Species
Moose Hunting in Canada: The Complete Guide
The best moose country on earth, compared province by province, with the real numbers.
Canada holds the best moose hunting on the planet, and a guided Canadian moose hunt runs anywhere from about US$5,200 in Newfoundland to US$17,500 for a mountain rut hunt in the Alberta Rockies, depending on the province and the kind of hunt you want. Newfoundland is the no-draw budget entry, with some of the densest moose on the continent. British Columbia offers big country and a wide price range. Alberta is where we hunt: a backcountry rut hunt for fifty-inch-plus bulls, horseback and on foot, one guide to one hunter. As a non-resident you will hunt with a licensed outfitter in every province that matters, because the law requires it and the outfitter holds the tag. Below we compare the provinces honestly, lay out the costs, explain the guide rules, and walk you through our own Alberta moose hunt as the worked example.
Where to hunt moose in Canada
Moose live coast to coast in Canada, but the hunts that draw non-residents cluster in a handful of provinces, each with its own character. Newfoundland has the reputation for sheer density, moose behind every alder, and no draw to win first, which makes it the classic budget-friendly first moose. British Columbia offers vast mountain and boreal country with a broad spread of prices and a mandatory guide. Alberta, our home, offers a true backcountry mountain rut hunt for heavy-antlered bulls in country you reach by horse.
Farther east, New Brunswick, Quebec and Nova Scotia all hold moose and draw heavy search interest from hunters, but tags there run through limited draws and quotas that shift year to year, so confirm the current rules with each province before you build a plan around them. Ontario has a strong moose population managed through a tag allocation system as well. For a visiting hunter the practical shortlist stays Newfoundland, British Columbia and Alberta, because those are where an outfitter can reliably put a tag in your hands.
| Province | Guided price band | Character | Guide required (non-resident) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland | $5,200 - $9,500 USD | Highest density, no draw | Yes, outfitter only |
| British Columbia | $7,500 - $20,000+ USD | Big mountain and boreal country | Yes, licensed guide |
| Alberta (our hunt) | $17,500 USD | Backcountry mountain rut, 50-inch bulls | Yes, outfitter allocation |
| Ontario / Eastern | Varies by draw | Real populations, limited-draw tags | Confirm current provincial rules |
What a Canadian moose hunt costs
The moose price ladder is wide, and knowing why helps you read any quote. At the bottom, a Newfoundland meat-tier hunt starts around US$5,200 with a moose licence near CA$502, and it climbs to roughly US$9,500 for a fuller trophy hunt on that island. British Columbia spans from about US$7,500 at the low end to US$15,000 to $20,000 and beyond for premium guided hunts. Alberta rut hunts sit at the top of the mainland range, US$15,500 to $17,500, because the tag is a scarce mountain allocation and the hunt is a long, horse-supported backcountry operation.
Whatever the province, the sticker is never the whole cost. Add your provincial licence and tag, GST, tips at 10 to 15 percent of the hunt price, airfare, and taxidermy or meat shipping. A honest all-in number is what you compare between provinces, not the headline fee. The full line-by-line breakdown, including the fees by province, is on our moose hunt cost guide.
Canada undercuts Alaska badly on moose
A fully guided Alaska moose hunt runs about US$28,000 to $45,000 by market reports, before the bush charter. Our Alberta rut hunt is US$17,500, road-accessible, with the meat and mount packaged for the flight home. The full head-to-head is on Canada vs Alaska moose.
Eastern Canada moose: worth knowing about
A lot of hunters searching for a Canadian moose are looking east, and the interest is real, so here is the honest picture. New Brunswick, Quebec and Nova Scotia all hold moose and all draw heavy search traffic, but they run on limited-entry draws and tight quotas rather than the outfitter-allocation system that puts a guaranteed tag in a non-resident's hands out west. That means the tag itself is the hard part, not the hunt, and the odds and rules shift year to year. Ontario has a strong moose herd managed through a points and tag-allocation system that has changed in recent years. Newfoundland, technically an eastern province and covered above, is the exception, because it is outfitter-only with no draw and the highest density on the continent.
So if your heart is set on the Maritimes or Quebec, go in with open eyes: confirm the current draw rules and quotas with each province directly before you build a trip around them, because we will not quote you numbers on tag odds we cannot stand behind. For a non-resident who wants a moose hunt they can actually book with confidence this year or next, the reliable routes stay Newfoundland, British Columbia and our own Alberta mountain hunt, where the outfitter allocation removes the draw from the equation entirely.
The guide rules for moose, by province
Moose is the species where Canada's guide requirement bites hardest, even for Canadians. In Saskatchewan, the 2025-26 Hunters Guide requires an outfitter and guided licence not only for every non-resident of Canada but also for Canadian resident moose hunters, one of the few places a Canadian from another province still needs an outfitter. Manitoba's 2025 Hunting Guide requires an outfitter plus a licensed guide for non-Canadians, and an outfitter plus guide for out-of-province Canadians hunting moose specifically.
Newfoundland is outfitter-only for visitors, per the province's non-resident hunting page. Alberta requires a non-resident to hunt with a licensed outfitter-guide or an unpaid resident hunter host, and non-resident aliens cannot enter the draw at all, so an American or European hunter reaches an Alberta moose tag only through an outfitter's allocation. In short, wherever you point at a Canadian moose as a visitor, plan on a guide. It is the law, and it is also how the tag exists.
Why we hunt moose in Alberta
We could hunt a lot of species a lot of ways, and we chose the Alberta mountain rut for our moose because it is the most complete moose hunt we know. It happens in the Blackstone and Wapiabi backcountry northwest of Nordegg, in a forest land use zone that prohibits motorized vehicles, so every mile is covered by horse and on foot. When a bull answers a call in that country, with no engine noise in fifty miles and the timber going gold, that is the hunt people carry with them for the rest of their lives. It is not the biggest-bodied moose on the continent, the coastal Alaska-Yukon giants own that, but for the experience of hunting a rutting bull in real mountains, it is hard to beat.
The trade-offs are worth being straight about. Alberta moose is a top-of-range price and a limited allocation, so it books early and it is not a budget hunt. What you get for it is a wilderness rut hunt with a guide to yourself, in country most hunters never set foot in. If density and price are what you want most, Newfoundland is the smarter first moose, and we will tell you so. If the mountain rut is the dream, this is where you do it. The overview of the species and our approach is on the moose hunting page.
Our Alberta moose hunt, the worked example
Here is exactly what our moose hunt is, because a real example beats a brochure. It is a ten-day hunt priced at US$17,500 plus five percent GST, run one guide to one hunter, and we take only four moose hunters a year so the country stays fresh. Our bulls average fifty inches and over. You can hunt with archery gear, a muzzleloader or a rifle. The base is our cabins at the Blackstone and Wapiabi river junction, and we run from wall-tent camps set deep in the backcountry.
The price includes your guides, all accommodations and meals, transport during the hunt and your airport transfers, pre-hunt and post-hunt lodging, and animal preparation with airline-ready packaging. It does not include your licences and tags, the WiN card, GST, airfare, tips, taxidermy or any shipment permits. We ask for a one-third non-refundable deposit to hold the year, a second third six to eight months out, and the balance thirty-one days before you arrive. That is the whole deal, no surprises. If it is the hunt you want, tell us the year and we will confirm one of the four seats.
| Our moose hunt | Detail |
|---|---|
| Price | $17,500 USD + 5% GST |
| Length | 10 days |
| Guide ratio | One on one |
| Hunts per year | Only 4 |
| Average bull | 50 inches and over |
| Weapons | Archery, muzzleloader or rifle |
| Included | Guides, lodging, meals, in-hunt transport, airport transfers, animal prep |
| Excluded | Licences, tags, WiN, GST, airfare, tips, taxidermy, shipping permits |
Common questions
Q. How much does a moose hunt in Canada cost?
It depends on the province. Newfoundland runs about US$5,200 to $9,500, British Columbia from roughly US$7,500 to $20,000 and up, and an Alberta mountain rut hunt US$15,500 to $17,500. Add your licence and tag, GST, tips, airfare and taxidermy for the all-in number.
Q. Do you need a guide to hunt moose in Canada?
As a non-resident, yes, in every province that matters. Saskatchewan even requires an outfitter for Canadian resident moose hunters, and Manitoba requires an outfitter plus a licensed guide. Newfoundland and Alberta are outfitter routes for visitors, and Alberta aliens can only get a tag through an outfitter allocation.
Q. What is the best province for moose hunting in Canada?
For density and value with no draw, Newfoundland. For a backcountry mountain rut hunt with heavy-antlered bulls, Alberta, which is where we hunt. British Columbia sits between them on both price and character. The right answer depends on whether you want the most affordable moose or the wildest hunt.
Q. How big are Canadian moose?
Our Alberta mountain bulls average fifty inches and over in antler spread. Coastal Alaska-Yukon moose are the largest-bodied on the continent, so if raw body size is the single goal, Alaska edges Canada, but Canada offers a comparable rut experience at a much lower price.
Q. When is the moose season in Canada?
Season windows vary by province, zone and weapon, and the rut is the prime window for calling bulls. We do not publish fixed dates here because they shift by unit and year. Tell us your target year and we will confirm the exact dates for our hunt.
Q. Can I bring my moose meat and antlers home?
Yes. US hunters declare game and trophies on USFWS form 3-177 at the border. Moose does not carry the CITES export permit that wolf and black bear do, so the paperwork is lighter. We package the animal airline-ready. The full export detail is on our meat and trophy export guide.
Q. How far ahead do I need to book a Canadian moose hunt?
One to two years for the best hunts. Our own moose hunt takes only four hunters a year, so the seats fill early. A one-third deposit reserves your year.
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