Migratory Birds Hunting Regulations, 2012–2013: Quebec
Download the PDF version – Visit the publications catalogue
Watch for this loon on blue signs marking National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries.*
*In Quebec, these signs also identify no-hunting zones.
- Summary
- Helpful Tip
- Open Seasons in Quebec (No open season for Harlequin Ducks or rails)
- Hunting Districts
- Bag and Possession Limits in Quebec
- Measures in Quebec Concerning Overabundant Species
- Report Your Migratory Bird Bands
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 zones 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
801-1550 D’Estimauville Avenue
Québec, Quebec G1J 0C3
Tel.: 1-800-668-6767
Fax: 418-649-6591
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.
Barrow’s Goldeneye is listed in Schedule I of the federal Species at Risk Act as a species of special concern. For conservation purposes, as well as to account for the possible unintentional shooting of a Barrow’s Goldeneye, the daily bag and possession limit for this species has been set at one. Hunters who take more than one Barrow’s Goldeneye are in contravention of the law. Hunters may obtain useful information on the Barrow’s Goldeneye, especially on ways to tell this species apart from the Common Goldeneye, at the following website: [Environment Canada's Publications Catalogue].
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 woodcock. Within National Wildlife Areas, the possession of lead shot is prohibited for all hunting, including the hunting of migratory birds and upland game birds. 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.
Note
In district F, please note that Route 155 and Highway 55 are the boundary line for the different daily bag and possession limits for Black Ducks. The opening hunting date for ducks is September 15, 2012, for districts B, C, D and E; September 22, 2012, for district F; and September 29, 2012, for district G.
Helpful Tip
Canadians can 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
| Area | Ducks (other than Harlequin Ducks), geese, woodcock and snipe WATERFOWLER HERITAGE DAYS | Ducks (other than eiders, Harlequin Ducks and Long-tailed Ducks), geese (other than Canada Geese, Cackling Geese and Snow Geese) and snipe | Canada Geese and Cackling Geese | Eiders and Long-tailed Ducks | Coots and moorhens | Woodcock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | N/A | Sept. 1 to Dec. 10, 2012 | Sept. 1 to Dec. 10, 2012 | Sept. 1 to Dec. 10, 2012 | No open season | Sept. 1 to Dec. 10, 2012 |
| B | Sept. 8, 2012 | Sept. 15 to Dec. 27, 2012 | Sept. 15 to Dec. 29, 2012 | Oct. 1, 2012, to Jan. 14, 2013(b) | No open season | Sept. 8 to Dec. 23, 2012 |
| C, D and E | Sept. 8, 2012 | Sept. 15 to Dec. 27, 2012(c) | Sept. 1 to Sept. 14, 2012(a) Sept. 15 to Dec. 16, 2012 | Sept. 15 to Dec. 29, 2012 | No open season | Sept. 15 to Dec. 30, 2012 |
| F | Sept. 15, 2012(d) | Sept. 22 to Dec. 26, 2012(c) | Sept. 6 to Sept. 21, 2012(a) Sept. 22 to Dec. 21, 2012 | Sept. 22, 2012, to Jan. 5, 2013 | Sept. 22, 2012, to Jan. 5, 2013 | Sept. 15 to Dec. 30, 2012 |
| G | Sept. 22, 2012 | Sept. 29 to Dec. 26, 2012 | Sept. 29 to Dec. 26, 2012 | Nov. 1, 2012, to Feb. 14, 2013 | No open season | Sept. 29 to Dec. 26, 2012 |
(a) In Districts C, D, E and F, hunting for Canada Geese and Cackling Geese is allowed only on farmland.
(b) In District B along the northern shore west of the Natashquan River, the hunting seasons for eiders and Long-tailed Ducks are from October 1 to October 24, 2012, inclusive and from November 15, 2012, to February 5, 2013, inclusive.
(c) In District E, the hunting season for Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye closes on October 21, 2012, in Provincial Hunting Zone 21 and 100 metres beyond this zone. In District F, the hunting season for Barrow’s Goldeneye and Common Goldeneye closes on October 21, 2012, between Pointe Jureux (St. Irénée) and Gros Cap à l’Aigle (St. Fidèle) from routes 362 and 138 to 2 kilometres within Provincial Hunting Zone 21.
(d) In District F, hunting for coots and moorhens is allowed during Waterfowler Heritage Day.
Hunting Districts
| Limits | Ducks | Geese (other than Snow Geese) | Snow Geese | Coots and moorhens | Woodcock | Snipe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily bag | 6(a)(b)(c)(d)(g) | 5(e)(g) | 20(g) | 4(g) | 8(f)(g) | 10(g) |
| Possession | 18(a)(b)(c)(g) | 20 | 60 | 12 | 24 | 30 |
(a) Not more than 4 American Black Ducks may be taken daily, with a possession limit of 8 in Districts A, B, C, D, E, F (east of Route 155 and Highway 55) and G.
(b) Not more than 2 American Black Ducks may be taken daily, with a possession limit of 4 in District F (west of Route 155 and Highway 55). Beginning on November 1, 2012, not more than 4 American Black Ducks may be taken daily, with a possession limit of 8 in District F (only lying east of Gatineau River).
(c) Not more than 1 Blue-winged Teal may be taken daily, with a possession limit of 2.
(d) Not more than 1 Barrow’s Goldeneye may be taken daily, with a possession limit of 1.
(e) Not more than a total of 10 Canada Geese or Cackling Geese, or any combination of them, may be taken daily between September 1 and September 25, 2012.
(f) For non-residents of Canada, not more than 4 woodcock may be taken daily.
(g ) Not more than 3 birds in total may be taken or possessed during Waterfowler Heritage Days, but the additional species restrictions described in notes (b) to (d) apply within that total.
Overabundant Species
The Migratory Birds Regulations also provide for special conservation periods when hunters may take overabundant species. Please note that the additional hunting methods or equipment are permitted only during the special conservation periods. See the table below for details.
| Area | Period during which Snow Geese may be killed | Additional hunting method or equipment |
|---|---|---|
| District A | Sept. 1 to Dec. 10, 2012, and May 1 to June 30, 2013 | Recorded bird calls(d)(f) |
| District B | Sept. 15 to Dec. 29, 2012 | Recorded bird calls(d)(f) |
| Districts C and D | Sept. 1 to Sept. 14, 2012(a), and Sept. 15 to Dec. 29, 2012, and Mar. 1 to May 31, 2013(a) | Recorded bird calls(d)(f) |
| District E | Sept. 1 to Sept. 14, 2012(a), and Sept. 15 to Dec. 29, 2012, and Mar. 1 to May 31, 2013(a) | Recorded bird calls(d)(f) and bait or bait crop area(e) |
| District F | Sept. 6 to Sept. 21, 2012(a), and Sept. 22, 2012, to Jan. 5, 2013, and Mar. 1 to May 31, 2013(a)(b)(c) | Recorded bird calls(d)(f) and bait or bait crop area(e) |
| District G | Sept. 29 to Dec. 26, 2012 | Recorded bird calls(d)(f) |
(a) Hunting and hunting equipment are allowed only on farmland.
(b) In District F, no person shall hunt south of the St. Lawrence River and north of the road right-of-way of Route 132 between the western limit of the municipality of Montmagny and the eastern limit of the municipality of Cap-Saint-Ignace.
(c) In District F, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, no person shall hunt north of the St. Lawrence River and south of a line located at 1000 m north of Highway 40 between Montée St-Laurent and the Maskinongé River. On the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, no person shall hunt south of the St. Lawrence River and north of the railroad right-of-way located near Route 132 between the Nicolet River in the east and Lacerte Road in the west.
(d) “Recorded bird calls” refers to bird calls of a species referred to in the heading of column 2.
(e) Hunting with bait or in a bait crop area is permitted if the Regional Director has given consent in writing pursuant to section 23.3.
(f ) Snow Goose call recordings may be used, but if used with decoys, the decoys may only represent white or blue phase Snow Geese, or any combination of them.
Note
Hunters interested in participating in the spring conservation harvest of Snow Geese should keep their 2012–2013 federal permits.
Report Your Migratory Bird Bands
Call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) or go to: www.reportband.gov
- Date Modified: