First Mule Deer Hunt in Alberta | Wainwright Base Hunt Story

This hunt took place on a limited draw at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright. Three days, two tags, any sex—whitetail or mule deer.

On paper, it sounds like a great opportunity.

In reality, it’s controlled chaos. There are a lot of hunters, a lot of pressure, and a very short window to make something happen.

I had drawn the last session, so those deer had already been hunted hard. They were switched on, jumpy, and well aware of what was going on, if they were even still on the base.

To make things even more interesting, it was unusually warm for Alberta in December—hovering around +5 to +10°C. Not exactly ideal when you’re trying to move quick and keep meat in good condition. Plus it allowed the deer to move everywhere, not stick to corridors due to snow.

Slowing It Down

Day one, I played the same game as most guys—cover ground, truck hunt, try to increase your odds.

But something didn’t sit right. While glassing, I spotted a coulee that looked promising. It wasn’t much, just a feeling more than anything, but it had that look to it.

So the next morning, I committed. I got in early, set up, and waited. As the sun came up, shots started ringing out across the base. You could hear them echoing everywhere. Guys were getting after it.

And I saw nothing.

The Fight to Stay Put

If you’ve hunted pressure like that before, you know the feeling.

You start questioning everything.

• Should I move?

• Am I in the wrong spot?

• Is this already blown out?

I fought that urge most of the morning all while the classic Clash song was ringing in my head... Should I Stay, Or Should I Go Now... you've been there I know and it almost forced my decision solely because I started moving to the beat. But finally, just after lunch, I saw a whitetail doe step out… and just as quickly disappear.

That didn’t help.

Now I’m thinking:

• Did she wind me?

• Did someone else spook her?

• Is there another hunter close by?

  
  

There are people everywhere on these hunts. You never really know even with the mandatory hunter orange. But instead of moving, I sat back down and doubled down on patience.

When It Happens, It Happens Fast

About an hour later, I caught movement. This buck came out moving with purpose—head down, cutting straight across the clearing through low brush. All I could see were antlers floating just above it.

I brought up Justine’s rifle and picked what I thought would be the only clean window I was going to get. Then I waited....

Everything slowed down. You track the movement. You watch the gaps. You try to stay ahead of him without rushing it yet keep your eye on those cross hairs waiting for fur.

And then it happened.

He stepped into that opening, perfectly broadside.

The shot was already there.

The Walk-Up

When he dropped, it happened fast. No tracking. No guessing. Just silence.

Walking up, I was still in that mindset—tags in my pocket, meat in the freezer. That was the goal. Seeing antlers was just a bonus.

But then I got closer:

• Long, narrow antlers.

• Different body.

• Different shape.

And it hit me.

This wasn’t a whitetail.

First Mule Deer

My First Mule Buck

I had never hunted mule deer before. Coming from Eastern Canada, they just weren’t part of the picture. And with my shoulder injury taking archery out of the equation, drawing a mule buck tag felt like something that might be a long way off. But here it was.

Not planned. Not targeted. Just part of the hunt.

And that made it even better.

Getting It Out

The pack out on this one was a little different. I had hiked in, but I also had Ursula, our trusty (and slightly questionable) F250, sitting in the wings. The kind of truck you don’t mind taking places you probably shouldn’t. I was able to get her in to within about 50 meters of the buck.

Not your typical backcountry grind—but on a hunt like this, with the pressure and the temperature, it was the right call.

Turning It Into Something More

When I dropped off my pack mount deer, I mentioned to Chris at Coulee Creek Taxidermy that I had just taken my first mule deer. He was just as excited about it as I was.

Which makes sense—he’s in the business of turning moments into something that lasts.

He asked what I was planning to do with it. I didn’t really have an answer.

He just said:

“Leave it with me. You’ll be happy.”

More Than a Mount

And he was right. What came back was simple. Clean. But more importantly—it meant something.

This piece represents two milestones for us:

• My first mule deer

• Our move to Alberta

  
  

That’s what makes it different. It’s not about the size of the rack. It’s not about the hunt being perfect. It’s about what it represents.

Final Thoughts

Some hunts are about filling tags. Some are about learning. And some… just end up meaning more than you expected. This was one of those. This is the first of many hunting stories we’ll be sharing here on The Baker Adventures.

These aren’t just hunts—they’re the moments, lessons, and milestones that shape how we approach the field. You can follow along with more in our Hunting Stories collection as we write them up.