Bighorn Sheep
Alberta is home to the world-renowned Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, one of the four Grand Slam sheep species available in Canada.
More About Bighorn Sheep Show Bighorn Sheep OutfittersBison
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!
More About Bison Show Bison OutfittersBlack Bear
Abundant in Alberta, black bears can be hunted during both the spring and fall seasons. Spring seasons vary with most hunts taking place in May, and the first half of June in some areas. Fall hunts are again variable with limited areas open in late August, and most hunts occurring in September and October.
More About Black Bear Show Black Bear OutfittersCougar
A cougar hunt in Alberta begins with the search for a track. Fresh snowfall can make for prime conditions.
More About Cougars Show Cougar OutfittersCoyote
There is no harvest limit on coyotes, and Alberta’s populations are high. Coyotes can be hunted on private land year-round, and many rural landowners are pleased to welcome hunters to help control numbers.
More About Coyotes Show Coyote OutfittersElk
Spectacular terrain and scenery await the visiting elk hunter. Alberta’s outfitters operate on a range of both public and private lands. Home to a growing population of the Rocky Mountain elk subspecies, during the rut from late August through to mid-October, bulls fight for dominance and are responsive to calling, putting hunters in a great position to fill their tag. The screaming bugle of a majestic bull and the chirping of a herd of cows is something every hunter simply must experience. If you’re headed out to the mountains, you might enjoy a longer hunt with backpack and horseback, but many shorter duration hunts in the prairies are also very desirable.
More About Elk Show Elk OutfittersMoose
Alberta is also home to a thriving population of moose. The Boone and Crockett Club has three separate classes of moose including Alaska-Yukon moose, Canada moose, and Wyoming or Shiras moose. Alberta's moose fall into the Canada moose subset. However, Safari Club (SCI) International also classifies the moose found in the southwest corner of Alberta as Shiras. The terrain, hunting method, and size will depend on where in Alberta you hunt. Some outfitters offer fly-in only while others will use ATVs and trucks. Moose are widely distributed throughout Alberta’s boreal forest, foothills, and parkland zones. This variation means there are moose hunting opportunities for hunters who crave the wilderness, and those who would prefer a more accessible prairie experience.
More About Moose Show Moose OutfittersMule Deer
In many parts of North America mule deer populations are struggling but in Alberta mule deer are thriving and high in number. From the farmland of northern Alberta to the open grassland and coulee habitat of the south, Alberta’s professional outfitters consistently put record book contenders in front of their hunters each and every year constantly harvesting 175+ animals. Guests to Alberta generally experience high success rates on their mule deer hunts. Hunters can enjoy truck-based hunting where you can spot deer feeding in the farm fields and put on a short stalk, or do more extensive hiking and spot-and-stalk hunting or even tree stand hunting. Early season archery hunts beginning as early as late August in some zones, and running through September and October, offers amazing opportunities for bow hunters. Later in the season, rifle hunters can also enjoy rut hunts.
More About Mule Deer Show Mule Deer OutfittersPronghorn Antelope
A carefully managed big game species, Alberta is home to some of the biggest pronghorn antelope in North America. Over the years, many Alberta pronghorn antelope have ranked high in the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young records. Our outfitters employ a range of hunt strategies including spot-and-stalk, decoying, and waiting at water holes. On any given hunt, you will see a multitude of game and enjoy some of the finest prairie grassland scenery on the continent. With normally mild weather, Alberta’s relatively short antelope season occurs in September and October.
More About Antelope Show Antelope OutfittersUpland Birds
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.
More About Upland Birds Show Upland Bird OutfittersWaterfowl
Positioned at a merging point of the Central and Pacific Flyways, Alberta is the destination of choice for a growing number of waterfowl hunters. Simply put, Alberta has the best Canada goose, Specklebelly and “dry field” duck hunting in North America. Alberta is home to some of the most northern agricultural land in all of Canada, making it a first and primary stop for migrating waterfowl since these are the first grain fields and decoys placed by hunters that the birds see on their travels south in the fall. With decoys set up in rural landscapes, visiting hunters typically shoot from layout or willow blinds and enjoy our province’s generous harvest limits. Alberta provides some of the best waterfowl decoying action in North America.
On any given day, you may shoot Canada geese, Specklebelly geese, Snow geese, Ross’ geese, pintails, mallards, Sandhill Cranes and more, including species that may be of interest to collectors. The basic limit adds up to 66 birds, plus there are other species on top of that as well. Some APOS members also offer upland game bird hunting, so be sure to ask as this can be a great addition to a trip.
More About Waterfowl Show Waterfowl OutfittersWhite-tailed Deer
Abundant throughout the province, Alberta offers some of the finest whitetail hunting in the world. Well-known as a whitetail mecca, hunters travel to our province for the very real chance to take a Boone and Crockett or Pope and Young class buck. Thousands of opportunities are available to non-residents each year, and hunts occur in a fence free environment.
Variable habitat throughout Alberta makes hunting mature whitetails in our province a true experience of a lifetime. From the grassland and river bottom habitats to the famous parkland areas, foothills, boreal forest and even mountains, mature, heavy racked whitetails are found across our beautiful Province.
More About White-tailed DeerShow White-tailed Deer Outfitters
Wolf
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.
More About Wolves Show Wolf Outfitters