The 2023 Big Game Draw application period opens May 1 and closes on the last Thursday of May at 4 p.m. Carefully review your application and submit it prior to the deadline. Changes to the application cannot be made after the deadline.
The status of your application(s) can be reviewed through your HAL account. If you require assistance with your account, call the Aspira help desk at 1-888-773-8450. Email notifications will be sent to applicants with valid email addresses. However, successful email delivery cannot be guaranteed. Please review your draw results through your HAL account.
For season dates, see the latest supplements below.
How to Apply
- You must submit your application for the Big Game Draw through your HAL account.
- You can also review the details and status of submitted applications, look up draw results and make changes to your application any time before the May 25 application deadline.
- Before applying, ensure you have reviewed the Saskatchewan Big Game Draw Supplement for available hunts, correct hunt designations, bag limits and season dates.
- Keep in mind that the HAL number and date of birth will also need to be entered for each group member added to your application.
If you are drawn, you can purchase your licence beginning August 1:
- Through your HAL account anytime;
- At any Saskatchewan hunting licence issuer;
- At a Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment or select provincial park office; or
- By phone using a credit card at 1-855-848-4773 (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.). Please allow 10 business days for delivery.
HAL Account
A HAL account is required for all hunters applying for the Big Game Draw. If you are applying with a group, be aware that each group member's HAL number and date of birth must be entered onto the application.
Through your HAL account, you are able to:
- review your pool status;
- review and update submitted applications;
- look up draw results; and
- purchase draw licences (beginning August 1).
Eligibility
Make sure you meet all eligibility requirements, such as firearm safety/hunter education certification, prior to submitting an application. It is an offence to falsify information on an application or use the licence of another person.
Only Saskatchewan residents can apply for the Saskatchewan Big Game Draw. A Saskatchewan resident is:
- a Canadian resident whose principal residence is in Saskatchewan and has lived in the province for three months immediately prior to applying for a licence and possesses a valid Saskatchewan health services card (including RCMP);
- a member of the regular force of the Canadian Armed Forces who is stationed and residing in the province; or
- a member of the regular force of the Canadian Armed Forces who was a Saskatchewan resident when recruited or deployed from the province.
Applicants must be 12 years of age or older at the time of application. All applicants born after January 1, 1971 must graduate from a firearm safety/hunter education (saskhuntered.ca) course before applying.
Declining Licences and Maintain Pool Status
Hunters who are drawn for three or more draw species may decline awarded licence(s) and maintain their pool status. However, they must keep the awarded licence(s) for at least two species (i.e. a hunter drawn for three species may decline awarded licences for one species only, a hunter drawn for four species may decline awarded licences for one or two species, and so on). All eligible hunters wishing to decline awarded licences must notify the Ministry of Environment by email at centre.inquiry@gov.sk.ca by July 31. No awarded draw licences can be declined past this date.
Please be aware of your pool status when completing your draw application and plan appropriately.
You are not required to submit an application to progress through D, C, and B pools – you will automatically advance. Once you are in A pool you must submit an application to advance to Super A pool, and apply each year thereafter to retain your Super A pool status. If you miss applying, you will go back to A pool and remain there until you apply again.
If you do not wish to hunt but want to retain your pool status, submit an application for zone 99.
See Frequently Asked Questions for more information on changes.
All applicants are advised to read the Saskatchewan Resident Big Game Draw Supplement for further details on changes, as well as updated information on available hunts, tentative quotas and season dates.
Youth Draw
Hunters 12 to 15 years of age can apply for the youth draw for antlerless mule deer by selecting "Youth Draw" in the draw menu. This process provides a greater opportunity for young hunters to be selected. A youth may apply for both antlerless mule deer and the youth draw by using separate applications.
An applicant cannot be drawn for both antlerless mule deer and the youth draw. If an applicant is initially drawn for both antlerless mule deer and the youth draw, preference is given to the antlerless mule deer draw and their youth draw application will be removed.