Application open and close dates, results day, and the official portal. Season dates by WMU stay on the Alberta seasons page.
Direct answer
Big Game Special Licence & Minister’s Special Licence: Tue, Jun 2, 2026 – Thu, Jun 25, 2026
Closed · results Tue, Jul 14, 2026. Apply at AlbertaRELM.
Apply on AlbertaRELM| Draw | Opens | Closes | Results | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Game Special Licence & Minister’s Special Licence Elk, moose, deer, antelope, sheep, goat, turkey · Resident and non-resident Canadian | Tue, Jun 2, 2026 | Thu, Jun 25, 2026 | Tue, Jul 14, 2026 | Closed |
Alberta allocates most special big-game licences through a single summer draw on AlbertaRELM. Hunters searching “Alberta hunting draw dates 2026” want the application window, not the fall season dates. The 2026 Big Game Special Licence and Minister’s Special Licence draws opened at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 2 and closed at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, June 25. Results posted Tuesday, July 14. Undersubscribed and landowner licences, plus regular fall big-game licences, went on sale Tuesday, August 4. That cycle is closed for 2026. Bookmark this page for the 2027 timetable, which Alberta usually posts in late spring on My Wild Alberta. Draw-only hunts still have season dates by WMU; those belong on the Alberta seasons page. This page is only the application calendar and the official apply link.
You need a Wildlife Identification Number (WiN) and a current Wildlife Certificate before you can apply. Applications are filed on AlbertaRELM (albertarelm.com) or at a licence issuer. Each special-licence choice is a separate application with its own fee. Alberta uses a priority system: unsuccessful applicants accumulate priority, and a successful draw on that licence type resets it. Read the 2026 Alberta Hunting Draws booklet before you pick WMUs — a drawn authorization cannot be cancelled, and fees are not refundable. Wild turkey special licences used the same June 2–25 window.
Official portal: AlbertaRELMResults are under My Account → Orders/Reprints on AlbertaRELM. A draw is an authorization to buy the licence, not the licence itself. Tags often have to be in hand before you can purchase. Undersubscribed leftover licences are first-come on AlbertaRELM after results, not a second draw. Season dates, weapon restrictions, and WMU boundaries are still in the hunting guide and in HuntScout’s Alberta seasons and WMU pages.
These rows are tagged draw-only in HuntScout’s season data. That is not the application window — it is which hunts you cannot buy over the counter.
Moose
Antlered (Draw)
163 units · e.g. 102, 116, 118, 119
Mule Deer
Antlered (Draw)
144 units · e.g. 102, 104, 106, 108
Elk
Antlerless (Draw)
126 units · e.g. 102, 104, 108, 110
Mule Deer
Antlerless (Draw)
102 units · e.g. 102, 104, 106, 108
Moose
Antlerless (Draw)
78 units · e.g. 102, 116, 118, 119
Elk
Antlered (Draw)
50 units · e.g. 102, 104, 108, 110
Sheep
Class 2 (Draw)
44 units · e.g. 303, 303-306-402 (Draw), 306, 308
White-Tailed Deer
Antlerless (Draw)
34 units · e.g. 102, 104, 106, 108
Antelope
(Draw)
23 units · e.g. 102, 104, 106, 108
Antelope
Class 2 (Draw)
23 units · e.g. 102, 104, 106, 108
Antelope
Class 1 (Draw)
23 units · e.g. 102, 104, 106, 108
Sheep - Class 1
Non-Resident (Draw)
22 units · e.g. 410, 412, 414, 416
Draw deadlines, WMU boundaries, and season dates for Alberta — offline in HuntScout.
Free download — unlock private parcels, offline topo & GMU/WMU boundaries
Common Questions
The 2026 Big Game Special Licence draw accepted applications from June 2 to June 25, 2026. Results were posted July 14, 2026. Fall licences went on sale August 4, 2026. The 2027 window has not been published yet.
Apply online at AlbertaRELM (albertarelm.com) or at a licence issuer. You must have a WiN and a Wildlife Certificate.
No. Many WMUs have general (over-the-counter) seasons. Special licences — including many elk, moose, trophy sheep, antelope, and some deer hunts — are draw-allocated. HuntScout’s Alberta seasons page flags which rows are draw-only.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-23 • Source timestamp: 2026-08-23 • Deadlines curated from https://mywildalberta.ca/hunting/hunting-draws/draws-timetable.aspx. Season draw flags come from the HuntScout seasons API. Always confirm on the official portal before you apply. • Sources: My Wild Alberta draws timetable and AlbertaRELM