Alberta did not keep records of Hunter Certs. Now what can I do?!

ClayPigeon

ClayPigeon

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I was born and raised in AB. I now live in MB after being abroad for a long time. I completed my restricted/unrestricted licenses when I came back as I decided to start hunting. Back when I was a teenager in AB I took my Hunters Course (early 90's). The actual certificate eludes me present day and my father could not find it filed away back in AB. After several phone calls I got to the right desk in AB and asked for a copy of my Hunters cert. to be mailed out to me and low and behold, I am told that the department that handled these records changed in the late 90's and as a result no prior records were ever kept on file! I called the MB offices to explain and ask them for their advice. They (just as much as I was) were in disbelief that AB had no records beyond the late 90's! This means that I am completely SOL.

So the question now is, what is the fastest way to get re-certified as hunting season is upon us? Can I complete a course and exam online? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
I can't speak for your province per say, but in BC I was able to challenge the course. Wrote it one afternoon, and it cost me about $11.
 
Suther said:
I can't speak for your province per say, but in BC I was able to challenge the course. Wrote it one afternoon, and it cost me about $11.
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Was it a "special request" or could you simply walk into a govt office and take it? In MB, from what I have ascertained, there is a course online that can be taken (for a fee) and then once completed you print a completion certificate and call to schedule an exam that is done practical/verbally and written, in person with someone.
 
I just challenged the BC course last week (and passed). Schedule it, show up, 75 multiple choice, pay the the instructor for an hour of his time. Take the form to the BCWF, get the certificate and off to service BC for the license. YMMV for Alberta. I got it done in two hours,start of exam to license in hand.

Basically get to avoid the hours of sitting in the course.
 
ClayPigeon said:
Was it a "special request" or could you simply walk into a govt office and take it? In MB, from what I have ascertained, there is a course online that can be taken (for a fee) and then once completed you print a completion certificate and call to schedule an exam that is done practical/verbally and written, in person with someone.
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Not government office. Private company that offers the course can also offer just the exam in BC.
 
I'm in Saskatchewan and asked an instructor about getting my son fixed up on time for a white tail, he said you can challenge in Saskatchewan. If you can challenge in the other western provinces, pretty good odds that Peopleitoba will let you also.
 
ClayPigeon said:
I was born and raised in AB. I now live in MB after being abroad for a long time. I completed my restricted/unrestricted licenses when I came back as I decided to start hunting. Back when I was a teenager in AB I took my Hunters Course (early 90's). The actual certificate eludes me present day and my father could not find it filed away back in AB. After several phone calls I got to the right desk in AB and asked for a copy of my Hunters cert. to be mailed out to me and low and behold, I am told that the department that handled these records changed in the late 90's and as a result no prior records were ever kept on file! I called the MB offices to explain and ask them for their advice. They (just as much as I was) were in disbelief that AB had no records beyond the late 90's! This means that I am completely SOL.

So the question now is, what is the fastest way to get re-certified as hunting season is upon us? Can I complete a course and exam online? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Did you ever have a WIN card? To get that is a prerequisite for hunting/fishing license in Alberta which required a hunter ed course. If so Alberta REALM will have you on file, which then will prove you had a hunting license in the past. Not sure if they can pull you up by name but with name and DOB they should be able to. It is online so you can even search for yourself.
Worth a try?
 
You might well be SOL, and have to at the least, challenge the test.

Keep better records!

Yeah, I know, PITA. But most of this sort of stuff is pretty much not recorded anywhere outside of maybe the records of the folks doing the testing, unless you actually already had a hunting Lic. at some time in the past.

If you have not already, go in person to the RELM Office nearest you and see if they will accept a sworn affidavit or allow you to challenge the test at the counter. If you ave a hunting Lic. from a previous location, take it with.

Online or phone calls are less useful for squaring away details like this. In person. As with anything that relies upon the discretion of the person you are dealing with, your attitude and politeness may swing them to your side, or you may simply have to accept that they can or will not bend on your behalf, in good grace.
 
Go to the MB Wildlife Federation website, http://mwf.mb.ca/, click Hunter's ED at the top. You'll get a list of people doing the hunters ED courses, start calling. I can't recommend anyone in particular as I took mine pre 1990.

You may be able to find someone offering a course or willing to run you through; however, hunting season is here and most of these folks are hunters.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. So far it appears that MB is not so progressive. My replies from test administrators is that I have to have a record of a completed course to take the test! I will call the dept. directly for this answer but it's not looking great for getting this thing completed in a timely manner.
 
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ClayPigeon said:
Thanks for the replies everyone. So far it appears that MB is not so progressive. So far my replies from test administrators is that I have to have a record of a completed course to take the test! I will call the dept. directly for this answer but it's not looking great for getting this thing completed in a timely manner.
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No we're not, even our draws are still done manually. "Cost to much to put in place" is usually the answer.

Contact the MWF they may be better able to answer your question.
 
why not just do the online alberta course, it can be done in a day, write the exam, and turn that over to the manitoba wildlife authority so you don't have to screw around with the manitoba system
 
7 REM MAG said:
why not just do the online alberta course, it can be done in a day, write the exam, and turn that over to the manitoba wildlife authority so you don't have to screw around with the manitoba system
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This is what I am considering. I still keep an address in AB so don't see why I wouldn't be allowed to take this test and get it transferred.
 
sikwhiskey said:
Have you ever had a hunting license in any other province? I believe AB will honor any other provinces course, unless it changed in the last 2 years.
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No, as per my post, I took it in AB, don't have a record of it anymore, and neither does the AB gov't!
 
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