For Washington hunters
Hunting in Canada from Washington
The herd came from Canada. The guaranteed tags stayed there. Same range, no draw.
Washington hunters know there are moose in the northeast corner of the state, and they know how hard those tags are to get: a special-permit lottery with squared bonus points, where a bull permit routinely takes many years to a lifetime of applying. It is a nice bit of trivia that the herd itself drifted down from Canada, and a frustrating one that the guaranteed access stayed on the north side of the line. Elk means general seasons and draws where the quality hunts are points games, and bighorn is a lifetime lottery.
We run guided moose and elk hunts in Alberta's Rockies where the tag comes with the booking. Same range those Washington moose came from, no draw and no squared points. Seattle has a year-round nonstop to Calgary, and from eastern Washington you can drive it, Spokane to our camp near Nordegg is about a day on the road. Fly or drive, the tag comes with the hunt.
Hunting moose from Washington
Washington's moose hunt is real but the access is brutal: a special-permit lottery with squared bonus points, so a bull permit commonly takes many years to a lifetime of applying. The northeast herd is healthy, but for most Washington hunters the tag is a long-odds wait they may never see pay off.
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: Washington's points games
Washington elk runs on general seasons and draws, and the quality hunts are points games that take patience to reach. Bighorn is a lifetime lottery, the same story as everywhere in the West. None of it comes with a guarantee.
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 Washington
You have two easy ways in. Alaska Airlines and WestJet both fly a year-round nonstop from Seattle to Calgary, so western Washington is one flight from the mountains. From eastern Washington you can drive it instead, Spokane to our camp near Nordegg is roughly a day on the road, crossing at a land port with your own truck. From the airport it is about three and a half hours by road.
The rifle paperwork is the same for every US hunter, and the land 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 Washington
Here is what our hunts cost from Washington, 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 Washington?
Only through a special-permit lottery with squared bonus points, where a bull permit routinely takes many years to a lifetime of applying. Our Alberta moose hunts carry the tag through an allocation with no draw and no points.
Q. Do I need a guide to hunt in Canada as a Washington 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 Washington?
Yes, from eastern Washington it is about a day on the road, Spokane to our camp near Nordegg, crossing at a land port. From western Washington, Seattle has a year-round nonstop to Calgary. The land crossing uses the same RCMP declaration and CAD $25 fee.
Q. How does a Washington elk tag compare to booking with you?
Washington's quality elk hunts are points games that take patience. Our Alberta elk hunt comes with the tag through our allocation, so you book a date rather than build points. 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.
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Ask us about an Alberta moose or elk hunt from Washington
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