Typical Day & Tactics

Up at the crack of dawn, guides will have hunters strategically poised to best intercept these mature bulls as the herds begin exiting the fields enroute to their bedding areas for the day.  Often enough hunters have a bull that is receptive to calling, at which point the guides aggressively respond, bugling and cow calling as you position yourselves to capitalize on a good shot opportunity.  A scenario like may be one of the highlights of any hunter’s career, as a huge thousand-pound bull screams furiously, snorting steam into the cold crisp morning air as he accepts the challenge and begins closing the distance heading right to you.  Should the bulls be more interested in their harem, all is not lost. Now is the time to skulk and sneak your way into position in front of the herd as they plan leave the feeding areas heading to bedding grounds in the heavy timber.  Once here, the outfitter votes not to bump them, not wishing to disturb their predictable daily patterns.

After the morning hunt, head back to the lodge for a hearty home cooked breakfast buffet.  Afterwards hunters will have the opportunity to shoot their bows or rifles, relax, hang out, or consider some scouting recon with your guide prior to heading out for the evening hunt.  All the morning hunting tactics are usually repeated in reverse order as the Elk file back into the fields where they will spend the night feeding.  Whether in the partial darkness of dawn or dusk – passionately pursue these majestic animals with your guide to the echoes of multiple bugling bulls and chirping cows. It’s an experience that remains with hunters all their lives.

Landscape & Climate

The ranch is located at over 4000 feet elevation hugging the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. September is a beautiful time as quaking aspens change to their fall colors and the first snowy outlines of the mountains paint the western backdrop.  Mornings are usually crisp with frost carpeting the ground overnight, but the days warm up as the sun climbs higher in the sky.

Subsequently, the hunting areas potential for significant weather can change on a dime. An unusual system may produce snow in September.  With the elevation here it is often said, ‘If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute!” As October and November roll around the temperatures drop and snow establishes itself half the time. The ranch and surrounding properties are a mix of crop fields, pasture and grazing areas. Forests of predominately spruce and fir, with aspen on the hillsides, and cottonwoods in the river bottoms. There is also a beautiful river running through the ranch from south to north that provides game thick brushy escape cover. Hunters must be prepared for a variety of weather as they might be hunkered in a stand for several hours, or walking though the forest, looking and listening for that bull of a lifetime! For detailed weather data, Wikipedia is an excellent resource for historic weather trends found in the “Climate” section available for any city worldwide.

Meals & Accommodations

Home cooked country cuisine is the order of the day.  Piping hot meals with a variety of entries throughout the week find our hunters content and full.  Hunters and guides stay in our comfortable ranch house, which is located directly in the heart of the property with one of our prime fields located right near the cabin.  It is not uncommon to hear elk bugling all night as everyone is trying to sleep.  We have cell service in most areas of the ranch and the cabin does have internet coverage.  Hunters will either have their own room or bunk up with one roommate for the duration of the hunt.

Key Equipment Suggestions

Once a hunt is confirmed, the outfitter provides a complete list of required equipment to ensure hunters are prepared for the elements and this style of hunting.  Key equipment items include; quality layered clothing for weather that ranges from warm sunny days in September, to cold snowy days in November where temperatures can dip well below freezing, a light day-pack, bow or rifle, quality 10X binoculars with good visibility in low light, rangefinder, warm waterproof boots, a headlamp, raingear and a digital camera. Hunter orange is not required in Alberta.