Hunting

General Info

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; and
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:

General considerations for hunters includes information on:

Hunting Opportunities Chart

Classification	No. Sites	Hunting	Exceptions	OHVs permitted (including snow machines)
Ecological Reserves	15	No	No	No
Wilderness Areas	3	No	No	No
Provincial Parks	75	No	Elk seasons in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park-Alberta	No
Provincial Recreation Areas (PRA)	212	No	Big game and game bird seasons in Blue Rapids, Cooking Lake-Blackfoot, Fickle Lake, Lakeland, North Bruderheim, Redwater, Sulpher Gates and Wapiabi PRAs	Lakeland PRA - yes on designated trails only North Bruderheim PRA
Wildland Parks	32	Yes	Bison hunting not permitted in wildland parks outside the Bison Hunting Zone	On designated trails in a select number of wildland parks
Willmore Wilderness Park	1	Yes	No	No
Heritage Rangelands	2	Yes	Entry subject to grazing lease access conditions	No
Natural Areas	141	Yes - some exceptions	Access and other management conditions may apply	Dependent on access conditions

Hunting Information by Park Classification

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:

Elk Management Hunt in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park-Alberta
Big game and game bird seasons in

Firearms discharge permits are required to hunt in ALL provincial parks and provincial recreation areas EXCEPT:

An orientation session may also be required before hunting is permitted in a provincial park or provincial recreation area.

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 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 Grande Cache (780-827-7393).
Willmore Wilderness Park was established under its own legislation in 1959. It is similar in intent to wildland parks.

Heritage Rangelands

Hunting is permitted in heritage rangelands but entry is subject to grazing lease access conditions.
Two heritage rangelands have been established in Alberta:
- Black Creek Heritage Rangeland in the Whaleback area; and
- OH Ranch Heritage Rangeland near Longview.
These lands are cooperatively managed with Alberta Environment & Sustainable Resource Development 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:
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.
Information and maps are available from Kananaskis Country Visitor Information Centres.

For More Info

Contacts for hunting in Alberta's parks system