What has the ABA done for you?

• Representing bowhunters on government big game management plan reviews. Hunting regulation and Policy review processes. Government and stakeholder meetings. Lobby government to improve and retain bowhunting opportunities, make changes to hunting regulations.
• Board member of the Alberta Conservation Association.
• Supporter and lobby for the Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Act (2009).
• Promotion of the IBEP Bowhunter Education Program and “National Archery in The Schools Program” administered through AHEIA. Participated in a review of the Bowhunting component of the AHEIA Hunter Ed Manual (2022/2023).
• Successful lobby (with other groups or on our own) to expand and improve hunting opportunities in general as well as bowhunting opportunities. A current success in regulation change will see the minimum draw weight reduced to 35# for the 2024 fall hunting season. Some past regulatory successes include:
  • Allow the use of camo clothing (1969) and the use of aluminum arrows (1970).
  • Legalized bowfishing.
  • Archery pre-season province wide (1976/77).
  • Antelope archery season (1976/77). 410 and 408 Bighorn sheep season.
  • Antlerless deer tags in 212 and 248. Antlerless elk tags in 212.
  • Archery pre-season for elk (not requiring a draw).
  • Archery only areas around Edmonton and Calgary (1975). Black bear baiting (1987).
  • Sunday hunting in much of the province (2008 – 2011).
  • Revamping of cougar management (2011) – including a general boot license tag and season extension (2021).
  • Successful lobby to keep crossbows out of the general archery season (2011).
  • Successful lobby to retain Parkland County as archery only (2009).
  • Successful lobby to stop further erosion of archery seasons by muzzleloaders (2011).
  • Standardized start dates for archery (Aug 25 and Sept 1) (2011). (Resulting in increased days in the southern regions of Alberta).
  • Earlier start and later end dates to black bear seasons in southern portions of province (2011).
  • Allow non-trophy or trophy antelope to be taken in archery only season in all antelope zones (2011).
• Over the past decade, the ABA has been involved in discussions of hunting issues/regulations/proposed changes thru various stakeholder/government meetings. These meetings are to review/develop F&W Policy and make regulation change. The ABA is currently lobbying to have an archery season draw regime created for those WMUs and for species where bowhunters now require a draw to be able to hunt in the archery season (which had resulted in a marked reduction in bowhunting opportunity). An earlier archery season opening date (in general and for WMU 936). A review of antlered mule deer tag allocations that affect the archery season. A review of the harvest percentage that triggers bowhunters requiring the draw to hunt in the archery season. Sunday hunting for big game in the 100 WMUs.

As you can see, everything you now do as a bowhunter in Alberta, you can attribute to the hard work of the Alberta Bowhunters Association. We are collaborating with other user groups and organizations to further those opportunities (as well as hunting and access opportunities in general) as well as protect the opportunities we now enjoy. Some bowhunting opportunity has been lost as our harvest share limits have been reached and restrictions have been enacted. The ABA is working to address these losses.