Taber Pheasant Festival FAQs

It is a week-long festival that brings about 800 adults and youth to Taber and area for pheasant hunting. The festival runs from October 18-25, 2025.

The festival program

• Hunting at pheasant release sites randomly assigned from the festival’s draw results: October 20 – 25
• Novice Shoot for those new to pheasant hunting: October 18 – 19
• Town of Taber Hunters’ Lunch (Free): October 20
• Game to Gourmet Pheasant Tasting culinary event: October 20
• New Event (stay tuned for information on this new event): October 21
• Scotch & Pheasant Tasting : October 22
• Celebration Dinner and Fundraiser: October 23

Register online for one or both events at taberpheasantfestival.com.

1. Regular Hunts (October 20-25, 2025): Register between June 2 and 13, 2025 for the random draw to hunt at pheasant release sites. You can enter up to three preferred hunting times. There is no cost to enter the random draw. If you are successfully drawn, you will be notified by email and you must confirm your draw dates or they will be redrawn to another hunter.
2. Novice Shoot (October 18 & 19, 2025): Are you a new pheasant hunter? Then register for the Novice Shoot. The event is free; however, we do require a $50 deposit to hold your spot. This deposit is returned to you at the Novice Shoot. This registration closes once all spots are filled each day and space is limited. If you cancel your spot at the Novice Shoot after October 10th, you will forfeit your deposit.

Alberta hunting licences and fees are based on where you live. Visit albertarelm.com for information. If you are an Alberta resident, to hunt pheasant you need the following items:

1. WIN Card
2. Wildlife Certificate
3. Game Bird Licence
4. Pheasant Licence

Visit albertarelm.com or a private licence issuer (e.g., hunting and fishing store) to purchase required licensing. You will need a WIN Card prior to purchasing hunting licences.

A WIN Card is a Wildlife Identification Number. You must purchase a WIN Card in order to purchase a wildlife certificate and hunting licences. You can buy your WIN Card online at albertarelm.com or at a private licence issuer (e.g., hunting and fishing store).

Yes. This is a provincial requirement for all first-time hunters in Alberta. Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association (AHEIA) delivers a Hunter Education Course online. Do not wait until the last minute to do the course work as the online course takes time to complete. After you complete the course, AHEIA will issue you a Hunter Education Certificate with a number. You need this number the first time you purchase a hunting licence.

• Purchase tickets for our social events at taberpheasantfestival.com
• Purchase raffle tickets at taberpheasantfestival.com
• Purchase Taber pheasant wear and souvenirs at the Festival Office during the festival
• Become a partner, sponsor, or member: Upland Game Bird 4-H Initiative
• Support our festival's sponsors and stay awhile in Taber and area
• Become a sponsor
• Become a Corporate Partner in Conservation

Taber Heritage Inn is a proud sponsor of Taber Pheasant Festival. Book your room early online at heritageinn.net or call (403) 233-4424 or 1-888-888-4374.

Post your stories and photos on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #taberpheasantfestival.

If you have photos and stories you want to send us about the festival, please send them to [email protected].

June 2 – 13, 2025.

No.

Once you have created an account in the system and registered for the regular hunts and registration is closed, a computer program randomly selects names from the registration list. For instance, let’s say during the registration process, you chose Monday a.m., Tuesday a.m., and Wednesday a.m. as your three preferred hunting times. If your name is drawn first, you automatically get those dates and times. The computer program continues to select names, seeing if preferred hunting days and time of day are open, and filling those time slots. If your name is the 100th drawn, then you may only get one of your three preferred hunting times. The system is random and does not prioritize.

On June 18, 2025, sign into your account at taberpheasantfestival.com to find your draw results. You will receive an email if you are successfully drawn. In this email it states that you must confirm your hunting times by July 9, 2025, or the times will be returned to a pool for a second random draw. Please check your spam/junk mail in case the email landed there before you contact us.

No. Sites are randomly assigned by a computer program. At the pheasant office, we may be able to accommodate for physical challenges, but there are no guarantees.

No. When registering for your wish list of draw days, make sure you put your desired time of day (morning or afternoon); if you get drawn for a morning hunt, you can not change to an afternoon hunt.

This information will be in your Hunter Package, available for in-person pick up at the Festival Office only during the festival week. Your Hunter Package will have maps of your hunting site(s), permission slip(s) to gain access to your site(s), and additional festival information. You must have your permission slip(s) with you to gain access to your hunting site(s). An informational email will be sent out to you roughly 2 weeks prior to the festival to update you on any festival information including registration office hours of operation and key things to remember before arrival.

4720-50 Street, Taber in the Green room.

Please notice office hours on the day you are coming. If you are late, the doors may be locked and you will forfeit your spot(s).

OFFICE HOURS FOR 2025:
October 19, 4:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.* We will not open early!
October 20, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
October 21, 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
October 22, 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
October 23, 7 a.m.–1 p.m. (closed early due to the banquet, we will not take registration past 1 p.m.)
October 24, 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
October 25, 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

* IT IS EXTREMELY BUSY on Sunday, October 19 when the office first opens. You can expect a 60 to 90 minute wait. If you see a line up out the door, please come back later when the office is less busy and we can serve you better. Your site will not be given away. Go for coffee, do some shopping, or “do the touristy things” while you wait for the line to be less busy. We will not tolerate any harassment of staff while you wait in line. Waiting in line is your choice and staff are assisting everyone with the same grace and hospitality. Please be kind and patient. Harassment of staff can get you banned from the festival.

Hunters are asked not to register more than 2 days before their first hunt (but you can pick up all paperwork for all days hunting).

If you show up on more than 2 days before your first hunt, you will be asked to come back on a different day to register. See link for more information.

If a steep site has been assigned to you, we will do our best to reassign you to a flatter site; however, there is no guarantee. All of our sites are initially randomly assigned our ability to reassign a site depends on how many hunters have already picked up their hunter packages and permissions slips.

No. This information is only available at the Festival Office during the festival.

No. We understand if you’ve finally gotten a long-awaited Moose Draw or your kid’s team made playoffs, but we do ask that you let us know as soon as possible. If you can’t make it, we have a list of people that would really like your spot. Please be considerate; let us know as soon as possible if you can't make your drawn hunt time by contacting [email protected] or phoning 780-695-3462. If you fail to cancel and are a no show, you risk being banned from further festivals.

There is an option to enter the names of your hunting party once you’ve been successfully drawn and have accepted your drawn spot(s). If your hunting party changes, you must let us know when you sign the waiver form and pick up your permission slip(s) at the registration office in Taber during the festival week.

It is an opportunity for adults and youth new to hunting pheasants to learn shotgun safety and shooting techniques, and experience a pheasant shoot with experienced mentors in a controlled setting. Instructors from Alberta Hunter Education Instructors’ Association provide all shotguns, ammunition, and safety training. Mentors are experienced hunters from AHEIA, ACA, and local fish & game clubs.

Novice Shoot Dates (YOU CAN ONLY REGISTER FOR 1 DAY/TIME):

• Saturday, October 18, 2025, with morning and afternoon sessions.
• Sunday, October 19, 2025, with morning and afternoon sessions.

Morning Sessions:

• 9 a.m.–9:30 a.m.: Registration
• 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Mentorship: safety talk and demonstration, clay target shooting, habitat talk, mentored shoot, mentored butchering
• 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: BBQ lunch and pheasant stew will be provided. If you have dietary restrictions, please bring your own food.
• 1 p.m.: Morning session has ended. You must leave by 1 p.m. as there is an afternoon session after you.

Afternoon Sessions:

• 12 p.m.–1 p.m.: Registration and lunch. BBQ lunch and pheasant stew will be provided. If you have dietary restrictions, please bring your own food.
• 1 p.m.–4 p.m.: Mentorship: safety talk and demonstration, clay target shooting, habitat talk, mentored shoot, mentored butchering
• 4 p.m.: Afternoon session has ended.

Individuals aged 10 and up. All hunters must have all appropriate hunting licences.

• Novice hunters can only register for the novice if they have attended the novice shoot less than 3 times in the past. This will allow more first- time hunters to partake. Anyone who has registered 3+ times will not be able to register and is encouraged to register in the regular hunt draws to possibly get drawn for a site during the rest of the week.
• There is a $50 per person deposit to hold your spot. See next bullet for caveat.
• If by chance you need to cancel, you must do so prior to October 10th in order to get your deposit refunded. After 12 p.m. on October 10, 2025, any Novice Shoot cancellations will not receive a refund for their deposit. The Novice Shoot takes a lot of effort from ACA, AHEIA, and volunteers to run. Having registrants not show is disappointing when we could have filled the spot with another hunter. Any unrefunded deposits will go to help offset the cost of running the event (male pheasants, tent rentals, food, ammunition costs, fuel, propane, etc.).

Register online. A link will be provided when registration opens on June 2, 2025.

The event is free; however, we do require a $50 deposit to hold your spot. This deposit is returned to you when you show up for the event. If you register and need to cancel, please let us know prior to October 10, so we can fill the spot. About 1 week prior to the event, we will send you an information email with more details on location and things to know. Please check your spam/junk email in case our email gets redirected. When registering, please use an email address you use/check frequently. Please see question: "Who can participate in the Novice Shoot" for policy information.

No. AHEIA instructors provide firearms training at the Novice Shoot. You do however need your Alberta Hunter Education Training Course completed and all of your appropriate licencing.

You do not need to bring a shotgun to the Novice Shoot as AHEIA provides all shotguns (various gauges) and provides all ammunition. If you would like to bring a shotgun, there are some rules to follow: All firearms must remain in your vehicle until it has been approved by an AHEIA instructor. If it is approved, an AHEIA instructor will transport it to the firearms rack where it will be treated the same as all AHEIA shotguns and can be used by you. As a safety protocol, all ammunition will be provided for the Novice Shoot. Please leave any ammunition you may have brought in your vehicle. Once you are done with your firearm, it will be transported by AHEIA back to your vehicle.

Yes.

Alberta hunting licences and fees are based on where you live. Visit albertarelm.com for information. If you are an Alberta resident, to hunt pheasant you need the following items:

1. WIN Card
2. Wildlife Certificate
3. Game Bird Licence
4. Pheasant Licence

Visit albertarelm.com or a private licence issuer (e.g., hunting and fishing store) to purchase required licensing. You will need a WIN Card prior to purchasing hunting licences.