Hunting

In Alberta, the Wildlife Act manages Alberta’s wildlife and addresses hunting, and the Provincial Parks Act and Provincial Parks General Directive set the conditions for hunting in provincial parks and recreation areas.

There are hunting opportunities on more than 85 per cent of the land base in Alberta's parks system. In parks where hunting is allowed, some activities are restricted in order to:

• Protect sensitive areas and species
• Address public safety and wildlife management issues

The chart below provides an overview of hunting opportunities in Alberta's parks. This web page is not a legal document, nor is it a comprehensive listing of Alberta Parks' regulations.

In addition to the information in the chart, there are specific considerations related to:

• Firearm Discharge Permits
• Hunting in Wildland Parks
• Hunting in Natural Areas

General considerations for hunters includes information on:

• Respect other users
• Baiting
• Found dead wildlife in parks
• Hanging and storing big game
• Bison hunting in wildland provincial parks in northern Alberta
• Game Birds
• Cougar
• Black Bear

Hunting Opportunities Chart

Ecological Reserves

• Hunting is prohibited in ecological reserves.
• Ecological reserves preserve and protect natural heritage in an undisturbed state for scientific research and education.
• The primary intent of this class of protected area is strict preservation of natural ecosystems, habitats, features and associated biodiversity.

Wilderness Areas

• Hunting is prohibited in wilderness areas.
• Wilderness areas preserve and protect natural heritage where visitors are provided opportunities for non-consumptive, nature-based outdoor recreation.

Provincial Parks and Provincial Recreation Areas

• Provincial parks preserve natural heritage. They support outdoor recreation, heritage tourism and natural heritage appreciation activities that depend on and are compatible with environmental protection.
• Provincial recreation areas support outdoor recreation and tourism. They often provide access to lakes, rivers, reservoirs and adjacent Crown land.

In general, hunting and discharging of firearms (including bows) are prohibited in provincial parks and provincial recreation areas; however, there are specific EXCEPTIONS:

Unless you are hunting in a provincial park or provincial recreation area that has an open season, all firearms must be unloaded, encased or dismantled.

Wildland Provincial Parks

• Hunting is permitted in wildland provincial parks.
• Hunting opportunities in wildland parks.
• Bison hunting in wildland parks is only permitted in Hay-Zama Lakes Wildland Park within the Bison Hunting Zone.
• Special access restrictions apply to all motorized vehicles.
• Wildland parks preserve and protect natural heritage and provide opportunities for backcountry recreation.

Willmore Wilderness Park

• Hunting is permitted in Willmore Wilderness Park.
• Use of off-highway vehicles and snowmobiles are not permitted.
• Hunters are advised that staging areas adjacent to Willmore Wilderness Park have different hunting and firearm storage regulations than the park itself. Further information and maps are available at the Parks Division office in Hinton (780-865-8395).
• Willmore Wilderness Park was established under its own legislation in 1959. It is similar in intent to wildland parks.

Heritage Rangelands

• Two heritage rangelands have been established in Alberta:
• Black Creek Heritage Rangeland in the Whaleback area
• OH Ranch Heritage Rangeland near Longview
• Hunting is permitted in heritage rangelands but there are regulatory conditions on recreational access. To view the access conditions, use the Alberta Recreational Access Internet Mapping Tool with the approximate legal land descriptions (Alberta Township Survey system) listed below. For assistance, please call the Environment & Sustainable Resource Development Information Centre at 780-944-0313.
• Black Creek Heritage Rangeland: SE34 - TWP 10 - RG 2 - w5th meridian
• OH Ranch Heritage Rangeland: SE34 - TWP 17 - RG 3 - w5th meridian
• These lands are cooperatively managed between Alberta Forestry & Parks and grazing lease holders.
• Heritage rangelands preserve and protect natural features that are representative of Alberta's prairies. Grazing is used to maintain the grassland ecology.

Natural Areas

• Hunting is permitted in natural areas; however, there are some sites with special management and safety considerations that restrict hunting and access:
  • Riverlot 56 Natural Area
  • Sherwood Park Natural Area
  • Wagner Natural Area
• Some natural areas may be subject to grazing lease access conditions.
• Hunting opportunities in natural areas
• Natural areas preserve and protect sites of local significance and provide opportunities for recreation and nature.

Kananaskis Country

• Kananaskis Country is a multi-use area comprised of both protected areas and public land. Hunters must be aware of what type of land they are accessing.
• Access to some areas may be affected when roads and recreational trails are temporarily closed.
• Large, printed versions of the six of the Kananaskis Region hunting maps are available for purchase at the Elbow Valley Visitor Centre, Kananaskis Visitor Information Centre and Peter Lougheed Parks Discovery Centre.
• Ghost & Waiparous Hunting Map
• Bow Valley (Northwest Kananaskis) Hunting Map
• Peter Lougheed Provincial Park (Southwest Kananaskis) Hunting Map
• Highwood (South Kananaskis) Hunting Map
• Sheep & Highwood (Southeast Kananaskis) Hunting Map
• Sibbald & Elbow (Northeast Kananaskis) Hunting Map
• Hunting in other areas in Kananaskis Country:
• Hunting is NOT permitted in any Provincial Park or Ecological Reserve.
• Check "Kananaskis Region" for more info on Hunting in Wildland Parks.
• Check "Kananaskis Region" for more info on Hunting in Natural Areas.

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