Hunting at Frank Lake Alberta

Article By: Joe Seaborne 2020-11-21

Frank Lake Alberta

Frank Lake is a shallow man-made body of water located 15min east of High River. It is one of the top hunting destinations in Alberta for waterfowl and also one of my favourite places to go hunting.

I would first like to go over some general details about Frank Lake then focus on the areas I have had successful hunts and also what techniques work the best.

Ducks Unlimited Canada

Frank Lake's managed by Ducks Unlimited Canada and is open to the general public for recreational purposes throughout the year. Recreational activities include hunting, hiking, bird watching, and enjoying the outdoors. For more information about ducks unlimited Canada “click here”

How to get to Frank Lake

Frank Lake is approximately 10 minutes East of High River. Just take the number 2 to the 23 eastbound. Get off on Township Road 190 and follow it until you come to the main entrance.

Is the front gate open all year round

The gate at the front entrance is open most of the year, except during the hunting season. Usually, sometime before opening day, they close the gate so no cars can get through.

Does Frank Lake have any amenities?

Frank Lake has a porta-potti and garbage container near the blind, but other than that there are no amenities.

What are Frank Lake's hunting regulations?

Always check the Alberta Hunting Regulations annually before heading out. Frank lake is under WMU 132 of the Alberta Hunting Regulations. Alberta Hunting Regulations

How big is Frank Lake / Total hunting area

Frank Lake is a total of 4800 acres. The three basins are 3100 acres surrounded by 1700 acres of land.

Are you allowed to hunt from the blind at Frank Lake?

Hunting is not allowed from the blind and is only open for observation purposes. Although you are not allowed to hunt from the blind, it is useful for scoping out the area before hunting.

Best areas for waterfowl

Waterfowl hunting is pretty good all-around Frank Lake. There are many areas along the shore that are dense with thick, tall grass that is perfect for hiding in or setting up a blind. When I am hunting for waterfowl, I have a few good spots that are fairly close to the parking lot (basin 1) and easy to get to.

South of the main entrance

South of the parking lot is a shallow sloughy area that is about a 10-minute walk. There isn't very much cover in this area, but it’s easy to get to if you don’t have much time to go hunting.

hunting for ducks

MapSource:Google Maps

The thick grassy area

If I’m feeling athletic and have energy to spare, I’ll go to where the grass is tall and dense. This area is good for either hiding or sneaking around.

hunting for ducks

MapSource:Google Maps

The long island

Sometimes there are lots of waterfowl within proximity to the long island. If conditions are right, I like to sneak up the island and ambush my prey.

hunting for ducks

MapSource:Google Maps

East of the parking lot

East of the parking lot is a large bay area that has lots of dense grass that provides tons of cover. I like using decoys in this area because there are usually a lot of ducks in the bay that can be easily lured in.

hunting for ducks

MapSource:Google Maps

Pheasant hunting

There are two pheasant release sites on Frank lake, one on the South and another by the main entrance. There is a total of 1700 acres of land surrounding the three basins, making Frank lake very good for upland game hunting. Pheasant hunting usually starts later in the season, so be sure to check the regulations for the exact date.

Quick recap