Please note there have been regulation changes related to the cougar registration process.
- Cougar harvest must be reported by email (FP.CougarRegistration@gov.ab.ca), or text (780-218-7275) within 24 hours of the kill. Please include:
- The hunters name,
- Date of the kill,
- Sex of the cat
- WMU the cougar was harvested in.
- The Requirement for physical registration of cougars has changed from 1 day to 5 days after the kill.
- Because of staffing issues, designated offices for cougar registration will not be implemented this season. Please phone a Fish and Wildlife office to schedule an appointment to have your cat registered within 5 days of the kill.
- New wildlife management units have been added to cougar management areas allowing hound hunting in more of Alberta. Please see the table and map below for details.
- Cypress Hills Provincial Park is included in the new cougar management area 36. Please note there are numerous requirements to be aware of in the Provincial Parks General Directive for this activity. Visit:
Cougar hunting season status summary
Data updated:
January 17, 2025 @ 4:26 PM
Cougar
Management
Area
|
Male
Quota
|
Female
Quota
|
Male Season Status
|
Female Season Status
|
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
4
|
2
|
1
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
6
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
7
|
2
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
8
|
2
|
1
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
9
|
2
|
1
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
10
|
2
|
1
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
11
|
2
|
1
|
Closed
|
Closed
|
|
12
|
2
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
13
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Closed
|
|
14
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
15
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
16
|
3
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
17
|
2
|
3
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
18
|
2
|
3
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
19
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
20
|
1
|
1
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
21
|
3
|
2
|
Closed
|
Closed
|
|
22
|
2
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
23
|
3
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
24
|
2
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
25
|
1
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
26
|
1
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
27
|
1
|
3
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
28
|
2
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
29
|
1
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
30
|
1
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
31
|
1
|
2
|
Closed
|
Open
|
|
32
|
1
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
33
|
1
|
1
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
34
|
1
|
1
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
35
|
1
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
36
|
1
|
1
|
Closed
|
Closed
|
|
37
|
1
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
|
38
|
1
|
2
|
Open
|
Open
|
Fall cougar hunting season
Cougars may be hunted by holders of a Resident Cougar Licence from September 1 – March 31 in the following Wildlife Management Units:
- 100-166
- 200-260
- 357-360
- 500-504
From August 25 to November 30, cougars may be hunted by holders of a Resident Cougar Licence in WMUs 410, and 412 to 446.
The use of dogs is prohibited during this season, and hunters may harvest one cougar of either sex. No quotas exist for
this season.
Winter cougar hunting season
From December 1 to March 31, cougars may be hunted by holders of a resident cougar licence, non-resident cougar licence, or cougar special licence in the following Cougar Management Areas:
| CMA
|
WMUs
|
CMA
|
WMUs
|
CMA
|
WMUs
|
| 1
|
108, 300
|
14
|
420, 422
|
27 |
355, 445, 446 |
| 2
|
302, 400
|
15 |
426, 428, 430 |
28 |
356,357 |
| 3
|
303, 306, 308, 402
|
16 |
432, 434, 436, 437 |
29 |
505, 507, 508 |
| 4
|
110, 304, 305
|
17 |
438, 439 |
30 |
503, 506, 509, 510 |
| 5
|
404, 406
|
18 |
440, 442, 444 |
31 |
511, 516, 518 |
| 6
|
408, 410
|
19 |
352, 353, 441 |
32 |
512, 514, 515, 517, 519, 529 |
| 7
|
132, 310, 312
|
20 |
246, 334, 336 |
33 |
358, 359, 522 |
| 8
|
214, 314, 316
|
21 |
337, 338, 348 |
34 |
526, 527 |
| 9
|
216, 318, 320
|
22 |
339, 340, 342 |
35 |
524, 525 |
| 10
|
221, 224, 322, 332
|
23 |
344, 346 |
36 |
116, 118, 119, 624 |
| 11 |
324, 330 |
24 |
347, 349 |
37 |
535, 537 |
| 12 |
326, 328, 429 |
25 |
350, 351, 360 |
38 |
542, 544 |
| 13 |
412, 414, 416, 417, 418 |
26 |
354, 521, 523 |
|
|
Hunters must call the cougar hotline at 1-800-661-3729 (toll-free) prior to hunting each day to determine which CMAs are
open.
Quotas for male and female cougars
There is a separate quota for male and female cougars in each CMA. The season in each area closes independently for each
sex when the quota has been filled.
Quotas are updated periodically with the objective of a stable older age structured population. Reports are produced every three years to summarize cougar harvest and explain any changes to quotas.
For holders of a cougar special licence (outfitted non-resident or non-resident alien hunters), quotas do not apply and the season remains open for either sex until March 31.
Related information
Updated: Nov 29, 2024