Wild Blueberry Help

[1stLand]

Howdy,
I was wondering if anyone knew of some wild blueberry spots within a 3 hour drive from Calgary.

My mom is from northern Ontario and loves picking wild blueberries. She doesn't believe me when I tell her they grow in central and northern alberta.

I would like to go and find some myself and pick a bucket for her. Wondering if they are ready now as well.

Thanks in advance

Julian

[Bub]

Don't know about Calgary, but they are definitely ready to be picked 9 hours north of Calgary. In fact, I am going today in the evening well, not really that exciting since I don't like the process

They grow in northern Ontario, why wouldn't they grow in Alberta?

[Opalsasquatch]

I have a good spot too, but it's 70km north east of Edmonton

And there is plenty ripe ones ready now


"Shuuuuuuussssshhhhh.

You can't post stuff like that, too many heads will explode."
Hillbillyreefer

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

Howdy,
I was wondering if anyone knew of some wild blueberry spots within a 3 hour drive from Calgary.

My mom is from northern Ontario and loves picking wild blueberries. She doesn't believe me when I tell her they grow in central and northern alberta.

I would like to go and find some myself and pick a bucket for her. Wondering if they are ready now as well.

Thanks in advance

Julian

I've found them as far south as the bearberry area but they were rather sparse and hard to find, the further northwest you go the more you'll find them, they're probably not ripe yet though

[Bub]

Oh, they are pretty ripe. In fact, where I pick them, if you do not hurry, they will start dropping soon. Fairly early this year. I will have to head there again this weekend to get a couple of pales. Didn't get much accomplished today and it kind of sucked since I forgot my boots at home and had to walk the bush in flipflops (my boots are always in the vehicle, but yesterday I walked in the bush during and after the rain and I was soaked (boots got filled with water from the top) and had to take everything inside to dry out).

Last year I think was better for blueberries, quantity wise. I have noticed to day that many bushes are berry free, which is usually not the case. Seems like a great year for cranberries though.

[slough shark]

Originally Posted by Bub

Oh, they are pretty ripe. In fact, where I pick them, if you do not hurry, they will start dropping soon. Fairly early this year. I will have to head there again this weekend to get a couple of pales. Didn't get much accomplished today and it kind of sucked since I forgot my boots at home and had to walk the bush in flipflops (my boots are always in the vehicle, but yesterday I walked in the bush during and after the rain and I was soaked (boots got filled with water from the top) and had to take everything inside to dry out).

Last year I think was better for blueberries, quantity wise. I have noticed to day that many bushes are berry free, which is usually not the case. Seems like a great year for cranberries though.

That's awesome, I'll have to try and sneak out this weekend, normally I'd had to wait another week it seems to get the peak but they're loooking good. If you don't mind me asking whereabouts are you? More for the cranberries to be honest, the wife is from Newfoundland and has some tasty recipes for them.

[Bub]

Those pictures were taken around Deadwood area.

[3blade]

There are some around the Edson to Hinton area, as well as smokey lake to bonnyville. Finding good concentrations takes boot work, it varies year to year. I doubt you would find big numbers within 3 hrs of cowtown, but there's plenty of saskatoons right there and huckleberries to the west.

[Bub]

If I knew where I could pick wild hackleberries near me, that would be swell

[drhu22]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

Howdy,
I was wondering if anyone knew of some wild blueberry spots within a 3 hour drive from Calgary.My mom is from northern Ontario and loves picking wild blueberries. She doesn't believe me when I tell her they grow in central and northern alberta.I would like to go and find some myself and pick a bucket for her. Wondering if they are ready now as well.
Thanks in advance
Julian

Mom and dad lived south of Caslan for about twenty years, and I know they had good blueberry picking somewhere roughly around there (within 1/2 an hr?). My suggestion is to look at some topo maps of that general area to find good terrain. You can also get forest cover maps that might help.

[Drewski Canuck]

Look around North Buck Lake, Hope Lake, Skeleton Lake, Calling Lake ...

If that is not enough, don't know what you could possibly want.

Last year was a boomer year. This year the groups of plants with berries are ALOT BIGGER, and in nice clusters, but the groups of producing plants are spread out so some walking from patch to patch, but many many plump ripe berries.


By the way, take another bucket and look for old poplar logs. The bearsclaw - cauliflower - hercium mushrooms are everywhere and in their prime.

Drewski

[CMichaud]

Picked some blueberries up by farm at Grassland yesterday

Strangely the Saskatoon berries on the farm are really hard to find. The trees seem bear!