Becoming a Guide
To become a big game or bird game guide in Alberta, you must:
• Be an adult (18 years of age or older) who is legally entitled to be employed in Canada;*
• Must have a Wildlife Identification Number (WIN) from Alberta ReLM;
• Pay applicable fees ($50 per guide’s designation plus GST);
• Be endorsed under a currently permitted Outfitter in Alberta; AND
The Policy of APOS is that the offering or providing big game or waterfowl guiding services to a resident, for gain or reward, can only be provided by a licensed outfitter or a licensed guide employed/contracted by a licensed outfitter and only if, the species falls within the class of the outfitter’s licensing, and
a) they own/lease big game allocations or waterfowl privileges for that species in that WMU, or
b) they have permission from an existing outfitter with big game allocations or waterfowl privileges for that species in that WMU, or
c) there are no big game allocations or waterfowl privileges held for that species in that WMU.
For big game:
A big game guide designation holder:
a) is authorized at any one time, to guide for gain or reward
i) one or 2 non-resident or non-resident alien licence holders while they are hunting wolf, coyote or big game other than black bear that they are legally authorized to hunt, pursuant to a contract with an outfitter, or
ii) up to 3 non-resident or non-resident alien licence holders while they are hunting black bear that they are legally authorized to hunt, pursuant to a contract with an outfitter, or
iii) any number of resident licence holders while they are hunting any such animal that they are legally authorized to hunt.
For bird game:
A bird game guide designation holder:
a) is authorized to guide for gain or reward non-resident or non-resident alien licence holders or both
i) while they are hunting game birds that they are legally authorized to hunt pursuant to a contract with an outfitter,
ii) to the extent that those birds are migratory game birds, provided that
(a) the designated guide is employed by the holder of an outfitter (bird game) permit who then holds a waterfowl privilege in respect of the wildlife management unit in which the guiding services are to be provided.
(b) that wildlife management unit is listed on the designated guide’s designation as one where that guide is so authorized to guide non-resident or non-resident alien hunters or both to hunt such birds, and
(c) the applicable client hunter days limitation is complied with.
b) Guiding under the above is only authorized
i) on any given day, if the designated guide does no hunting on that day under the authority of a recreational licence, and
ii) to the extent that any terms and conditions set by the Minister and of which the guide has written notice are complied with.
All big game and bird game guide designations expire on March 31 each year.
* A Guide Designation from the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society (APOS) does not make a non-resident alien guide legally entitled to work in Canada. A federal work visa is required. For more information on non-resident alien work visas, please contact Pathway to Immigration.