Hunt Alberta Mule Deer | Mule Deer Hunts | Facts for the Hunter

Hunt Alberta Mule Deer

The "Legend" Ed Broder

It is doubtful that when Ed Broder headed out on the trail of a fresh set of mule deer tracks that cold morning in the fall of 1926, he had any plans of becoming a household name in the annals of Boone and Crockett. But, that's exactly what he did when he dropped the firing pin on the massive mule deer buck at the end of those tracks. With over 40 score-able points, the buck was bigger than anything Ed had ever seen. In fact, it was bigger than anything anyone else had ever seen and became the number one non-typical mule deer in the world, a position it still holds, some 75 years later. With a score of 355 2/8, this record is not likely to fall anytime soon, but this does not mean there are not loads of good bucks still roaming Alberta's prairies, foothills, mountains and forests. In fact, Alberta has produced more big bucks in the past decade than it has in the previous century. Thanks to some very intensive management by Fish and Wildlife, Alberta is fast becoming known as North America's premier trophy mule deer destination. Today, mule deer hunting is one of the hottest commodities in North American big game hunting and Alberta is certainly the destination of choice. Many outfitters report very high harvest percentages, particularly in the southwestern Alberta foothills. Many hunters report seeing over 100 mule deer in a single day on these world class hunts.

Population

Mule deer are widely distributed in Alberta with a population at around 200,000. They are found from the far southern reaches to the boreal forests of the north-central part of the province and tremendous trophy potential exists in all areas. Alberta's mule deer have some of the largest body weights found anywhere, averaging nearly 250 pounds and often approaching 300 and, they have antlers to match. Most noted for their incredible mass and dark coloration, a large percentage of the antlers also sport non-typical points. Several bucks scoring in excess of 240 Boone and Crockett points have been taken in the past few years. After suffering a minor winter kill in 1996, populations have burgeoned during the past six years of mild winters, and hunters are reporting seeing more big bucks than ever before. The trophy books bear this out as well. The provincial record for typical mule deer was set in 1996 and now stands at 206 points.

Mule Deer Hunting in Alberta

There really is no better time to enjoy a mule deer hunt in Alberta, as the conditions are the best they've been for decades for producing bragging-sized bucks. Several mild winters in a row, intensive management by Fish and Wildlife and genetics from bucks like the one shot by Ed Broder all add up to the possibility of a trophy of a lifetime.