Licence System
IBM manages the sale of all recreational hunting and fishing licences in Alberta. Licences are sold exclusively through private licence issuers (e.g., sporting goods stores, convenience stores and gas stations) in communities throughout Alberta. Licences are not sold at Fish and Wildlife Division offices.

The automated system integrates all recreational licensing services, providing better service to hunters, anglers and licence issuers. Licence issuers print all licences and tags at point of sale. The system provides the Fish and Wildlife Division with important, up-to-date information about the hunters and anglers in the province.

To locate a licence issuer in your area of Alberta, contact the RELM (Recreational Licensing Management) Call Centre, toll-free in North America, at 1-888-944-5494, or go to the Hunting in Alberta web site.

Wildlife Identification Number (WIN)
Hunters and anglers in Alberta must possess a ten-digit Wildlife Identification Number (WIN) before applying for or purchasing any licence or wildlife certificate. The number is valid for five years and can be purchased for $8.00.

If you are purchasing a WIN for the first time, the licence issuer gives you a paper receipt (which includes your new number) allowing you to purchase licences immediately. Your plastic card will be mailed to you within a few weeks.

Please bring your WIN card!

Please bring your card when you purchase licences. The plastic WIN card allows the licence issuer to provide you with faster more efficient service.

If you have any questions about the WIN or the licensing system, please contact the RELM Call Centre, toll-free in North America, at 1-888-944-5494.

Change of Address

All hunters should ensure their address and telephone number on their licence is correct. To update your mailing address, call (toll-free in North America) 1-888-944-5494, or fill out a WIN Application & Change of Information form at your local licence issuer.

What is required to be eligible to hunt in Alberta?
Hunters in Alberta should be aware of federal regulations pertaining to possession and use of firearms (click here to view Federal Firearms Legislation), and provincial regulations pertaining to licensing of hunters. There are regulations that pertain to first-time hunters, youths, residents, non-residents and non-resident aliens.

All hunters must have a Wildlife Identification Number (WIN) as a prerequisite to applying for, or purchasing any hunting licence but some additional requirements must be met for the WIN-holder to be eligible to purchase hunting licences.

A person must possess a valid Wildlife Certificate and the applicable hunting licence in order to hunt big game or game birds. The hunter must carry the licence and applicable tag(s) on his or her person while hunting. A person applying for a draw is not required to possess a Wildlife Certificate but must purchase one before purchasing any hunting licence.

Licensing requirements for first-time hunters
A first-time hunter is a hunter who 1) has not previously held a hunting licence in Alberta or elsewhere, or 2) has not passed a hunter competency test in Alberta or elsewhere, or 3) has not successfully completed a hunter education course in Alberta or elsewhere.

Non-resident and non-resident alien hunters are exempt from the first-time hunter test requirement if they are accompanied by a Hunter Host or a Designated Guide (click here to view Definitions) while hunting in Alberta.

Adult first-time hunters who have not previously held a hunting licence in Alberta or elsewhere, have an option of completing the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course, or passing the Alberta Hunter Competency exam.

Youth first-time hunters (12 to 17 years of age) have two options, depending on age. First-time hunters under 14 years of age must complete the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course. Those 14 to 17 years of age have the option of completing the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course or successfully completing the Alberta Hunter Competency exam. A youth must be at least 12 years old to hunt under the authority of any hunting licence in Alberta. All hunters under the age of 16 years must have written permission from a parent or guardian to purchase hunting licences. Hunters who are 11 years old may apply in the draws for licences if they meet the above criteria but they must be 12 years old anytime before or during the open season for that draw. They may not hunt until they are 12 years old. Youths who are 12 or 13 years old may hunt game birds with any legal weapon (click here to view Game Bird Prohibitions), but may only hunt big game with a bow and arrow or a cross-bow. To hunt with a firearm, hunters 14 to 17 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, a legal guardian or by a person 18 years of age or older who has the written permission of the parent or legal guardian.

If you are interested in taking the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course, call the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors' Association toll-free in Alberta at 1-866-852-4342, Edmonton 780-466-6682, or Calgary 403-252-8474.

Resident Youth Hunting Licences
Subject to the age limitations and conditions above, a resident 12 to 17 years of age may purchase a Resident Youth Wildlife Certificate, including a Game Bird Licence, for $6.25. The holder of a valid Resident Youth Wildlife Certificate who has not yet attained the age of 18 years may also purchase a Youth White-tailed Deer Licence and a Youth Mule Deer Licence, each for $6.25. This person may also purchase an Antlerless Mule Deer Special Licence (available through a draw, see Draws for Special Licences, below) for $6.00.

Federal Firearms Regulations
All hunters should be aware of new regulations in effect or about to come into effect under federal firearms legislation.

Where Your Money Goes
The $8.00 fee for the WIN card (valid for five years) goes to IBM to finance the ongoing development and maintenance of the licensing system.

A portion of the price of each hunting licence is a levy established by the Alberta Conservation Association to help finance wildlife rehabilitation programs and the enhancement of other wildlife management programs. Another portion goes to General Revenue and the remainder is a transaction fee that goes to IBM to finance the administration of the licensing system. This system collects valuable information about the use of our wildlife resource. The government uses this data for setting season dates, licence quotas and other regulations. For complete information on fee break down, contact Licensing and Revenue Services at (780) 427-6729.

Mobility-impaired Hunters
Eligible individuals may obtain a special permit or licence relating to off-highway vehicle (OHV) use, discharging a weapon from an OHV and bow and arrow equipment. Contact a Fish and Wildlife Division office for more information.

Mandatory Hunter Testing
A person, whose right to hold a recreational hunting licence has been suspended as a result of a conviction, is required to pass a hunter-competency test before obtaining another recreational hunting licence. This test, which differs from the test given to first-time hunters, must be taken after the beginning of the suspension period. Mandatory hunter testing is intended to increase outdoor safety, awareness, skills and efficiency and to develop responsible attitudes in the field. Dates and times for testing are available at Fish and Wildlife Division offices.

Draws for Special Licences
When demand for hunting opportunities becomes excessive, season length and bag limits are often insufficient to conserve a game resource or to ensure a quality hunting experience. In such cases, the Fish and Wildlife Division conducts lotteries or draws among eligible applicants for a limited number of special licences. Special licences allow successful applicants to hunt a specific type of game (e.g., antlerless elk) in defined areas during a specified season.

Only Residents and, to a lesser extent, Non-residents (Canadian) are eligible to apply in these draws. A non-refundable $3.04 (plus GST) levy is charged for each application or group of applicants (maximum of four) for the same draw. This levy goes to the Alberta Conservation Association for its Buck for Wildlife Program.

Although draws are used for specific wildlife management purposes (e.g., the goal in antlered mule deer draw areas is to develop a more balanced age structure in the herd by controlling the kill of bucks), other benefits include improved hunter success, increased opportunity to harvest a trophy animal, a more pleasant hunting experience with lower hunter densities, reduced disturbance of landowners, and a better distribution of the harvest.

Draw Application Deadline Dates - Hunters interested in special licence hunts for fall 2002 must have applied by June 27. The application deadline for the 2003 spring grizzly bear and Merriam's turkey hunts is January 30, 2003. Refer to the 2002 Alberta Hunting Draws booklet for more information on how to apply for these draws.

Hunters interested in the draw seasons for 2003 should obtain the 2003 Alberta Hunting Draws booklet and apply during the month of June, 2003. The booklet is mailed to draw applicants from the previous two years. For hunters who do not receive a copy in the mail, copies are available at licence issuers and your local Fish and Wildlife Division office.

Draw Results - Written notification of your draw results are sent in the mail. However, beginning July 17, you may call 1-900-451-DRAW ($0.75 for each minute) to determine your success in the draws. All you need is a touch-tone telephone and your WIN. Results for antelope draws are available August 8.

For information on the Draws for Special Licences, call 1-877-289-0999, toll free.

Landowner Special Licence
A person who qualifies may be eligible to obtain a special licence after having been unsuccessful in some draws. Availability of Landowner Special Licences may be limited for some species in certain WMUs. Those available will be issued to eligible persons on a first-come first-served basis. For details on eligibility and the application process, please consult the 2002 Alberta Hunting Draws booklet.

Special Antlered Moose Partner Licence
A resident holder of an Antlered Moose Special Licence has the option of designating one eligible hunter, either a resident or a non-resident (Canadian), to be a partner on the Special Licence, thereby allowing the designated hunter to obtain a Special Antlered Moose Partner Licence. To qualify for a Partner Licence in a particular WMU, the non-resident (Canadian) must have been eligible to apply for the Special Licence in that WMU.

A non-resident (Canadian) holder of an Antlered Moose Special Licence obtained through the draw process has the option of designating one eligible resident hunter to be a partner on the Special Licence, thereby allowing the designated hunter to obtain a Special Antlered Moose Partner Licence.

A designated partner does not need any priority to qualify for a partner licence, does not need to have applied on the moose draw, and the purchase of the partner licence will not affect any existing priority of the partner. To be eligible, the intended partner must qualify legally for a hunting licence and must hold no other moose licence. The Antlered Moose Special Licence holder is the primary licensee who may designate a partner at any time until the end of the season for which the Antlered Moose Special Licence is valid. The designated partner hunts under the authority of the special licence and must be in direct communication (not including the use of any electronic devices) with the primary special licence holder while hunting moose to ensure that both stop hunting when one of them kills a moose. The two hunters hunt as partners for a single antlered moose.

The primary licensee must carry the tag issued with the special licence and must tag the animal as soon as the primary licensee or the designated partner kills a moose. The primary licensee may hunt moose without the partner, but not vice versa.

To Designate a Partner – The Special Antlered Moose Partner Licence is available at any licence issuer. The intended partner must provide the licence issuer with the number of the Antlered Moose Special Licence held by the primary hunter along with his or her own WIN. The Special Licence number authorizes the licensing system to issue a partner licence that is linked to the Special Licence. The intended partner may then purchase a Wildlife Certificate and a Special Antlered Moose Partner Licence. If the intended partner is a non-resident, he/she must be accompanied by a licensed Hunter Host while hunting. The Partner Licence is valid for the same WMU and season as the Special Licence. No tag is issued with the Partner Licence.

ATTENTION
All Black Bear and Non-resident (Canadian) Non-resident Alien Wolf/Coyote Hunters

If you purchase one of these licenses for the spring season, it can be used for the following fall of the same calendar year. This applies for any of the following:
Wildlife Certificate, Black Bear Licence (Resident or Non-resident [Canadian]), Black Bear Special Licence (Non-resident [Canadian] or Non-resident Alien), Supplemental Black Bear Licence (Resident or Non-resident [Canadian] or a Non-resident (Canadian)/Non-resident Alien Wolf/Coyote Licence.

DON'T DISCARD IT!
It can be used for the following fall season.