Our history with Canada
I work for a large Engineering, Fabrication and Construction company who executes projects across the globe through execution centers that are also disbursed across the globe. I have worked for them for almost 30 years now. In November 2009, I was presented with my next opportunity by our Group CFO which was 1) Russia single status assignment for 12-24 months, or 2) Family assignment for 2-5 years in Calgary, Alberta. The twins had just turned 10 in August and Haley was 13. Having recently traveled to both Calgary and Russia on business; I had spent the prior two years traveling a great deal as I was the Controller of our Global Construction Organization, Kendra and I jointly decided that we would stay together as a family and this move would allow us to see each other on a daily basis.
We set the family down to explain what was happening. Blake asked me if I would be able to regularly attend their baseball games again. When I said yes, he was good to go. Cory asked if he could shoot a bear, moose, elk, deer, antelope (he kept going on until Kendra told him to stop). When I said we would have some wonderful outdoor opportunities, he was good to go. Haley was going into 8th grade and was a cheerleader. She was devastated and initially thought we were ruining her life. We knew (prayed a lot) that it would be best for our family so off we went! I started in November 2009 and the family joined me in July 2010 following the end of the school year and the boys baseball season in Fort Bend County.
We found a nice rental home, got the kids into good schools and off we officially began our family journey in the fall of 2010. I was busy at work and at home and given I had not yet met the Canadian residency requirement (I would have to utilize an outfitter); I decide to sit out the 2010 fall season. We got the kids into other activities (the boys played football – CFL style) for the first time, then basketball and we also found a good cheer travel team /gym for Haley (no cheerleaders in high school sports). Additionally, we all got into skiing, ice skating and ice fishing. All in all, we settled into a nice routine and embraced the Canadian culture and country. We found the Albertans to be very welcoming and being Texan, we were all a bit of a novelty to them.
Spring came and we moved into our first year of Little League in Canada. The boys made the 11U All Star team and while I was around to watch every game! I was asked to be an assistant coach for the all stars and we ended up winning cities and traveling across Alberta and Saskatchewan playing tournaments. Even without hunting, all in all it ended up being a very good first year for everyone!
By the fall of 2010 I had established residency, so I was able to hunt as a resident. Calgary is blessed as they have two outstanding archery centers (I would argue they rival or exceed any in North America). I ended up buying a new bow, as well as completing the required classes to own a gun. After that, I purchased a new 270 for myself and matching 17MHR’s for the boys. During the summer I had started searching where I could hunt. I purchased maps (spending over $1,000 by the time I left Canada), website searches, etc... A co-worker had picked up my passion for the outdoors and was kind enough to introduce me to what has become one of my best friends. Ryan Jones at the time also worked for Fluor. He is as avid about his family and the outdoors as I am. He was born and raised in BC and came to Alberta initially to attend university in Lethbridge. After school he landed in Calgary. While not yet totally bringing me into his hunting circle (I will explain later), he was kind enough to spend some time with me reviewing maps.
We quickly determined we had a great deal in common and our relationship grew over the coming year. He was new to archery and I was new to Canada hunting, so we were able to share a great deal of information.
Hunting opportunities in Alberta are endless. There are literally millions of acres of crown land (parks/grazing, all owned by the government). Saying that:
1) Some areas are draw only
2) Some of the crown land has restrictions when/if you can hunt (grazed for ranchers)
3) It’s quite hard to always determine when public land ends and private land starts
4) Some of the absolute best hunting is on private lands that butt up next to public lands
Another very interesting tidbit is that it’s illegal for landowners to lease their hunting rights. This means you compete with outfitters and other private citizens reaching out (literally knocking on property owners doors to ask for permission)! A box of chocolates, bottle of booze, or even in one instance a bag of sugar can go a long way in developing relationships (which ultimately turn into friendships) with small town farmers and ranchers. My “funny accent” was generally well received and I often respond to where I was from by saying “I was from Southern Alberta, eh (you, know, around the Pincher Creek area)”. That normally brought an odd look, big laugh or even one time a “that’s bull****, you are from Texas!” from an elderly woman.
We archery hunted few times that season during archery season (he was still not yet fully engaged into archery). During one of these archery hunts we came across two more avid archers from Pincher Creek. Charles and Jarret would become great friends and help me score in later hunts. Jarret came down to visit us in Shiner two years ago to take in some of the saltwater life. Ryan and I had a couple of close encounters, but never closed the deal that year. I mostly floundered around on my own….still remembering driving 2 hours to Red Deer to what looked like the best available public land (boy was I wrong), getting lost, not getting into the field until around 9 AM. About 600 acres. During my initial hunt, I saw a huge moose, nice whitetail and actually had a bull elk bugling back to my cow calls! I was hooked and wanted much more!
Ryan was kind enough to let me into his inner circle and their annual trip in November to rifle hunt big whitetails during the rut in Athabasca. Here I met his cousin Kevin Wade and brothers Jeff and Todd Hartley. It is bitter cold in northern Alberta in November and while the hunt isn’t physical (sitting on cut-lines), the weather eats into you. It didn’t bother me as I was living the dream hunting for big bucks in Alberta!! Jeff had already killed his buck by the time we arrived and Jeff soon joined him. As I found out over and over again, they quickly and generously put me on the “hot cutline” and I was able to successfully shoot my first Canadian whitetail (a 160 class 7X6 beauty)! All five of us ended up taking whitetail bucks that hunt.
Links from 2010:
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...9&pp=50&page=3
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=166446
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=171796
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=169879
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=171023
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=176301
I work for a large Engineering, Fabrication and Construction company who executes projects across the globe through execution centers that are also disbursed across the globe. I have worked for them for almost 30 years now. In November 2009, I was presented with my next opportunity by our Group CFO which was 1) Russia single status assignment for 12-24 months, or 2) Family assignment for 2-5 years in Calgary, Alberta. The twins had just turned 10 in August and Haley was 13. Having recently traveled to both Calgary and Russia on business; I had spent the prior two years traveling a great deal as I was the Controller of our Global Construction Organization, Kendra and I jointly decided that we would stay together as a family and this move would allow us to see each other on a daily basis.
We set the family down to explain what was happening. Blake asked me if I would be able to regularly attend their baseball games again. When I said yes, he was good to go. Cory asked if he could shoot a bear, moose, elk, deer, antelope (he kept going on until Kendra told him to stop). When I said we would have some wonderful outdoor opportunities, he was good to go. Haley was going into 8th grade and was a cheerleader. She was devastated and initially thought we were ruining her life. We knew (prayed a lot) that it would be best for our family so off we went! I started in November 2009 and the family joined me in July 2010 following the end of the school year and the boys baseball season in Fort Bend County.
We found a nice rental home, got the kids into good schools and off we officially began our family journey in the fall of 2010. I was busy at work and at home and given I had not yet met the Canadian residency requirement (I would have to utilize an outfitter); I decide to sit out the 2010 fall season. We got the kids into other activities (the boys played football – CFL style) for the first time, then basketball and we also found a good cheer travel team /gym for Haley (no cheerleaders in high school sports). Additionally, we all got into skiing, ice skating and ice fishing. All in all, we settled into a nice routine and embraced the Canadian culture and country. We found the Albertans to be very welcoming and being Texan, we were all a bit of a novelty to them.
Spring came and we moved into our first year of Little League in Canada. The boys made the 11U All Star team and while I was around to watch every game! I was asked to be an assistant coach for the all stars and we ended up winning cities and traveling across Alberta and Saskatchewan playing tournaments. Even without hunting, all in all it ended up being a very good first year for everyone!
By the fall of 2010 I had established residency, so I was able to hunt as a resident. Calgary is blessed as they have two outstanding archery centers (I would argue they rival or exceed any in North America). I ended up buying a new bow, as well as completing the required classes to own a gun. After that, I purchased a new 270 for myself and matching 17MHR’s for the boys. During the summer I had started searching where I could hunt. I purchased maps (spending over $1,000 by the time I left Canada), website searches, etc... A co-worker had picked up my passion for the outdoors and was kind enough to introduce me to what has become one of my best friends. Ryan Jones at the time also worked for Fluor. He is as avid about his family and the outdoors as I am. He was born and raised in BC and came to Alberta initially to attend university in Lethbridge. After school he landed in Calgary. While not yet totally bringing me into his hunting circle (I will explain later), he was kind enough to spend some time with me reviewing maps.
We quickly determined we had a great deal in common and our relationship grew over the coming year. He was new to archery and I was new to Canada hunting, so we were able to share a great deal of information.
Hunting opportunities in Alberta are endless. There are literally millions of acres of crown land (parks/grazing, all owned by the government). Saying that:
1) Some areas are draw only
2) Some of the crown land has restrictions when/if you can hunt (grazed for ranchers)
3) It’s quite hard to always determine when public land ends and private land starts
4) Some of the absolute best hunting is on private lands that butt up next to public lands
Another very interesting tidbit is that it’s illegal for landowners to lease their hunting rights. This means you compete with outfitters and other private citizens reaching out (literally knocking on property owners doors to ask for permission)! A box of chocolates, bottle of booze, or even in one instance a bag of sugar can go a long way in developing relationships (which ultimately turn into friendships) with small town farmers and ranchers. My “funny accent” was generally well received and I often respond to where I was from by saying “I was from Southern Alberta, eh (you, know, around the Pincher Creek area)”. That normally brought an odd look, big laugh or even one time a “that’s bull****, you are from Texas!” from an elderly woman.
We archery hunted few times that season during archery season (he was still not yet fully engaged into archery). During one of these archery hunts we came across two more avid archers from Pincher Creek. Charles and Jarret would become great friends and help me score in later hunts. Jarret came down to visit us in Shiner two years ago to take in some of the saltwater life. Ryan and I had a couple of close encounters, but never closed the deal that year. I mostly floundered around on my own….still remembering driving 2 hours to Red Deer to what looked like the best available public land (boy was I wrong), getting lost, not getting into the field until around 9 AM. About 600 acres. During my initial hunt, I saw a huge moose, nice whitetail and actually had a bull elk bugling back to my cow calls! I was hooked and wanted much more!
Ryan was kind enough to let me into his inner circle and their annual trip in November to rifle hunt big whitetails during the rut in Athabasca. Here I met his cousin Kevin Wade and brothers Jeff and Todd Hartley. It is bitter cold in northern Alberta in November and while the hunt isn’t physical (sitting on cut-lines), the weather eats into you. It didn’t bother me as I was living the dream hunting for big bucks in Alberta!! Jeff had already killed his buck by the time we arrived and Jeff soon joined him. As I found out over and over again, they quickly and generously put me on the “hot cutline” and I was able to successfully shoot my first Canadian whitetail (a 160 class 7X6 beauty)! All five of us ended up taking whitetail bucks that hunt.
Links from 2010:
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...9&pp=50&page=3
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=166446
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=171796
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=169879
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=171023
https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...d.php?t=176301
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