Regulations allow landholders (residents only) to take immediate action to control some problem wildlife. The following privileges are beyond those permitted under fur management licences.
Contact your Fish and Wildlife field office when furbearers other than the species shown in this section are destroying property, as a damage control licence may be necessary:
Note: Section 40 of the Wildlife Act specifies that no person shall hunt wildlife or discharge firearms on or over occupied lands, or enter on such lands for the purpose of doing so, without the consent of the owner or occupant.
Beaver
- May be hunted and trapped, without a licence and during all seasons, on privately owned land by the owner or occupant of the land, or by a resident with written permission from the owner or occupant of the land.
Wolf
- May be hunted — but not trapped — without a licence during all seasons, as follows:
- On privately owned land by the owner or occupant of the land, or by a resident with permission from the owner or occupant.
- On public land by a person authorized to keep livestock on that land, or by a resident who has written permission from that authorized person.
Note: The above authorities to hunt wolves extend to lands within 8 km (5 mi.) of the land described above, provided the authorized person or resident has right of access.
Coyote
- May be hunted — but not trapped — at all times of the year throughout the province:
- By a resident who has right of access to hunt on the lands that are not public lands within the Green Area.
- By the owner or occupant of privately owned land, on the privately owned land.
- By a person maintaining livestock on public land, on that public land.
- On lands described in the point above that are in the Green Area, by a resident who is authorized in writing by the person described in the point above.
Red Fox
- May be hunted — but not trapped — without a licence and during all seasons, by a resident on privately owned land to which the resident has the right of access.
Badger
- May be hunted, without a licence and during all seasons, by a resident on privately owned land to which the resident has the right of access.
Skunk and Raccoon
- May be hunted or trapped during all seasons by the owner or occupant of land, or by a person authorized by the owner or occupant, or by the holder of a licence authorizing the trapping of furbearing animals.
Rabbit or Hare
- May be hunted by a resident without traps, throughout the province at any time of year, without a licence. A resident may use snares to take rabbit or hare, provided the snare meets the requirements set out in the Alberta Guide to Trapping Regulations.
Bobcat
- May be hunted — but not trapped — by a resident in WMUs 102, 104, 106, 108, 112, 116, 118 and 119 and that part of WMU 110 east of Highway 2 and south of Highway 3.
For further information on wolf and coyote hunting, including seasons, refer to:
Source: Ministry of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development
If you have a problem with wildlife on your property you can contact the Alberta Trappers Association for help: http://www.albertatrappers.com/contact.html