Proposed elk draw dropped for Crowsnest Pass

Antlered elk hunters in the Crowsnest Pass will remain under general licence rules this fall after the province withdrew a proposed move to a special draw.

Alberta had considered introducing antlered elk draws in wildlife management units 302, 303, 304, 305, 306 and 308. A correction issued in June confirmed the change would not proceed and that the regulations would remain consistent with 2025.

In WMU 303, the archery-only season for antlered elk with three or more points runs from Sept. 1 to Oct. 24. The general season runs from Oct. 25 to Nov. 30.

The province also corrected an omission involving antlerless elk. The original draw booklet left out the Sept. 1 to Oct. 24 archery season in the same group of units. That season remains available, while later antlerless elk seasons require a special licence.

Another change this year allows holders of elk special licences to designate an eligible partner. In the case of a resident with an antlerless elk special licence, the partner must also be an Alberta resident.

The two hunters share the licence and its tag. The partner must hunt in direct communication with the primary licence holder, who is responsible for carrying and applying the tag.

Hunters should pay close attention to unit boundaries. The general season for three-point-or-larger antlered elk in nearby WMU 400 begins Sept. 17, more than a month before the corresponding season opens in WMU 303.

The province cautions that its online WMU maps are only approximations. Hunters are responsible for knowing their location and the regulations in effect on the ground.

Access will also require additional planning this fall.

Eight kilometres of Dutch Creek Road, from the Forestry Trunk Road to Caesar Flats, were scheduled to remain closed until Oct. 5 for culvert replacement. Access to Dutch Creek Provincial Recreation Area remains open, and alternate routes to nearby trails and the Caesar Flats camping area are available.

Part of the York Creek staging area was also scheduled to remain closed until Oct. 1 because of hazardous ground conditions. York Creek Road, the surrounding trails and the remainder of the staging area remain open.

Both closure dates are subject to change.

Motorized vehicles in the Livingstone Public Land Use Zone must remain on trails designated for the vehicle being used and follow seasonal restrictions. Those rules continue to apply when retrieving harvested game. Hunting is not permitted inside provincial recreation areas.

Mandatory chronic wasting disease surveillance also continues in WMU 303. The head of every deer harvested in the unit must be submitted within 30 days.

The requirement applies in several surrounding units, including WMUs 300, 302, 304, 305, 306, 308 and 402.

Alberta reported the first documented case of CWD in WMU 300 during the 2025-26 surveillance year. The disease was first documented in WMU 306 one year earlier. The province says its geographic distribution continues to expand westward.

Hunters submitting a head should keep it frozen, complete both sides of the required green label and provide a precise kill location. Antlers and the skull plate may be removed beforehand.

Drop-off freezers are generally available from mid-October to mid-December. Hunters should consult the current provincial list or call ahead because locations and available freezer space can change.

Different requirements apply in the Castle parks, which are within WMU 400. Hunting is permitted in both Castle Provincial Park and Castle Wildland Provincial Park, but hunters in Castle Provincial Park must sign and carry a firearm-discharge permit. The requirement also applies to bowhunters. A permit is not required in Castle Wildland Provincial Park.

Sheep hunters should also be aware that hunting Class 1 or Class 2 sheep is prohibited within 0.8 kilometres of Highway 3. The resident Class 1 sheep season in WMU 303 otherwise runs from Sept. 9 to Oct. 31.

Domestic sheep and goats, including pack goats, cannot accompany hunters in WMUs 302, 303, 306, 308 or the mountain units from 400 through 446.

Alberta has also changed its hunter-host rules. A resident may continue to host up to two non-resident Canadian hunters each year, but at least one must now be a family member.

Electronic licences can be carried through the AlbertaRELM app, but required tags must still be carried on paper.

Hunters should check their individual licence conditions, current WMU maps, public-land closures and fire restrictions immediately before travelling. A boundary crossing or temporary closure can change what is legal and where an area can be accessed.