# freelancing alberta?



## Hunt Chessies (Nov 7, 2005)

Great forum you guys got here! I figure I might try my luck here because it seems like a lot of people freelance in the dakota's and Canada. 
I am trying to plan a trip up to Alberta to try my luck freelancing. I have been on guided hunts in the peace river area and it was fun but a little to easy. (heres the field and go shoot em) Its not really for me, I like to put in some work for my birds. I do not really want to hunt in peace river again the drive from california is really long. I am looking for some advice on general areas to go to. I would really like to shoot mainly mallards and honkers and/or specks. I don't really need to shoot full limits of geese per morning I would rather get a combo. Or really anything i can get! haha!
I have a few dozen full body decoys and i know that i will need some more. I have a 16 foot boat with a mud motor on that i could tow up. I heard that a boat can open up areas with very little pressure. I also heard there is DU and Delta property that is huntable but i have searched and emailed people with no luck of finding anything. Should I even take the boat or should i just bring a enclosed trailer to haul the gear, etc? I would like to hunt some fields and potholes and I want to go into an area where I should have decent sucess in getting permission. It will most likely be my dad and I and 2 buddies. Hopefully I can talk them in to going, there not to happy about the 30 hour drive and would rather pay a guide but thats not what i want to do again. 
I would like to go around early to middle october. If anyone can give me some areas to start my research and get my ducks in a row it would be great. Thanks, Ryan


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

I live in Calgary and know the Peace River area is hot..birds stage there first..very little pressure..guaranteed limits...guides control the fields.
I freelance all the time but I usually go to Saskatchewan. I do however shoot in Alberta also...Bring the boat for a good pothole shoot..You should have at least 2 dozen dekes ..shells and a dozen or more duck dekes. Hot areas are north of Hanna about 20 miles near Castor..another hot area is Brooks ..DU featured a film shoot there...I freelanced there 3 years ago..permission was just okay..Birds comming off lake Newall and lots of big bodies of water on Eastern Irrigation land... There are many DU projects ..some foot accessible and some barred from hunting...Here we have also Buck For Wildlife projects for the public..many big bodies of water with foot access. ...Oyen and Alsask near the Alberta/Sask border are hot areas...I pass shoot near Cagary about 30-45 minutes out of town on public reserves.....need to carry lots of ammo..good pressure..Also many Hutterite colonies control good shooting fields.....some may give permission if you purchase some things from them or they charge you a fee for preparing..freezing birds.
Any ways please contact Alberta Fish and Wildllife for some of those locations.....feel free to ask me any questions..I might be able to steer you in the right direction.....I am not a guide...I love hunting birds!


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## Hunt Chessies (Nov 7, 2005)

Thanks for the info. I have tried to contact agencies up there about public land but have yet to hear anything. I was looking around Hanna but I to heard competition is heavy. Its so hard to pick when im 2000 miles away! If anyone else has anything it would be greatly appriciated.


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## Hunt Chessies (Nov 7, 2005)

thanks for the info. I am still trying to figure things out. I was just thinking of another option that would save us 4 days of travel but I'm not sure it is available.

Since the drive is so long from here, 30+ hours one-way I was wondering if there was any place or anybody that I could rent decoys from. We would get a rental van for our stuff. I think we could get our finishers over there as luggage so all we would need are decoys. Since it is only going to be myself and my hunting buddy it would save us 4 days of driving by doing this. Any info would be appriciated.

Thanks


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

I'll put the word out

Perhaps you can go to another forum goose hunting chat index and ask warrior and plainsman if they have any connections as they also live in Alberta.

I know of one group that went to Saskatchewan..flew in with blinds and a bunch of silos for ease of transport..go to the other forum and ask irish1 as he did that trick..I'llpm him soon to see how he made out.

I'll check up on the public info soon to get you some addresses.
both forums are great sources of knowledge and great people!


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## Hunt Chessies (Nov 7, 2005)

Mach that would be really helpful and very nice! I will give that a try and pm them. Thank you so much!


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## nutmeg honkers (Dec 21, 2003)

Has anyone ever looked into whether it would be feasible/cost effective to drop ship decoys, fly in and pick up a rental suburban and U-Haul at the destination?


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## Hunt Chessies (Nov 7, 2005)

Not from where I am at. I think you need a resident address in canada and they charge you some taxes. I think for me to send 6 fullybodies it was 82 bucks. Maybe there is a business for this and we should start one up!


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## Hunt Chessies (Nov 7, 2005)

How is the lloydminister area? I was thinking about this area because i could hunt alberta and sask


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

The Alsask area has same criteria and includes Kindersley, Sibbbald, Oyen the #2 hottest flyway in Canada has less pressure..you would purchase one federal permit and two provincial wildlife certicates...say add on another $100-120 bucks'.saw many birds in potholes on way back from Saask.
Here in Canada, the locals never use a big number of dekes..they would rather be on the x.....just bring /ship to friend ..some shells..windsocks..silos...leave the full bodies at home...you can buy floating duck dekes here 3 for $12
you would have to go to airport rentals to get a Suburban / yukon /$60/day and U-Haul for the trailor which is quite cheap around $100/week.
You can look into the bargain finders press and see if you can buy/rent some dekes....www.buysell.com you could try and sell them when you leave... new dekes are very expensive and here they won't sell you rags or windsocks.

just some thoughts
I might want to go to North Dakota for a pheasnt shoot someday..need info

.


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## pointblankshot (Nov 2, 2005)

Mach,

It's admirable how helpful you've been to the fellow out in Calif.. Here's some info on pheasants. Below is a link on the general area of the state that's best.

http://www.nd.gov/gnf/images/maps/pheasmap.gif

The general rule of thumb is south and west is better. We have a great time down along the SD border. Going out pheasant hunting this weekend matter of fact. Looks like we might get a shot at some honkers too from what my friends down there say. Anyway, plenty of public land open to hunt, and bird numbers are up. Good luck if you go, and who knows, maybe we could trade a hunt sometime. Snow geese are number one on my hit list!


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

Mach, Thanks for being so helpful to a stranger. Thats what makes this site so good. I live in New Leipzig, ND, If you want to chase some roosters next fall let me know and I will help you out. I have a farm house that you can base out of. I don't own much land but can point you in some different directions. I am not an outfitter or guide so leave you checkbook at home and come have some fun. Maybe you can turn me on to some waterfowl in your area in the future. I'm originally from the Devils lake area and really miss waterfowling. Again thanks for being a good guy and helping out a stranger.


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

sorry..I don't know which Dakota has the pheasants..Thanks for the courtesy....Looks like you would be a prime match for the Brooks, Alberta area...DU did a feature film about 5 years ago there..Lake Newell is similiar to Devil"s Lake in size and has Eastern Irrigation Land Permission to hunt with respect bordered by some friendly farmers with grainfields and some pheasants..Hunted there 4 years ago in a cold december...Also north of there are some Businesslike Hutterite colonies that could offer some shooting near Crawling Valley Resevoir..I have more places to hunt as soon as I have time to sit down and relive those precious memories....chat with you soon!


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## mach (Aug 29, 2005)

Field of Dreams....the day before the shoot.. :sniper:  ..Happy Thanksgiving!!


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Sweet looking spot,

Don't shoot any cars that are passing by oke:


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