Hunting

Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis

The Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis prepared by the Province is a summary of the B.C. hunting and trapping regulations made under the Wildlife Act, prepared for the convenience of hunters and trappers.

The Regulations Synopsis:

• Sets out general hunting information
• Summarizes important hunting regulations
• Defines open seasons with maps indicating closed areas

The 2016–2018 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis is effective from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2018. The Regulations Synopsis is a guide to hunting and trapping in B.C. for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons.

Click here to learn more about the hunting and trapping regulations, management units, and which areas are generally open.

Licences

There are three types of hunting licences available to B.C. residents:

• Hunting Licence
• Initiation Hunting Licence
• Youth Hunting Licence

A hunting licence, in combination with the appropriate species licence (if required), provides a hunter with a personal bag limit. Click here for more information on hunting licences and fees

Permits

Under the District of Sparwood Firearm Regulation Bylaw 540, the Clerk or Corporate Officer is authorized to issue a permit to:

1. a Bonafide Farmer permitting the discharge of a firearm for the sole purpose of protecting crops and livestock on his Farmland;
2. a Bonafide Instructor in Archery or firearm education who is properly licensed and who has given acceptable assurances that the instructional courses will be conducted within appropriate facilities;
3. The owner(s) or operator(s) of a recreational field permitting the discharge of a firearm for the sole purpose of eradication of gophers where gopher holes could pose a safety hazard. 

Your observations should be recorded in note form as soon as possible. Where possible include:

• Description of suspect(s), including, number of people, name, sex, race, age, height/weight, eye colour, hair, hair colour and style, facial hair, physical attributes such as tattoos or scars, clothing, accent and mannerisms.
• Details of violation, including, date, time, location, type of violation, suspects actions and comments, type of hunting or fishing gear and other equipment used.
• Transport involved, including vehicle or vessel number, province or state, make, model, year, colour and distinctive features such as damage, stripes or customizing.
• Witnesses, including name, address and phone number for each.

Call 1-877-952-7277 (RAPP) or #7277 on the TELUS Mobility Network. If the situation is not an emergency, report the incident online or contact the nearest Conservation Officer Service district office.

For fisheries violations related to salmon, contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) at 1-800-465-4336. You can also contact your local RCMP detachment or municipal police.

With accurate reporting, the province's Emergency Call Centre staff will quickly relay your information to the nearest available Conservation Officer. Accurate and timely violation reports reduce conservation officer response time and increase the likelihood of apprehension and successful prosecution.

In addition to minimizing any damage caused by poachers and polluters, you can help prevent violations before they even occur. The watchful eyes of responsible and informed resource users are a powerful deterrent to potential violators.

Penalties

As one example of the types of penalties violators are subject to, provisions in the Wildlife Act allow for a poachers hunting licence to be cancelled for up to 30 years, following conviction.

A poacher may also be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment, which could be:

• Up to $25,000 and/or 6 months imprisonment for the majority of offences under the Wildlife Act
• Up to $50,000 and/or 6 months imprisonment for offences that could harm the wildlife resource or that reflect serious unethical practices related to illegal hunting or trapping
• $1,000 to $100,000 and/or 1 year imprisonment for offences related to the illegal trade in live wildlife or killing endangered species

Rewards

The BC Wildlife Federation pays rewards up to $2000 for information leading to the conviction of persons who have violated laws related to the protection of fish, wildlife, or the environment, or damaged the property of companies or individuals who provide access to hunters and anglers.