The Devon Fish and Game represented it’s members at this year’s AWF Conference and wanted to provide an update on what we learned:
Avian Influenza in Raptors - Presentation by Roseanna Gullekson of the Alberta Society for Injured Birds of Prey and the Strathmore Raptor Shelter
The shelter has 200 raptors admitted annually
Birds that feed on waterfowl are typically the ones that are infected with avian influenza
Red Tail Hawks were affected first, then Bald Eagles
Great Grey Owls were not affected, but Great Horned Owls were
She told a story about a bald eagle who showed up emaciated and with a cataract and had strange behaviour like perching hung upside down like a bat.
Eventually he got worse and he died. All birds admitted with avian flu died except one.
Symptoms of avian flu include:
Seizures
Star gazing
Head tilt
Spinning in circles
Fever
Cataract in one eye
H5N1 was confirmed to have transmitted to a golden doodle in Calgary that fed on a dead goose
First human vaccine for H5N1 was administered in November 2025
To report dead waterfowl or raptors call 310-0000.
Meningeal Worm (P. Tenuis) in Alberta (commonly and incorrectly called “brain worm”) - Presentation by Dr. Margo Pybus (Provincial Wildlife Disease Specialist)
This parasite is new to Alberta but has been on the radar for 40 years
It is found in Whitetail Deer in the tissues around the brain, but does not damage Whitetails
However, it is fatal to Mule Deer, Elk, Moose, Pronghorn, and Caribou
It does not infect cattle or bison
It has recently been confirmed in 5 caribou and 1 moose between Cold Lake and Ft. McMurray - they got it from Whitetail Deer that moved west from Saskatchewan.
LIfecycle
The Larva comes out in droppings and attracts snails
Deer feed on snail infected plants and pick it up
Worms burrow up to the brain and eggs filter into the lungs
They get coughed up from the lungs and then swallowed to find their way into the droppings
It does not infect humans and is not present in the meat
There are no Mule Deer in eastern North America primarily because of this worm
Symptoms:
Head Tilt
Twisted Neck
Partial or full paralysis
Uncoordinated GAIT
Staggering
Falling over
CWD Update:
There are new cases West of Edmonton and heading into the foothills
623 positives of 6252 heads tests in 2024
Avian Influenza Update:
High mortality in waterfowl in Spring 2022
Mortality in raptors and scavengers like skunks that feed on dead waterfowl
Minor outbreak in 2023 and even less in 2024 and the virus looked like it had been incorporated into the ecosystem
Major outbreak in 2025 in overwintering Canada Geese from Pincher Creek to Medicine Hat
There has been no known case of infection from a Wild Bird - only domestic poultry
Management & Regulation Update from Brian Joubert (Province of AB)
2026 Proposals:
Elk season extensions with distinct draw for a season in February
Sandhill cranes - AWF Resolution to increase WMUs with this season - will be implemented this year
Adding a partner license for Elk
Antelope now referred to as a Pronghorn
Residents can now hire an outfitter and hunt on the outfitter’s allocation (this has been in place temporarily since 2020 but is now permanent)
Grizzly Responder program
3 licenses were issued with 1 bear euthanized under that program
The Framework has criteria and the officer responding has to determine if it meets that criteria and the landowner has to agree to allow it
Swan Hunt
Has been in the backburner for a while
The AB Gov’t asked the Federal Gov’t to study this and they have begun consultations
Once that is done they will need to work with the US to understand what quotas might look like (to ensure a hunt is sustainable across the entire migratory path)
Veteran Hunters
National program for military veterans suffering from PTSD
Recently opened up to first responders
Have become a new Member Club of the AWF
Hunting and Fishing Branch
Sportfishing Licenses have levelled out since COVID (around 250,000 in 2023 & 2024)
2025 trout stocking
2.1 million trout stocked in 270 lakes and ponds
100,000 cutthroat trout stock in 2025 as no stocking has been done since 2019
3 yellow perch transfers are planning for 2026 for the NW, NE and Central regions of AB
Wildlife Certificates have remained over 160,000 since 2021 due to mandatory purchase required prior to draw applications
Class ABC walleye licenses go on sale April 28th at 9AM and are First Come First Served at 6 licenses per person - the draw has been eliminated
Hunting and Fishing Mentorship Program with Norbert and Isaiah from the Alberta Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Program is for post-secondary students in bio/wildlife related programs
The program is totally free
2022 they had 2 hunts with 14 participants
2025 they had 30+ hunts with over 100 participants
Some of the participating schools
UofA
MacEwan
Norquest
NAIT
Lakeland
UofC
Mount Royal
Bow Valley etc.
They do a gun range day in September with Clays or Rifle
Waterfowl hunts are outfitted and grant funded
Upland bird hunts with Pheasants Forever
25 students this year participated in big game hunts
Each mentor takes a pair of students with one shooter in the AM and one shooter in the PM
They also do:
Hen House Workshop with Delta Waterfowl
Trapping Workshops
Butchery Workshops
Taxidermy Workshops
Ice Fishing Program