Alberta Big Game Hunting & Dogs

Heidi

Hey, everyone. I know there aren't many from Alberta on here, but if you take a minute to write some emails, I would really appreciate it! Currently, it's illegal for a hunter to be accompanied by a dog while hunting big game. That includes dogs on leashes, dogs trained to track wounded game, dogs carrying supplies, dogs trained to hunt other animals (for instance, if you are hunting birds with your dog and you see a deer, you would be breaking the law by shooting it, just because the dog is there), dogs meant to guard camps from bears, and even dogs left in a parked car while the owner goes out to shoot a deer.

Legalizing the use of dogs in big game hunting has been a wish of hunters in the area for years and was recently voted in favour of by the Alberta Fish and Game Association. However, Sustainable Resource Development has to give the go ahead and they're dragging their feet. So, please email these people and tell them to make it legal! Thanks!


Jim Allen - james.allen@gov.ab.ca
Rob Corrigan - Rob.Corrigan@gov.ab.ca
Mel Knight - grandeprairie.smoky@assembly.ab.ca
Doug Butler - dougbutler@live.com
Nate Webb - nathan.webb@gov.ab.ca
Evan Berger - livingstone.macleod@assembly.ab.ca

shishiinu

Wow thanks for the info! I'll be sure to e-mail my two cents worth. It doesnt matter where you live, California or Canada, we all have to stick together to support the dogs and the activity we love so much.

Kevin

Cool. X2 on the support. I'll write 'em.

Heidi

Thanks!

WCP

Is it the same in BC?

Heidi

No, in BC it's legal to be accompanied by a dog.

WCP

Thats good to know (for me at least), but I feel for my neighbours to the east. There's way too much hunting in Alta to have those kind of overboard restrictions. Its crazy to think how that stuff passed in a province where there's such a culture. I heard there's some serious deer over there

Saya

So sad there's regulations like that I mean illegal to have dog with you to help carry stuff or help track a wounded deer? wow!

I mean you'd think they'd be fine with using a dog to track a wounded deer..

Like say the hunter accidentally didn't get a kill shot form the gun or arrow and the deer runs of wounded a dog to help track it down so it can be ended quickly and not allowed to suffer long periods of time etc..

I mean sure you can use your tracking skills, but who knows you might loose the trail or something and a dog that can track can be of big help..

I'm no hunter so I don't know much, but hope things go through for you.

Heidi

I got a letter from RRM stating that they are in the process of researching the use of pack dogs while hunting, and any changes to the law will occur in 2013 and be applicable to the 400 series WMUs ("Wildlife Management Units" - the 400 series is in the Rocky Mountains along the BC border). It's looking pretty good for 2013. In the meantime, I can always pop over to BC or Montana, although there's some extra regulations for non-residents. For instance, if I hunt in BC, I have to be accompanied by a resident who holds a hunting license, or go through an outfitter. I need to make friends with some BC residents. @WCP where you at?

Nekopan

@hondru

I have no idea what the hunting scene is like here, but I live in Kelowna.

shishiinu

Excellent! Glad to hear that some resource agencies are willing to consider the use of dogs for big game. I went elk hunting a montana awhile back and I hope I can go back again one of these days.

Heidi

@Nekopan Awesome! I would love it if you could go hunting with me. I would really appreciate that. You'd have to take the hunter education course and buy the licenses, though, so if you don't want to I completely understand. I think Kelowna is a good area, I will look into that more.

souggy

"Thats good to know (for me at least), but I feel for my neighbours to the east. There's way too much hunting in Alta to have those kind of overboard restrictions. Its crazy to think how that stuff passed in a province where there's such a culture. I heard there's some serious deer over there "

Being a British Columbian transplant from the native homeland of Alberta, I want to explain something:

It used to be legal to track wounded deer. It used to be legal to use dogs on bears and coyotes. Not anymore. Not since 1996 anyway. Why?

The CULTURE itself wanted to ban dogs. Even though it is still legal in our province of B.C., I hear a lot about deer hunters wanting to ban the usage of dogs on all games except on birds. Some of them even threaten to shoot another person's dog if they even LOOK at a deer-- and yes, I have received this threat recently. There are even hunters who believe only dogs can be used on birds just for the sakes of "sportsmanship." Mind you, most of the people I interact with are from the city, and they are only interest in obtaining that big mature musky buck with the most points. I would say majority of the hunters are more tactful, as most of them are dog-lovers and they probably don't believe in that bile. However there is a reason why hunters say "our worst enemy is ourselves."

For example, we [Albertans] used to be able to course coyotes with greyhounds and wolfhounds. Well, ever since people started running coyotes on snowmobiles in the '70s, the question of ethical hunting came up. People usually advocate for a clean kill-- as long it's a clean kill, the antis won't complain. However the death warrant for the sport wasn't signed until about 2001, when a houndsman let his dogs rip apart a coyote outside of Edmonton. The people of the city found out about this, they were enraged and demanded coyote-coursing to be banned. Not wanting to give the antis leverage against hunting, the deer hunters and upland game folks chose the houndsmen as the sacrificial lambs.

So, you ask yourself, who wanted to ban dogs on big games? The big game hunters themselves. For some reason, people feel the need to tell others what is sporting and what is not even though everyone has a different definition of it.

Anyway, it is great that SRD is considering changing the regulations. Before if you wanted to run coyotes/bears/lynxes/bobcats or track deer with a dog, you needed to get a special permit from the department. At least now people won't have to jump through hoops.

shishiinu

Well Said! This also true in many parts of california although over here, the hunters and fishers are a bit more organized under and are starting to support each other no matter what the method of take is. For many years here, hounsmen have been the black sheep of the hunting community because a large part of the hunting community was under attack. Hunters started to realize that when one thing is banned, the anti's move in to take another thing (i.e. lead ammo ban, Lion hunting ban). So we all worked through our differences and became part of the outdoor alliance to voice all of our concerns. Its still a uphill battle but we are now some what organized and throwing back the punches.

Heidi

Yeah, I knew the ban was because people don't like animals getting ripped apart by a pack of dogs. I also hear people talk about what is "sporting" and what isn't, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I mean, they use blinds, scopes, game calls, decoys, cover scents, lure scents, not to mention firearms. Of course, I read on a forum where someone who was into bow hunting said that bow hunting was "real" hunting and hunting with a rifle was cheating. Why aren't the bows cheating? Maybe the only real way is to be plopped in the woods with nothing but your birthday suit, make a spear out of a rock and a stick, kill a deer and make yourself an outfit out of the hide.

Anyway, I think all this talk about what is "real" hunting or what is sportsmanlike, and what is a gentleman's sport and what is barbaric is pretty silly. I really like the attitude of everyone helping each other out and supporting each other.

Say, @souggy , where are you in BC? Maybe we could go hunting together.

souggy

@hondru , check your e-mail. I sent you some information about my personal situation, and what I am planning to do in the future. It might gives you some idea what to do with your Shikoku and Kai.