2018 Hunting Season
The past year of 2018 marked the 18th season that we have been offering fair chase hunts in Alberta. The years seem to go by so quickly and this year was no different. We had many return clients and a number of new ones, a perfect balance. It is always nice to meet new clients as well as strengthen the relationships with the returning ones.
The month of May is when the big game hunting all starts for us. Our spring black bear hunt has become a very popular hunt for fathers to bring their son to come and experience the best of what nature has to offer us here. Max brought his son Luca to experience their first spot and stalk bear hunt together. Both harvested nice boars, Luca a nice cinnamon and Max a beautiful black. Rick and Joe returned again and Joe finally connected on a huge pumpkin headed cinnamon boar after striking out last year. Don Williams had hunted with us in the past for archery mule deer and decided to join us on a spring black bear hunt and was rewarded with a nice black boar. Dale and Joel Sowders were here 10 years ago on a bear hunt where we encountered some nasty winter weather. This trip was a lot nicer and Joel harvest a real nice bear.
With summer came our preparation for the coming sheep and deer season. Trails were cleared and sheep camps were set up in the mountains and deer were scouted at home for the coming archery season. Our usual repeat hunters Carl Rossi, Al Ciprano, John D’Angelo and Mitch Mitchum came up for the early season hunt in the beginning of September. Carl harvested a super old deer that had regressed in antler size making it his 7th buck in 7 years. Mitch took another great 183” buck, a dandy for sure but it will be pretty tough for him to better the 198” giant he took with us in 2016! John on his fourth consecutive hunt with us took a cool looking non typical velvet buck. After we returned from the sheep mountains another four archery hunters arrived. Juan Cerrillo, Bill Crapser, Ron Fillmore and Mike Nelson. We harvested two awesome bucks this week. Both Bill and Ron took their first mule deer with archery equipment. Congrats guys!
After a season of terrible weather in 2017 where Gary Wiechens and Brent McNamee were unsuccessful in harvesting sheep, they returned in 2018 to try their hand again. Both were successful in taking awesome bighorn rams which completed Brent’s first grand slam and Gary’s second. Great job guys!
For the opening week of rifle season we had Francois St. Louis and his friend Serge Girard come for mule deer. This was Francois’ fifth hunt with us. Both harvested nice bucks within the first two days of their hunt. Dean Capuano and Tom Hogan of Swarovski brought up Ron Spomer and Gordy Krahn who both have hunted here a number of times in the past. At the end of the week they had harvested three mule deer and a couple of whitetail. Russell Coleman from Australia returned again and took a nice whitetail and mule deer. Other successful mule deer hunters were Dave Dibblee and Troy Kalnoski. Whitetails were taken by Greg Boyes, Gary Marietti and his son Dominic.
I would like to thank all of you that hunted with us this year and years in the past. Also none of this would be possibly without the great crew I have that make it all happen. If you would like to experience fair chase hunting at its finest come join us here in Alberta and we will do our best to make your hunt the best experience we possibly can. Best wishes for 2019!
Until next time, good luck!
Your Outfitter,
André van Hilten
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