Hunter Perspectives on Obtaining Access to Private Land in Alberta

A voluntary online survey was used in 2021/22 to investigate the perspective of hunters on acquiring access to private land in Alberta. We received over 3,500 visits to our online survey with just under 3,000 people completing the entire survey. The vast majority of survey participants were Alberta Resident licensed hunters from across the province. There was a near even split between those who lived in cities versus small towns and rural areas. During 2022/23, we explored factors that might be associated with whether a hunter was granted permission the last time they contacted a landowner. We found that hunters who live in large cities were less likely to be granted access compared to those who live in rural areas. When compared to the largest age group in our survey (55 to 64 years old), those in the 35- to 44‑year‑old and 45- to 54‑year‑old categories were less likely to obtain permission, while those in the 65 and older age group had a higher probability of success. Hunters who were seeking permission on cropland were more likely to have been granted access than those who were seeking permission on non-agricultural land. Those asking for permission in a pronghorn management zone were more likely to have had success than those asking for permission in the rest of the province. Permission was least likely to be obtained in the Foothills Wildlife Management Unit zones (300 series), with the southern 300 series producing a lower likelihood of success than the northern 300 series. Factors that did not appear to be associated with getting hunting permission on private land included how avid a hunter was (i.e., how many days in the year they typically hunt on private land) and whether they identified as a visible minority. We will continue to investigate and report on these data in 2023/24.

Partnerships

Alberta Fish & Game Association – Minister’s Special Licence Program, Alberta Professional Outfitters Society, Brad Fenson Outdoors, Government of Alberta, University of Alberta, University of Waterloo

Annual Summaries

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