Alberta has very rigid rules and regulations on what wildlife can be hunted and where.
These regulations are for management of populations of species and other environmental reasons.
What about bears?
Can you hunt bears in Alberta?
The answer is yes, you can hunt bears in Alberta. However, you can only hunt black bears, and only during bear hunting season.
You can NOT hunt grizzly bears in Alberta.
When and Where Can I Hunt Black Bears in Alberta?
Black Bear hunting season in Alberta is broken into two seasons. Fall and Spring.
The schedule below shows when you can hunt black bears for Fall of 2021 and Spring of 2022.
See the Full Alberta Hunting Regulations PDF
The schedule depends on the style of hunting (Archery or General). It also depends on the WMU (Wildlife Management Unit).
Refer to this Alberta WMU map for the bear hunting schedule above.
Do You Need a Hunting License to Hunt Bears in Alberta?
Yes, you need licenses to hunt black bears in Alberta. All hunters need hunting licenses and special bear licenses to hunt bears in Alberta. Before you get hunting licenses, you first need a 10 digit W.I.N (Wildlife Identification Number). This is required for hunting and fishing.
In Summary
Yes, you can hunt bears in Alberta. It has to be black bears only. Grizzly bears do not have an open season. These are the only 2 types of bear in Alberta.
You need a W.I.N, a hunting license, and a black bear hunting license.
Black bear hunting in Alberta is split into 2 seasons. One in the fall, one in the spring.
Black bear hunting schedules depend on style of hunting and which WMU you are hunting in.
Related Questions
Can you bait bears in Alberta?
Yes, you can bait bears in Alberta, but there are strict rules on how, where and when. First of all, you can only bait black bears and not grizzly bears, as black bears are the only type of bear in Alberta you are allowed to hunt.
The 2 main considerations for where you can bait black bears is human population nearby, or grizzly bear populations nearby.
Full Updated lists of where and when you can bait black bears in Alberta
