For North Carolina hunters
Hunting in Canada from North Carolina
You can watch the Cataloochee elk. You cannot hunt them. Ours come with the booking.
North Carolina has elk again, and that is genuinely something to be proud of. The reintroduced herd in the Smokies draws crowds to Cataloochee every fall to watch the bulls bugle. But those elk are protected, there is no hunt, and there never has been one, so for a North Carolina hunter the state's elk are an animal you watch, not one you chase. There is no wild moose in the state at all.
We run guided elk, moose and bighorn hunts in Alberta's Rockies where the tag comes with the booking. No protected-herd wall, no draw, no points. From Raleigh, Charlotte or the coast it is a clean one-stop north for a fall hunt, our camp near Nordegg is about three and a half hours from the airport, and the elk here are ones you can actually hunt.
Moose from North Carolina: not a home animal
There is no wild moose in North Carolina, so a North Carolina hunter has no home season or draw to weigh against Alberta. The moose hunt stands on its own.
Our Alberta moose is a genuine wilderness hunt. 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.
Hunting elk from North Carolina
The Cataloochee herd is a restoration success and a viewing attraction, but it is protected, with no hunt of any kind. A North Carolina hunter can photograph those bulls and never carry a rifle after one. There is no wild bighorn in the state either.
In Alberta the elk are a booking. The rut hunt is $9,500 for ten days of bugling bulls, and the migration hunt is $7,500 for six days, on a guaranteed allocation with no draw. Bighorn is the continent's premier tag at $45,000 to $100,000, and the rule holds everywhere: in every US state with the animal, 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 North Carolina
WestJet has flown a seasonal Raleigh to Calgary nonstop that runs summer into early October, so depending on your dates it may or may not cover your hunt. For a September through November trip do not count on flying it direct: the reliable routing is an easy one-stop from Raleigh, Charlotte or the coast through Chicago, Denver or Toronto. From the airport our camp near Nordegg is about three and a half hours by road.
The rifle paperwork is the same for every US hunter regardless of state: the RCMP Non-Resident Firearm Declaration and a flat CAD $25 at the border for non-restricted rifles and shotguns. See bringing firearms into Canada.
What our hunts cost from North Carolina
Here is what our hunts cost from North Carolina, 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 North Carolina?
No. North Carolina has no wild moose and no season. Our Alberta moose hunts carry the tag through an outfitter allocation with no draw.
Q. Can I hunt the Cataloochee elk in North Carolina?
No. The reintroduced Smoky Mountain elk are protected, with no hunt, so you can watch them at Cataloochee but not hunt them. Our Alberta elk hunts come with the tag through our allocation, no draw.
Q. Do I need a guide to hunt in Canada as a North Carolina 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. How do I get from North Carolina to your Alberta hunts?
The Raleigh to Calgary nonstop is seasonal and runs summer into early October, so for a fall hunt plan a one-stop through Chicago, Denver or Toronto. Our camp near Nordegg is about three and a half hours' drive from the airport.
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.
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Plan your hunt
Ask us about an Alberta elk or moose hunt from North Carolina
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.