Hunting Allocations

A hunting allocation or Special Licence allows the hunting of a specific species and type or class of animal during an identified hunting season within a specific area.

Allocations are used to manage the hunting opportunity for Non-Residents and Non-Resident Alien hunters who participate in hunting in Alberta through a professional Outfitter.

Special Licences are used when demand exceeds available opportunity, and defined season length and harvests are necessary to ensure the conservation of a species is properly managed. Special Licences are distributed through a draw process which hunters participate in annually to achieve desired harvest goals and hunter opportunity.

Education Sessions

In Fall 2021, educational sessions were held to share information on hunting allocations in Alberta. Sessions were recorded and posted on the Alberta Environment and Parks YouTube Channel.

Shared Harvest - Alberta’s Approach to the Sustainable Allocation of Hunting Opportunities

• Watch the recording of this session

The Science Behind your hunting license: Allocating recreational harvest opportunity

• Watch the recording of this session

2022 Big game allocation reports

Recently, Alberta Environment and Parks confirmed our intent to manage mule deer in support for the maintenance of a broader age-class distribution on the landscape. Essentially, this means increasing the focus on reducing mortality rates to achieve increased abundance of older mule deer bucks. 

For 2022 and moving forward, there is an adjustment in how permit numbers will be set to manage to this outcome. Through discussions with partners on the Mule Deer Management Plan Advisory Committee, represented by: Alberta Professional Outfitters Society, Alberta Fish and Game Association, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Bowhunters Association and the Alberta Conservation Association, this adjustment will emphasize hunter harvest success as a primary tool to adjust annual resident antlered mule deer permit numbers. Collectively, the advisory committee supports this outcome.

As we implement this adjustment to focus on our shared goal to improve hunter harvest success rates, approximately 800-900 fewer antlered mule deer permits will be issued in 2022. Using information provided by hunter surveys and harvest reports, population surveys and other sources, we will work collaboratively to better understand the factors that influence hunter success rates and hunters’ expectations. To support this, it is important for hunters to provide accurate responses to harvest surveys and participate in other surveys that may be conducted from time to time.

We know that mule deer management is much more than simply hunting for big bucks. It is also important that the tools are available to manage populations, where needed, to address wildlife-human conflict situations as they arise.

We hope that you find the 2022 allocation summary tables useful in making your special licence draw application decisions for this fall.

These reports outline the distribution of hunting opportunities available in the 2022 hunting season provided by Alberta Environment and Parks to:

• Residents
• Landowners (where applicable)
• Non-Residents / Non-Resident Aliens through Outfitter Guides

Information presented includes:

• Wildlife Management Unit or Units (WMU)
• Number of current Outfitter Allocations
• Landowner Licences sold the previous hunting season
• Number of Special Licences available through the draw process

Updated: Jun 6, 2022