Thread: Eastern Canadian Whitetails

Hey all,

The whitetail hunting season just came to an end late last week and while I was only able to get out a handful of times and had no luck some of my friends certainly did! Sorry for the horrible pictures but it's usually a cellphone camera sorta photo shoot.



9-pointer shot during a stalk from approximately 30m with a sporterized Lee Enfield near River John, Nova Scotia.



10-pointer called into within 70m and dropped on the spot with Savage 340 in .30-06 in Wellington, Nova Scotia.

Wats the average weight of a whitetail buck over there?

Originally Posted by Toby

Wats the average weight of a whitetail buck over there?

10 times the weight of ours

Good stuff Jay! I plan to chase the real big mid-western ones in Saskatchewan in 2015. Cant wait.
Oh yeah and catch a Leafs game or 2 at the ACC while visiting friends

Around 200-220 lbs (90-100 kgs) live weight seems to be the average for mature bucks in Nova Scotia according to a friend's grandfather who has been hunting in the River John area for many years, very near to where that first buck was shot.

He's another one from the area that they dropped on a soybean field in '11 that was a good size right around the average.

Originally Posted by R93

10 times the weight of ours

Good stuff Jay! I plan to chase the real big mid-western ones in Saskatchewan in 2015. Cant wait.
Oh yeah and catch a Leafs game or 2 at the ACC while visiting friends

Those get pretty monsterous I've heard! Going to be trying your luck with SK mulies as well?

Originally Posted by JayColli

Around 200-220 lbs (90-100 kgs) live weight seems to be the average for mature bucks in Nova Scotia according to a friend's grandfather who has been hunting in the River John area for many years, very near to where that first buck was shot.

He's another one from the area that they dropped on a soybean field in '11 that was a good size right around the average.

I recognise that big one hanging around in the background. It is a John Deere. Ha ha ha ha

Originally Posted by JayColli

Those get pretty monsterous I've heard! Going to be trying your luck with SK mulies as well?

I will be tying for a Yukon or BC moose as well. Even though I will be hunting as a non-resident, I doubt I could afford it for this coming trip. I am keen on trying for a Mule deer at some stage. A big bull moose and a decent whitetail have always been at the top of my hunting bucket list. A mule deer and sheep will be on another trip if I ever do it.

I should really concentrate on a decent red stag here in NZ first, to be fair. I have harmed thousands of red deer but never managed one over 300+ on foot.

Originally Posted by R93

I will be tying for a Yukon or BC moose as well. Even though I will be hunting as a non-resident, I doubt I could afford it for this coming trip. I am keen on trying for a Mule deer at some stage. A big bull moose and a decent whitetail have always been at the top of my hunting bucket list. A mule deer and sheep will be on another trip if I ever do it.

I should really concentrate on a decent red stag here in NZ first, to be fair. I have harmed thousands of red deer but never managed one over 300+ on foot.

Which outfitting company did you go with if you don't mind me asking? I don't know heaps about hunting out on the western side of the country but it seems to be big business for a few that are well-situated. I've always been keen on the idea of a Rocky Mountain sheep hunt and since getting a tag for an Alberta or BC sheep if you don't live in one of those provinces would be like winning the lottery, I might as well start looking at outfitters that'd have the tag for me ha ha.

I have not sorted an outfitter for the Whitetail yet.
I will most likely be trying for the moose with a acquaintance that has his own setup in BC.
He lives here 6 months of the year.
Also waiting on some other info.
Saving hard out for the trip now.
It's a ways off yet.


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I'm applying for a job with a county in northern Alberta (Lac La Biche) that apparently has some pretty huge whitetails. The province allows for a resident to host a non-resident once a year with few restrictions so if it turns out that I get the job and you happen past in the next couple of years then you'd be more than welcome to drop in and have a go at er. This is if the missus lets me stay up north that long

Originally Posted by JayColli

I'm applying for a job with a county in northern Alberta (Lac La Biche) that apparently has some pretty huge whitetails. The province allows for a resident to host a non-resident once a year with few restrictions so if it turns out that I get the job and you happen past in the next couple of years then you'd be more than welcome to drop in and have a go at er. This is if the missus lets me stay up north that long

That would be pretty awesome mate!!!
The same offer is in the table if you ever head this way.
I live amongst some of the best hunting NZ has to offer and have enough contacts to help with pretty much anything else if it can't be done in Westland.
Plenty of knowledgable and generous forum members here that I am sure, would be happy to help as well.
I would rather enjoy a hunt with a like minded local, than a guide any day.
In saying that, one of my best mates and hunting partners is a guide for a living but I don't have to pay him Lol!
I will need to spend a bit of time in Canada as I want to catch a Leafs regular season game or 2 with at least one game in Toronto.
I will stay in touch Jay, thanks.


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Great stuff mate, very envious of them, love to get a muley buck one day

I did some work through that area a few years ago, can't recommend the motel at Wandering River at all.
Was lucky as it was summer time, I bet it is cold as in winter. Good luck with the job.

Originally Posted by JayColli

I'm applying for a job with a county in northern Alberta (Lac La Biche) that apparently has some pretty huge whitetails. The province allows for a resident to host a non-resident once a year with few restrictions so if it turns out that I get the job and you happen past in the next couple of years then you'd be more than welcome to drop in and have a go at er. This is if the missus lets me stay up north that long

Thanks for the great offer R93. I'm hoping to be back in NZ within the next 3 years so I may be able to take you up on that offer.

Moutere, the weather up there is pretty frigid. Forecast for tomorrow is -22* and looks like it'll stay below -20* well into next week - yeccckkk!! It's just a bit below 0* here on the east coast and we had some snow on xmas eve/day so that was nice but I'd still rather have xmas in summer NZ-style!

Just saw a few nice pics on a Cdn hunting forum of a Sask Whitetail mount that I thought I'd share.

Thats a big boy alright! What a ripper! The shoulder mount alone would be a big as our whitetail ever get in body size

I see the forecast for the winter classic is fine and -10 in Detroit. It will keep the ice in a good state between periods but might be a tad cold for the fans.
Where abouts are you living now mate? Your not a Noofy are ya?