Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Alberta draw sysyem basics

Steve Ridgewell asked me to put up a post to explain the basics of our Alberta draw system for big game hunting licenses - specifically moose, but the system is pretty much the same for all of our animals.
I have no idea how it works elsewhere, but I do now that the system is administered from an outfit in the States.
it works on a priority system, the more years you are not drawn the higher your priority.
Your priority is applicable to the species you are applying for , so sheep would not be included in the priority for moose for example.
There are also unsubscribed draw licenses available as well, if the quota is not reached at the draw date, these go up for sale and anyone can purchase them over the counter for as long as they last until the quota is reached.
As far as the animals go, the draws are NOT for cow, calf or bull, but antlerless ( not over 4" antlers), special calf draw ( under 12 months) and for antlered ( over 4" antlers), so in reality a bull with under 4" antlers could be taken under and antlerless tag as could a calf.
I rarely apply for moose draws anymore because my wife and I prefer deer over elk and moose, so if do apply fr a draw it is for the special calf draw.
I do however continue to go out on hunts with the boat to help friends who are moose hunters.

The biggest issue for the two areas where the special calf draw is held is although a person can often be drawn every second year, most of the and is private, and permission can be hard to get.
The plus is that these areas have a preponderance of twin calf births, so taking one calf out leaves a great chance for the second calf to mature.
It's basically spot and stalk for the most art, but I did take one calf on a pushed hunt as well, we ended up pushing two white tails and three elk out of the same small patch of cover at the same time in fact!
Here are some pics of past moose hunts .
These are pics of two calves taken three years apart from the same area.

This picture was from 2018 IIRC, mid season river hunt on the Athabasca. We took two animals that evening, and it was a late night , we didn't get back to the launch unto 24:00 hrs.!

I had most of the two moose in my boat because i have more horse power, and of course Alec and Steve were in the smaller boat.

This is Alec, just before we shoved off for home, we still had over an hour of shallow water left to run

This was a 50" bull a friend shot a few years back north of town, this draw usually takes about three year wait to get drawn for IIRC.
Hope you enjoyed the story and ics.
Cat
[Linked Image]

Moose Calves have a high mortality rate from predation, starvation etc....Sometimes wildlife managers use them to control Wolf populations by limiting the food source, or there is simply a high number of Calf ratio.

catnthehat;
Morning sir, I hope you're getting decent weather on your side of the big hills and you're all well.

Thanks for the hunt story and photos, I appreciate you taking the time.

It's ironic how life has changed within my own lifetime, as I recall Mom giving Dad the gears for bringing home a bull moose from his annual moose hunt up near the Manitoba border. Her saying to Dad, "We can't eat the horns Fred!" still makes me chuckle after all these years and them both being now gone as well.

We had a pretty good sized whitetail rack in the basement that we'd hang our wet chore clothes on to dry. Dad didn't shoot it however, but had been given it by one of our Ukrainian neighbors because his wife berated him for shooting it every time she looked at them apparently.

Anyways time marches on and another now passed on buddy got a draw for a moose calf up near Pink Mountain. He shared a couple cuts with us and it was absolutely wonderful table fare as you well know.

Lastly, I wish that somehow BC could figure out a way to have a points system with our LEH but when we've approached the MoE about it they were less than interested in any change at all.

Thanks again, congratulations on the animals and all the best.

Dwayne

673;
Good morning to you my friend, I hope you're getting some nicer weather up there too and you're all well.

We're supposed to have temps drop in a day or two, so time to move more firewood up to the house I guess.

Thanks for the info on the wolf control thing, I didn't know that but it does make sense.

We surely saw our moose populations get a downward adjustment when the wolves moved here - from the Monashee I'm thinking but that's a guess?

Best to you and your fine family.

Dwayne

Good morning to you too Good Sir, I hope it is nice in OK Falls this morning.
Every danged set of antlers I have ever shot have either ended up as rattling antlers, pieces for n]belt buckles or handles on knives and such, on given to friends who pile them up with theirs! LOL
I sure do like eating wild game though, and with the price of meat these days , my wife and I were wondering just how some families can afford to eat much red meat without hunting !
Even then , unless a person does it right , hunting is not cheap either. I have the luxury of good deer hunting about 10 minutes from my house so I am lucky.
Cat

Hi Cat. Thanks for posting this. It is not only a good read, but educational!

Thanks for the explanation on Alberta’s moose draws. Did you use your Ruger No. 1 in 303 British to harvest those moose?

Nick

yes I did ( it is actually a #3!) with a C.I.L.212 KKSP in front of a boatload of Varget on the first calf. Shortly after that fall i started shooting the Barnes .311,150 grain TSX bullets with 4895 and have used them ever since .I found them to be an excellent bullet in both accuracy and killing departments right out past 350 yards.
Cat

There is something about a Canadian moose and a 303 that just fits! I'm sure there are other cartridge which kill moose just fine but the 303 has probably killed more moose, in Canada, than all others combined.

I really am a fan of the Ruger No.1 and No. 3. I will be taking mine on my first moose hunt this fall. Lord willing it won’t be banned by then. Always wanted one, but I wanted one in a classic caliber. I would have loved to have found one in 303 Br. or in 7x57. When one in 9.3x74R became available I jumped on it. Found cases, dies and bullets. I will work up a load for it once I can clear the snow to my home range.

Nick

I thought I would tease everyone. I know Cat gets his bullets from a bullet maker, but here are the last 25 215 KKSPs I have.

KKSPs weren't magical, but they "klinged together" quite well. You can see the crimp. I've had a few moose fall because of these. They weren't fancy, but they worked. In the finest traditions, Cat has found another big bullet source. Like they used to say,

"The 303 was a powerhouse for its size. Many moose were knocked over by a Kling Kor, some just by the breeze!"

You are correct Steve, my C.I.L.'s are 215's, my 212's are from Dale at Chinchaga bullets.
I still have a few 215's but will save them for my father's Lee Enfield in case I want to hunt a moose with it
Cat

I get that. These bullets and a box of 200 gr. 313s are for special trips.