Becoming an Outfitter

How to Become an Outfitter
Three types of Outfitter Permits are available:

• Class T Big Game Outfitter Permit which authorizes the individual to enter into a contract for hunting big game, except trophy sheep;
• Bird Game Outfitter Permit authorizes its holder to enter into for hunting by that individual of game
• birds.
• Class S Trophy Sheep Outfitter Permit which authorizes the individual to enter into a contract for hunting big game, including trophy sheep.*
  *Class S Outfitter Permits can only issued to individuals who:
  1. were an outfitter on or before March 31, 1988, or
  2. are the spouse or adult interdependent partner or child of an individual who was an outfitter on that date, that individual now being deceased or incapacitated through injury or disease, or
  3. are the recipient of a sheep allocation transfer.

To become an outfitter in Alberta, you must:

• Be an adult (18 years of age or older);
• Complete an Outfitter Permit application form.
• Obtain a Guide Designation of the appropriate class (Bird Game/Big Game) under a currently permitted Alberta outfitter,
• Have an agreement in place for a lease or transfer of allocations, and
• Provide evidence of a minimum deposit indemnity bond of $10,000 for contracted clients and a minimum general liability insurance of $5 million.

A corporation may appoint an individual who holds a Guide Designation to be the Outfitter-in-Charge to hold the Outfitter Permit holder on behalf of the corporation. To do so, the directors of the company must provide minutes with a motion naming the individual as the Outfitter-in-Charge.

It is $250 plus GST annually to obtain a Big Game, Canadian Bird Game, or Class S Outfitter Permit, and $5,000 per year for Non-Resident Alien Bird Game Outfitter Permit.  Non-resident aliens cannot hold a Big Game Outfitter Permit. To be considered for the Canadian Bird Game Outfitter Permit ($250), the outfitter, or outfitter-in-charge in the case of a corporation, must provide proof Canadian citizenship or permanent residency with their application and renewal. Proof can be a Canadian passport, residency card, birth certificate, or citizenship certificate. Non-Resident Alien Bird Game Outfitters paying the $5,000 Outfitter Permit application or renewal fee do not need to provide proof of US citizenship.

All Outfitter Permits expire March 31. Late renewals are subject to late fees, and unrenewed allocations will be forfeit if not paid for by May 31. 

APOS has liability insurance available through All Insurance Ltd, and Hub International Insurance Brokers.

All Outfitter Permit holders are subject to the APOS Code of Ethics and are required by the Wildlife Regulation to submit Activity Reporting by January 15 of a given year, regardless of whether or not clients were taken.

If all requirements are met, the application process for the Big Game Outfitter Permit will take 2-3 weeks to complete. Bird Game Outfitter Permits are faster as they do not require set up with Alberta ReLM. Class S Outfitter Permit applications where the individual is the recipient of a sheep allocation transfer will take additional time to process as these are approved by the Government of Alberta.

For inquiries about obtaining an Outfitter Permit, please call 780-414-0249 or email info@apos.ab.ca.