got a bush mechanic fix done at a chainsaw shop and walked back in and fixed the Argo.

Over the next few days the drizzle turned to sleet turned to snow, and we had to pull out.

Jim Hill was frozen like a sheet of glass, we did not make it up and jack knifed into the ditch on a blind hill. LOTS of Oilfield and logging activity made this a near death experience.

Lesson #1: TIRE CHAINS and know how to use them.

Lesson #2: A proper 4 x 4.

Lesson #3: That country has some of the sloppiest gumbo on Earth and the best tires will ball up.

lesson #4: Shovels, tow chains, and rubber gloves and boots. A winch is only marginally helpful as the trees are not on the road bed you are trying to get back onto.

Game is running all over that country. Get a good GPS, get a map as backup, be prepared and go explore.

Drewski

[Stinky Buffalo]

Drewski speaks the truth.

In the Swan Hills area, we've been seeing more bears than we ever have in decades of hunting there. However, this fall, these were always sows with cubs. It's extremely important to determine that the bear has no cubs (from this year's batch) before you shoot.

Spring of 2021, we came across two orphaned cubs in separate locations. I know we have plenty of bears (maybe too many) but it still breaks my heart.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Drewski, a nice account of hunting in Alberta! However good advice to newbie to get good equipment and be prepared for bad weather etc.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

As for Swan Hills vs. Whitecourt, the bigger question is what type of equipment do you have?

Many many years ago we drove in on the Shell Meekwap Gasplant Road which accesses the south side of Goose Tower.

The going in was easy with dry conditions. We had an Argo back then and were invincible, and naive. Truck was a 2 wheel drive, with no tire chains.

We drove in, set up a brand new wall tent, and started hunting a huge area, only to break down with the Argo about 4 kilometres back. Back then Argos had a Tecumseh 16 overhead valve engine, and the valve seats were press fit into an aluminium cylinder head. Valve seat popped out, engine stopped. A TRUELY STUPID DESIGN.

We pulled off the head and drove to Whitecourt for help. Got a bush mechanic fix done at a chainsaw shop and walked back in and fixed the Argo.

Over the next few days the drizzle turned to sleet turned to snow, and we had to pull out.

Jim Hill was frozen like a sheet of glass, we did not make it up and jack knifed into the ditch on a blind hill. LOTS of Oilfield and logging activity made this a near death experience.

Lesson #1: TIRE CHAINS and know how to use them.

Lesson #2: A proper 4 x 4.

Lesson #3: That country has some of the sloppiest gumbo on Earth and the best tires will ball up.

lesson #4: Shovels, tow chains, and rubber gloves and boots. A winch is only marginally helpful as the trees are not on the road bed you are trying to get back onto.

Game is running all over that country. Get a good GPS, get a map as backup, be prepared and go explore.

Drewski

While this is sound advice, I hunt the Swan Hills area allot. I rarely use an ATV, and often use my Corolla rather than my 4x4 to save on fuel. If you know what your looking for terrain-wise, and your not afraid to burn some boot leather, and pick your battles wisely it is entirely possible access good hunting without much equipment.

[Drewski Canuck]

Bushleague,

You most certainly are correct that you can hunt out of a Toyota Corolla.

The trouble is knowing before you are in too deep, which for anyone can be tough. That country is very unpredictable in the fall.

I have seen people shooting grouse out of a mini van on a freshly plowed logging road 28 kilometres back when the country was bone dry. I have had to chain up the front end of my truck on that same road, and we were back there all by ourselves as no one would dare follow. It was suddenly very wet.

The trail to Dawson City during the Klondike Gold Rush was littered with dead well intentioned newbies.

The whole point of trying to help someone with advice who is new to the sport is so that they have a good experience, and are not turned off by the realities of what could happen.

A $600 tow bill with a smashed up car with some mud and perhaps frost bite thrown in will turn off most newcomers in a hurry. Being prepared gives the confidence to know you can still overcome a potentially bad situation.

Drewski

[LKILR]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

While this is sound advice, I hunt the Swan Hills area allot. I rarely use an ATV, and often use my Corolla rather than my 4x4 to save on fuel. If you know what your looking for terrain-wise, and your not afraid to burn some boot leather, and pick your battles wisely it is entirely possible access good hunting without much equipment.

Do you strap a moose across the hood or does it fit in the trunk?


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