Non-Resident Hunters

Alberta is a province of Canada with two major metropolitan centres serviced by international airports: Edmonton and Calgary.

The province's climate is classified as northern cool-temperate, characterized by cold winters and short, cool summers.

• Mean January temperatures for Calgary and Edmonton are -11°C (12°F) and -15°C (5°F), respectively, with extreme lows exceeding -40°C (-40°F).
• The mean July temperature for both Calgary and Edmonton is 17°C (63°F) with extreme highs exceeding 35°C (95°F).
• In the spring and fall, temperatures can vary between extremes of 20°C (68°F) and -20°C (-4°F).

Learn about the different hunting regions in Alberta and the game available to hunt in each:

Everyone who wishes to hunt in Alberta should read the current Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations, which summarizes all hunting regulations in the province.

Hunters who are not Alberta residents fall into two categories:

1. Non-resident hunters: You are not an Alberta resident but are a Canadian citizen and have lived in Canada for the 12-month period immediately before the date of your planned hunting or fishing activities.
2. Non-resident alien hunters: You are not a Canadian citizen or an Alberta resident.

Different regulations apply to each category and both are also limited to certain licences.

Yes. Anyone who requires an Alberta hunting or fishing licence needs a WIN(Wildlife Identification Number) card. The number is issued at the time of purchase so that there is no delay in receiving a licence. For more information, see Hunting and Fishing Licensing System.

You must complete an application form including a small fee at a private licence issuer. The vendor will issue the new WIN on a paper receipt, and licences or draw applications can be purchased at that time. A permanent WIN card will be mailed to you within six weeks.

Non-residents can apply for certain draws only. Learn about non resident draws:

Non-resident aliens cannot apply for draws.

A Hunter Host is an Alberta resident (usually a friend or relative of the non-resident hunter) who does not charge a fee to accompany a non-resident while hunting. Anyone who is a non resident or a non-resident alien hunter must be accompanied by either a hunter host or an outfitter guide if hunting big game, wolf, or coyote.

Non-residents who hunt with a hunter host may obtain licences from private licence issuers for:

• Antlered Elk
• Antlered Moose
• Antlered Mule Deer
• White-Tailed Deer
• Black Bear
• Supplemental Black Bear
• Cougar
• Wolf/Coyote

Some special licences may be obtained through the draw system.

Non-resident aliens hunting with a hunter host may obtain licenses from private licence issuers for:

• Antlered White-Tailed Deer
• Antlered Mule Deer
• Antlered Moose
• Antlered Elk
• Black Bear Special Licences
• Wolf/Coyote

Find private licence issuers in Alberta:

A Big Game Designated Guide is designated by the Alberta Professional Outfitters Society to commercially guide big game hunters in Alberta. A Designated Guide may guide not more than two Non-resident (Canadian) and Non-resident alien big game hunters at a time in any part of Alberta, provided that each non-resident (Canadian) or non-resident alien has contracted the hunt through an Outfitter-guide. The two-hunter limit does not include resident hunters.

Big Game Outfitter-guide has a valid Outfitter-guide permit, and provides outfitting and guiding services to big game hunters in Alberta.

Class S Outfitter-guide - an Outfitter-guide who holds Non-resident (Canadian)/Non-resident Alien allocations for Trophy Sheep Special Licences. A Class S Outfitter-guide may also hold allocations for other big game special licences.

Class T Outfitter-guide - an Outfitter-guide who holds allocations valid for Non-resident (Canadian) and Non-resident Alien big game special licences other than those for trophy sheep.

To find an outfitter-guide, visit Alberta Professional Outfitters Society:

Both non-resident and non-resident alien hunters need a WIN card and a Wildlife Certificate to hunt game birds, plus additional licenses depending on what type of game bird you are hunting.