Non Resident Hunting in Alberta, Canada

Everyone who wishes to hunt in Alberta should read the current Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations, which summarizes all hunting regulations in the province.

Hunters who are not Alberta residents fall into two categories:

Different regulations apply to each category and both are also limited to certain licenses.

1. Non-resident hunters: You are not an Alberta resident but are a Canadian citizen and have lived in Canada for the 12-month period immediately before the date of your planned hunting or fishing activities.
2. Non-resident alien hunters: You are not a Canadian citizen or an Alberta resident.

Yes. Anyone who requires an Alberta hunting or fishing license needs a WIN(Wildlife Identification Number) card. The number is issued at the time of purchase so that there is no delay in receiving a license.

You must complete an application form including a small fee at a private license issuer. The vendor will issue the new WIN on a paper receipt, and licenses or draw applications can be purchased at that time. A permanent WIN card will be mailed to you within six weeks.

Non-residents can apply for certain draws only. Learn about non resident draws.

Non-resident aliens cannot apply for draws.

A Hunter Host is an Alberta resident (usually a friend or relative of the non-resident hunter) who does not charge a fee to accompany a non-resident while hunting. Anyone who is a non resident or a non-resident alien hunter must be accompanied by either a hunter host or an outfitter guide if hunting big game, wolf, or coyote.

Learn more about Hunter Hosts.

Non-residents who hunt with a hunter host may obtain licenses from private license issuers for:

• Antlered Elk
• Antlered Moose
• Antlered Mule Deer
• Whitetail Deer
• Black Bear
• Supplemental Black Bear
• Cougar
• Wolves and Coyotes
• Some special licenses may be obtained through the draw system.

Non-resident aliens hunting with a hunter host may obtain licenses from private license issuers for:

• Antlered Whitetail Deer
• Antlered Mule Deer
• Antlered Moose
• Antlered Elk
• Black Bear Special Licenses
• Wolf/Coyote

Find private license issuers in Alberta.

A Big Game Designated Guide is designated by the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society to commercially guide big game hunters in Alberta. A Designated Guide may guide not more than two Non-resident (Canadian) and Non-resident alien big game hunters at a time in any part of Alberta, provided that each non-resident (Canadian) or non-resident alien has contracted the hunt through an Outfitter-guide. The two-hunter limit does not include resident hunters.

• Big Game Outfitter – guide has a valid Outfitter-guide permit, and provides outfitting and guiding services to big game hunters in Alberta.
• Class S Outfitter-guide – an Outfitter-guide who holds Non-resident (Canadian)/Non-resident Alien allocations for Trophy Sheep Special Licenses. A Class S Outfitter-guide may also hold allocations for other big game special licenses.
• Class T Outfitter-guide – an Outfitter-guide who holds allocations valid for Non-resident (Canadian) and Non-resident Alien big game special licenses other than those for trophy sheep.

To find a vetted outfitter-guide, visit our Alberta Outfitter Directory.

Both non-resident and non-resident alien hunters need a WIN card and a Wildlife Certificate to hunt game birds, plus additional licenses depending on what type of game bird you are hunting.

A simple one-page form must be filled out to obtain a temporary Canadian Firearms permit. This form (CAFC 909) can be downloaded from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Canadian Firearms Program. Follow the links for visitors/non-residents and then download the “Non-Resident Firearms Declaration” (CAFC 909).

Yes. Hunters may bring up to 200 rounds of ammunition into Alberta It’s easy to purchase ammo for most common calibers and gauges at sporting-goods stores in most areas.