Questions on Hunting Licences

Are you a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador?

Yes

No

What region of the province do you live in?

What is your age group?

Which of the following best describes you?

Other:

Which of the following have you held in the last 5 years? (Select all that apply)

NL Resident Hunting licence

Fur hunting(trapping) licence

Salmon angling licence

Other: _________________

Other:

Questions Related to Minimum Age Requirements For Using a Firearm For Hunting and Fur Harvesting:

In Newfoundland and Labrador the minimum age to legally hunt and shoot small game or furbearers with a firearm is sixteen. Small game hunting includes ptarmigan, grouse, snowshoe hare, arctic hare (Labrador), ducks, geese and snipe. Fur harvesters (trappers) may use firearms to humanely dispatch live animals caught in traps such as coyotes, fox and lynx. To hunt big game (moose, caribou and bear) in Newfoundland and Labrador a person must be eighteen years of age. In Canada, the majority of provinces and territories allow individuals to participate in hunting or trapping at an earlier age. This is designed to support local interests, allow opportunities to teach safe practices at an early age and foster responsible, ethical hunting and trapping behavior.

The following table presents an overview of minimum age requirements for using a firearm for hunting and fur harvesting across Canada

Province/Territory	Small Game	Waterfowl	Big Game	Hunter Education Required
Newfoundland and Labrador	16	16	18	Yes
Nova Scotia Note: requires provincial minors permit and must be accompanied by adult until 18	12	12	16	Yes
Prince Edward Island Note: Minors can hunt coyotes with a rifle at age 12	12	12	N/A - PEI does not have Big Game	Yes
New Brunswick Note: provincial minors permit required for small game and waterfowl hunting between 12 and 15	12	12	16	Yes
Quebec	12	12	12	Yes
Ontario Note: Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program mandatory between 12 - 15 years of age.	12	12	16	Yes
Manitoba	12	12	12	Yes
Saskatchewan Note: Provincial regulations require supervision by an adult	12	12	12	Yes
Alberta Note: Province requires supervision of an adult until 18	12	12	12	Yes
British Columbia Note: Age 10 -13, licence held by parent or guardian (no hunter ed. requirement). At age 14 must complete hunter education course and purchase own licence. Minor must be accompanied until 19 years of age.	10	10	10	Yes
Northwest Territories	14 Note: Must be accompanied by licenced adult	14 Note: Must be accompanied by licenced adult	16	No
Yukon	n/a Consent by parent or guardian if under 16	n/a Consent by parent or guardian if under 16	12-14 Requires accompanying adult	No
Nunavut	n/a	n/a	n/a	No

Do you have children or persons in your care who are under 18 years of age? If so, how many?

Should the current age requirements to use a firearm for hunting or fur harvesting in NL (currently 16 for small game, waterfowl and fur harvesting, 18 for big game):

Be Higher

Stay the Same

Be Lower

What requirements would you suggest for minors to use a firearm for hunting or fur harvesting? (Select all that apply)

Other:

Do you agree that anyone who uses a firearm for the purpose of hunting or fur harvesting should be required to first complete a mandatory safety training course?

Yes

No

Unsure

Do you have any additional comments you would like to make with respect to the minimum age requirements for using a firearm for hunting or fur harvesting?

Questions related to the Program for Hunters and Anglers with a Disability

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador first introduced legislation related to the Program for Hunters and Anglers with a Disability [4] in 1998. The Department of Fisheries and Land Resources manages the application/eligibility process for this program. Once an application is approved it allows the person with a disability who holds a big game licence to designate a qualified hunter to shoot the big game animal on behalf of the licence holder provided that the person with a disability remains in sight of the designated shooter. Similarly a person who holds a salmon angling licence may designate a licensed angler to catch and retain wild salmon on behalf a person with a disability provided that the person with the disability remains within 100 meters of the designated angler. Amendments to the regulations [5] occurred in 2015 and resulted in an expansion to eligibility criteria under provincial wildlife legislation which greatly increased opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Are you currently eligible or enrolled in the Provincial Program for Hunters and Anglers with a Disability?

Yes

No

Other:

In the last 5 years, I have (select all that apply):

Acted as a designated shooter.

Used a designated shooter.

Acted as a designated angler.

Used a designated angler.

Retrieved a big game animal that was shot on a licence owned by a hunter with a disability.

Done none of these.

Please select your level of agreement with the following statements.

The Program for Hunters and Anglers with a Disability should be expanded to include the following options:

	Strongly Agree	Somewhat Agree	Neutral	Somewhat Disagree	Strongly Disagree
Discharge of a firearm from a vehicle (e.g. car, truck, ATV, snowmobile or powerboat)	Discharge of a firearm from a vehicle (e.g. car, truck, ATV, snowmobile or powerboat) - Strongly Agree	Discharge of a firearm from a vehicle (e.g. car, truck, ATV, snowmobile or powerboat) - Somewhat Agree	Discharge of a firearm from a vehicle (e.g. car, truck, ATV, snowmobile or powerboat) - Neutral	Discharge of a firearm from a vehicle (e.g. car, truck, ATV, snowmobile or powerboat) - Somewhat Disagree	Discharge of a firearm from a vehicle (e.g. car, truck, ATV, snowmobile or powerboat) - Strongly Disagree
Designation of a proxy shooter or angler to hunt/angle and retrieve big game/fish on behalf of another licensed hunter.	Designation of a proxy shooter or angler to hunt/angle and retrieve big game/fish on behalf of another licensed hunter. - Strongly Agree	Designation of a proxy shooter or angler to hunt/angle and retrieve big game/fish on behalf of another licensed hunter. - Somewhat Agree	Designation of a proxy shooter or angler to hunt/angle and retrieve big game/fish on behalf of another licensed hunter. - Neutral	Designation of a proxy shooter or angler to hunt/angle and retrieve big game/fish on behalf of another licensed hunter. - Somewhat Disagree	Designation of a proxy shooter or angler to hunt/angle and retrieve big game/fish on behalf of another licensed hunter. - Strongly Disagree

Do you have any additional comments you would like to make with respect to the program for hunters and anglers with a disability?