Pronghorn Antelope hunting has always been a spot and stalk proposition. Contrary to many preconceptions, the prairie is far from flat and the many undulations, rolling hills, swales and coulees often provide ample cover for the hunter that takes time to plan his stalk.

Almost all sheep outfitting in Alberta is done in the old time style, with packhorses and tent frame camps. The exception is an archery-only zone near Canmore, where much of the hunting is easily accessed on foot. These November hunts can be bitterly cold. During the rifle season in September and October, most of the outfitters book 14-day hunts.

Black bears are hunted both spring and fall. In addition, black bears often feed all day long which adds to the excitement and success. In Alberta the fall black bear hunt can often be combined with other hunts like upland birds, waterfowl, moose, elk and deer. Across much of the province black bears can be baited and this is a popular hunting strategy.

Alberta possesses the largest subspecies of cougar on the continent and, as a result, Alberta consistently enters numerous cougars to the annals of the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young record books. A cougar hunt in Alberta usually begins with the search for a fresh track. For this reason optimum conditions require a recent snowfall.

Alberta has a growing population of elk that numbers in the neighborhood of 26,000 animals. They are found predominately along the eastern shadow of the Rocky Mountains in the high basins and foothills, although, in recent years, they have been expanding their range into the boreal forest and parkland regions.

The Boone and Crockett Club has three separate classes of moose, the Alaska-Yukon variety, the Canada moose and the Wyoming or Shiras moose. Alberta's moose fall into the Canada moose subset. Safari Club International classifies the moose found in the South West corner of Alberta as the Shiras moose sub-species.

Mule deer are widely distributed big game animals in Alberta and biologists estimate their population at around 133,000. They are found from the far southern reaches to the boreal forests of the north-central part of the province and tremendous trophy potential exists in all areas.

As with the geese, ducks (particularly mallards) stage in the Peace parklands by the thousands. The abundant mallards share the same food source as the geese and very often mallards are shot prior to and in between goose flights. The large wetlands and lakes of the Peace parklands the boreal forests also offer some of the best diver hunts in the West.

Alberta is home to three of the top ten typical and non-typical deer ever taken, no other single state or province on the continent has more deer on the list. Alberta has is one of the highest percentages of trophy-class bucks within the population of any jurisdiction in North America.

Bison may be hunted anywhere they are found in northern Alberta, except within the national park and within a new Bison Protection Area in northwestern Alberta, where they have been recently re-introduced. This may be one of the toughest hunting experiences on the continent!

Coyotes are abundant in the province, especially in the prairie, parkland and foothills regions. There is no limit on coyotes in Alberta and pelts taken during the winter prime season are thick and well furred. In general, coyotes may be hunted year round on private lands and from October 1 to February 28 on public lands.

The ruffed grouse is the most abundant upland game bird the boreal fringe offers and is the best ruffy hunting in the province and maybe the continent. Sharp-tailed grouse, spruce grouse and ptarmigan also occur in the boreal.

Wolf populations are high throughout the Boreal, Foothills and Mountain Regions of Alberta. These wolves can reach 120 pounds in weight and vary in color from light gray to black.

Wolves may be hunted by the holder of a wolf license (a nominal fee) from the opening of any big game season until the end of the spring bear season.