For Montana hunters
Hunting in Canada from Montana
Montanans wait decades for a home moose tag, or never draw. Same Rockies, other side, tag guaranteed.
Montana hunters get this pitch faster than almost anyone, because Montana runs on the draw. The state's own moose is a bonus-point lottery with nonresidents capped around ten percent, and Montanans themselves commonly wait decades for a tag or never draw one at all. Elk means capped, drawn nonresident combo licenses with prices that keep climbing, and bighorn is the classic unicorn tag. You already live in the mountains. You just cannot count on the tags.
We run guided moose and elk hunts in Alberta's Rockies where the tag comes with the booking. Same range, other side of the line, no draw and no points. Montana is the drive state: from the Kalispell or Great Falls country it is a long day behind the wheel to our camp near Nordegg, no flight needed, bring your own truck and gear. That is the whole idea, the Rockies you know with the tag guaranteed.
Hunting moose from Montana
Montana's moose hunt is real but it is a long-odds bonus-point lottery, nonresidents capped near ten percent, and residents routinely bank points for decades without drawing. It is a tightly rationed tag for a herd the state manages carefully, which means for most hunters the Montana moose is a spreadsheet line, not a plan.
Alberta treats moose as a species you can book. Our bulls average better than fifty inches, we run a small number of one-on-one rut hunts a season, and the tag rides with the booking through our provincial allocation. Our moose hunt is $15,500 to $17,500 in USD plus 5% GST for ten days. See the moose hunt page and the moose cost guide.
Elk and bighorn: Montana knows the draw
Montana is a genuine elk state, but nonresident big-game combination licenses are capped and drawn, and the prices keep climbing year over year. Bighorn is the tag Montanans chase a lifetime for, the classic unicorn. None of it is guaranteed, and the trend line runs one way, tighter and pricier.
Our Alberta program takes the wait out. Elk is $9,500 for a ten-day rut hunt or $7,500 for six days on the migration, on a guaranteed allocation. Bighorn is the continent's premier tag at $45,000 to $100,000, and the rule holds everywhere: in every US state with bighorn, a tag is a jackpot or decades of points, and guaranteed-allocation bighorn does not exist in the Lower 48. See elk and bighorn sheep.
What we hunt in Alberta
Everything on this page runs out of one operation: our horseback backcountry camp in Alberta's Rockies near Nordegg, in country where motorized vehicles are prohibited and access is by horse and on foot. We hold provincial allocations for the species below, which is what lets us hand you a tag with the hunt instead of sending you into a draw.
- Moose: premium mountain bulls averaging better than fifty inches, one-on-one, $15,500 to $17,500 in USD plus GST.
- Elk: a $9,500 ten-day rut hunt for bugling bulls, or a $7,500 six-day migration hunt.
- Bighorn sheep: the premier tag on the continent, $45,000 to $100,000, on a guaranteed allocation.
- Mule and whitetail deer: the November rut, $6,500, 130 to 170 class.
- Black bear: baited hunts, $2,500 to $5,000 CAD, the most affordable guided big game in Canada.
- Wolf: a free add-on with any booked hunt, unlimited harvest, CITES permit to export.
Getting here from Montana
Montana is our flagship drive state. From the northern part of the state you can load the truck and point it north, and it is a long day behind the wheel to our camp near Nordegg, no connection to miss and no gear to check. If you would rather fly, it is a short one-stop, but most Montana hunters just drive it.
The rifle paperwork is the same for every US hunter, and the land border crossing uses the exact same form: the RCMP Non-Resident Firearm Declaration and a flat CAD $25 for non-restricted rifles and shotguns. See bringing firearms into Canada.
What our hunts cost from Montana
Here is what our hunts cost from Montana, in plain USD. These are our own published rates, and the figure below is the guided hunt only. Licences and tags, Alberta's 5% GST, your airfare, tips for guides and camp staff, and any taxidermy or export sit on top of it. For the full stack on any species, follow the cost guides.
| Our Alberta hunt | Price | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Elk, migration | $7,500 USD | 6 days |
| Elk, rut | $9,500 USD | 10 days |
| Mule or whitetail deer | $6,500 USD | November rut |
| Moose, rut one-on-one | $15,500 - $17,500 USD + GST | 10 days |
| Bighorn sheep | $45,000 - $100,000 USD | Backcountry camps |
| Black bear | $2,500 - $5,000 CAD | Baited |
| Wolf | Free add-on | With any booked hunt |
For the full itemised breakdown by species, see the moose cost guide, the elk cost guide and the other cost guides.
Bringing your rifle across the border
This part is the same for every US hunter, whatever state you leave from. You fill out the RCMP Non-Resident Firearm Declaration, form 5589, pay a flat CAD $25 at the border, and have it witnessed by a border officer. That declaration acts as a temporary licence for the length of your trip and lets you buy ammunition here. It covers non-restricted rifles and shotguns, the sporting long guns you hunt with. Leave any handguns at home, and note the five-round magazine cap on semi-automatic centre-fire long guns.
We walk every hunter through the paperwork before you travel, so nothing at the border is a surprise. See bringing firearms into Canada for the full walkthrough, and do you need a guide in Canada for why the outfitter is the access, not an add-on.
Common questions
Q. Can I hunt moose in Montana?
Only through a bonus-point lottery with nonresidents capped near ten percent, and even Montanans wait decades or never draw. Our Alberta moose hunts carry the tag through an allocation with no draw and no residency wall.
Q. Do I need a guide to hunt in Canada as a Montana resident?
Yes. In Alberta a non-resident hunts big game with a licensed outfitter-guide, and as an American your tag comes through the outfitter's allocation rather than a draw. We hold the allocations for the species we hunt.
Q. Can I drive to your Alberta hunts from Montana?
Yes, that is how most Montana hunters come. From the northern part of the state it is a long day behind the wheel to our camp near Nordegg, and the land border crossing uses the same RCMP firearm declaration and CAD $25 fee.
Q. How does a Montana elk tag compare to booking a hunt with you?
Montana nonresident elk licenses are capped, drawn and rising in price. Our Alberta elk hunt comes with the tag through our allocation, so you book a date rather than draw. The rut hunt is $9,500 for ten days.
Q. Is there a draw for your hunts?
No. Every hunt we run comes with its tag through our Alberta allocation. You pick a date and book, no points and no cap.
Keep reading
Plan your hunt
Ask us about an Alberta moose or elk hunt from Montana
Tell us what you are after. We reply within 1 to 2 business days with honest numbers, real dates and the outfitters we would send our own family to. It costs you nothing.