Migratory Birds Hunting Regulations, 2012–2013: British Columbia

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Watch for this loon on blue signs marking National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries.

• Summary
• Hunting Districts
• Helpful Tip
• Open Seasons in British Columbia
• Bag and Possession Limits in British Columbia
• Report Your Migratory Bird Bands

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Summary

The information presented here is a summary of the law. For complete information on fines, general prohibitions, permitted hunting methods and equipment, the requirement to have adequate means to retrieve birds immediately, restrictions on the use of bait, the description of hunting districts and other restrictions on hunting, please refer to the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and Migratory Birds Regulations. These, along with other useful information for hunters, can be found on the Environment Canada website (www.ec.gc.ca) on the Migratory Birds page in the Nature section, or you may contact:

Environment Canada
Canadian Wildlife Service
Pacific Wildlife Research Centre
R.R. 1, 5421 Robertson Road Delta,
British Columbia  V4K 3N2
Tel.: 604-940-4650
Toll free: 1-800-668-6767
enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

You are required to possess a valid federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit with a Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp to hunt migratory birds in Canada. This permit and stamp are valid in all provinces and territories. Most provinces and territories have additional licence requirements for hunting migratory birds and/or to carry firearms. To know what you require, and if there are further restrictions for hunting migratory birds, please verify the applicable regulations for the province/territory where you will be hunting. Note that all required permits and licences must be in your possession while you are hunting.

Waterfowler Heritage Days provide young hunters under the age of majority with the opportunity to practice hunting and outdoor skills, learn about wildlife conservation, and reinforce safety training in a structured, supervised environment before the season opens for other hunters. Licensed adult hunters who serve as mentors have an opportunity to pass on their considerable skills and knowledge by offering guidance and advice to younger hunters. The following rules are in effect:

• to participate, young hunters under the age of majority do not require the federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit:
• young participants must comply with all existing safety and licensing requirements found in the Firearms Act and provincial hunting regulations;
• participants must be accompanied by a licensed mentor over the age of majority; and
• mentors may not hunt or carry a firearm, and may accompany no more than two young hunters.

Non-toxic shot must be used in all areas of Canada to hunt migratory game birds, except for Band-tailed Pigeons and Mourning Doves. Within National Wildlife Areas, the possession of lead shot is prohibited for all hunting, including the hunting of migratory birds and upland game birds. Hunters should consult provincial or territorial regulations for additional restrictions. For those birds still hunted with lead shot, remove the lead shot before cooking whenever possible in order to reduce your exposure to contaminants. As well, remove the skin and fat from fish-eating birds before cooking them.

Helpful Tip

Canadians may be exposed to avian-borne viruses when hunting or handling migratory birds and other wild game. Environment Canada recommends the following website, maintained by the Public Health Agency of Canada, for information about minimizing the risk of exposure: www.phac-aspc.gc.ca

Open Seasons in British Columbia

District	Ducks and geese WATERFOWLER HERITAGE DAYS	Ducks, coots and snipe	Snow and Ross’s geese	Other geese	Brant	Band-tailed Pigeons	MourningDoves
No. 1	Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, 2012	Oct. 6, 2012, to Jan. 18, 2013	Oct. 6, 2012, to, Jan. 18, 2013	Oct. 6, 2012, to Jan. 18, 2013(a) Sept. 1 to Sept. 9, 2012(b)(c)(d), Oct. 6 to Nov. 18, 2012(b)(c)(d) Dec. 15, 2012, to Jan. 6, 2013(b)(c)(d) Feb. 10 to Mar. 10, 2013(b)(c)(d)	No open season	Sept. 15 to Sept. 30, 2012	No open season
No. 2	Sept 29 and Sept. 30, 2012(e)(f)	Oct. 6, 2012, to Jan. 18, 2013(c)(e)	Oct. 6 to Dec. 30, 2012(e) Feb. 20 to March 10, 2013(e)	Oct. 6, 2012, to Jan. 18, 2013(e)(g) Sept. 1 to Sept. 9, 2012(c)(d)(e) Oct. 6 to Nov. 18, 2012(c)(d)(e) Dec. 15, 2012, to Jan. 6, 2013(c)(d)(e) Feb. 10 to Mar. 10, 2013(c)(d)(e)	Mar. 1 to Mar. 10, 2013(c)(h)	Sept. 15 to Sept. 30, 2012(e)	No open season
No. 3	Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, 2012	Sept. 10 to Dec. 23, 2012	Sept. 10 to Dec. 23, 2012	Sept. 10 to Dec. 23, 2012(g) Sept. 10 to Sept. 20, 2012(d) Oct. 1 to Dec. 23, 2012(d) Mar. 1 to Mar. 10, 2013(d)	No open season	Sept. 15 to Sept. 30, 2012(i)	Sept 1. to Sept. 30, 2012
No. 4	Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, 2012	Sept. 10 to Dec. 23, 2012	Sept. 10 to Dec. 23, 2012	Sept. 10 to Dec. 23, 2012	No open season	No open season	Sept 1. to Sept. 30, 2012
No. 5	Sept. 8 and Sept. 9, 2012	Sept. 15 to Dec. 25, 2012	Sept. 15 to Dec. 25, 2012	Sept. 15 to Dec. 25, 2012	No open season	No open season	No open season
No. 6	Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, 2012	Sept. 3 to Nov. 30, 2012(j) Oct. 1, 2012, to Jan. 13, 2013(k)	Sept. 3 to Nov. 30, 2012(j) Oct. 1, 2012, to Jan. 13, 2013(k)	Sept. 3 to Nov. 30, 2012(j) Oct. 1, 2012, to Jan. 13, 2013(k)	No open season	No open season	No open season
No. 7	Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, 2012(l) Sept. 8 and Sept. 9, 2012(m)	Sept. 3 to Nov. 30, 2012(l) Sept. 1 to Sept. 7(m) and Sept. 10 to Nov. 30, 2012(m)	Sept. 3 to Nov. 30, 2012(l) Sept. 1 to Sept. 7(m) and Sept. 10 to Nov. 30, 2012(m)	Sept. 3 to Nov. 30, 2012(l) Sept. 1 to Sept. 7(m) and Sept. 10 to Nov. 30, 2012(m)	No open season	No open season	No open season
No. 8	Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, 2012	Sept. 12 to Dec. 25, 2012	Sept. 12 to Dec. 25, 2012	Sept. 12 to Dec. 25, 2012(g) Sept. 20 to Nov. 28, 2012(d) Dec. 20, 2012, to Jan. 5, 2013(d) Feb. 21 to Mar. 10, 2013(d)	No open season	No open season	Sept 1. to Sept. 30, 2012

(a)  Provincial Management Units 1-1 to 1-15 inclusive for White-fronted Geese only and Provincial Management Units 1-3 and 1-8 to 1-15 inclusive for Canada Geese and Cackling Geese only.
(b)  Provincial Management Units 1-1, 1-2, and 1-4 to 1-7 inclusive.
(c)  See provincial regulations for local restrictions.
(d)  For Canada Geese and Cackling Geese only.
(e)  Provincial Management Units 2-2 to 2-19 inclusive.
(f)  Excluding Brant.
(g)  For White-fronted Geese only.
(h)  Provincial Management Unit 2-4 only.
(i)  Provincial Management Units 3-13 to 3-17 inclusive.
(j)  Provincial Management Units 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 to 6-10 inclusive, and 6-15 to 6-30 inclusive.
(k)  Provincial Management Units 6-3, and 6-11 to 6-14 inclusive.
(l)  Provincial Management Units 7-19 to 7-22 inclusive, 7-31 to 7-36 inclusive, and 7-42 to 7-58 inclusive.
(m)  Provincial Management Units 7-2 to 7-18 inclusive, 7-23 to 7-30 inclusive, and 7-37 to 7-41 inclusive.

Bag and Possession Limits in British Columbia

Limits	Ducks	White geese (Snow and Ross’s geese)	Dark geese (Canada, Cackling and White-fronted geese)	Brant	Coots and snipe	Band-tailed Pigeons and Mourning Doves
Daily bag	8(a)(c)(e)(g)	5(i)	5(k), 10(l)	2(m)	10	5
Possession	24(b)(d)(f)(h)	15(j)	15(k), 30(l)	6(m)	30	15

(a)  Not more than 4 may be Northern Pintails.
(b)  Not more than 12 may be Northern Pintails.
(c)  Not more than 4 may be Canvasbacks.
(d)  Not more than 12 may be Canvasbacks.
(e)  Not more than 2 may be Goldeneyes.
(f)  Not more than 6 may be Goldeneyes.
(g)  Not more than 2 may be Harlequin Ducks.
(h)  Not more than 6 may be Harlequin Ducks.
(i)  In Provincial Management Units 2-4 and 2-5 only, a total of 10 White Geese including not more than 5 Ross’s Geese may be taken daily.
(j)  In Provincial Management Units 2-4 and 2-5 only, a total of 30 White Geese including not
more than 15 Ross’s Geese may be possessed.
(k)  For White-fronted Geese only. 
(l)  Any combination of Canada Geese and Cackling Geese.
(m)  Provincial Management Unit 2-4 only.

Report Your Migratory Bird Bands

Call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) or go to: www.reportband.gov