Purchasing & Replacing a Licence
Hunters can purchase their licence online without a transportation coupon through the My Hunting and Fishing Account site. Some ZECs, some outfitters, and wildlife reserves may sell licences as well. Keep in mind that two licences are required in order to hunt migratory birds: a small game hunting licence and a migratory bird licence.
When you purchase a licence, you must:
1. If you are a Québec resident, you must present your hunter’s certificate
2. Non-resident hunters must be at least 12 years old
3. Pay the fee
4. The licence must be purchased before the deadline (only for moose hunting during a firearm season – this does not apply to a limited hunt in a wildlife reserve, a hunt on the exclusive territory of an outfitter, or in the Baillargeon ZEC)
5. In order to confirm the licence’s validity, the licence holder must sign it on its back. Also, make sure the person who issued it has signed it on the front. If your date of birth, address, first name, or surname is incorrect or is not shown on the licence’s front, you must write it on the licence’s back
Note: Any licence can be purchased only once, except to replace a licence that has been rendered unusable, lost, or stolen.
Hunters who have been convicted of a wildlife offence in another Canadian territory or province will not be able to purchase a licence for a period of time referred to in this hunting prohibition.
Hunting Species
1. Moose
2. Whitetail deer
3. Black bear
4. Wild Turkey
5. Northern leopard frog, green frog and bullfrog
6. Eastern cottontail, Arctic hare and snowshoe hare
7. Coyote and wolf
8. Ruffed grouse, spruce grouse and sharp-tailed grouse
9. Grey partridge
10. Woodchuck
11. Raccoon
12. Red foxes, silver foxes, cross foxes
13. Quail, northern bobwhite, francolin, pheasant, rock partridge, red-legged partridge, chukar partridge and guinea fowl
14. Rock ptarmigan and willow ptarmigan
15. Red-winged blackbird, European starling, American crow, house sparrow, common grackle, and brown-headed cowbird
16. Rock dove
17. Migratory birds
Hunting Seasons
Hunting season dates differ depending on the hunting zone and the hunting species. For instance, the black bear hunting season dates are during the months of May through June, August to October and November. Hunting season for whitetail deer and moose is from August to December.
While the hunting season dates of the wild turkey are from April to May and October to November. And Coyote and wolf hunting are from October through April.
The hunting season for red foxes, silver foxes, and cross foxes is from October to March, while the hunting season for ruffed grouse, spruce grouse and sharp-tailed grouse is from August to January.
When it comes to Grey partridge hunting, their hunting season is from September to November. And rock ptarmigan and willow ptarmigan hunting season dates are during the months of August through April.
While the hunting season for the American crow, red-winged blackbird, European starling, common grackle, house sparrow, and brown-headed cowbird is during the months of July through April.
And the northern bobwhite, quail, pheasant, rock partridge, francolin, chukar partridge, red-legged partridge and guinea fowl hunting season is during the months of August through December.
When it comes to Eastern cottontail, Arctic hare and snowshoe hare hunting, their hunting season is during the months of August through April.
The hunting season for raccoons is during the months of October through March. While woodchuck and rock dove can be hunted all year round.
Hunting Zones
Québec is divided into 29 hunting zones, one of them only exists for fishing (zone 25), and the other 28 zones are for hunting. In several cases, the hunting zones are subdivided to apply special rules to a certain species.
Here are a few wonderful zones to go hunting throughout Quebec:
1. Ashuapmushuan Wildlife Reserve
The Ashuapmushuan Wildlife Reserve is a popular fishing and hunting spot that is located north of La Doré. Moose and bears can be caught here.
There are some restrictions on activities and exclusive rights in the reserve, so you must check the hunting regulations before you go out.
There are four rustic shelter camps, two campgrounds, and seven cabins to choose from on Lac Chigoubiche.
2. Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve
This is a popular tourist destination due to its well-maintained roads and highways, as well as its proximity to large urban centers. Hunters come to Mastigouche for moose, small game, and deer shooting, as well as for spring bear hunting. Visitor accommodations include rustic sites scattered across the reserve, campgrounds, and cabins.
3. Laurentides Wildlife Reserve
It is a vast reserve that is popular with moose, small game, and bear hunters. Laurentides is located between Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region and Quebec City.
This Wildlife Reserve is divided into 70 hunting sectors. Moose hunting is quota-restricted, with most moose hunting licences and packages randomly drawn. There are over 100 cabins there, as well as two campgrounds.
Transporting Game Animals
Transporting a Black Bear
When hunting a black bear, you must present the animal’s carcass or its pelt to the officer upon request or when you register the animal at the registration station.
At registration, hunters are asked to provide the two upper premolars and to indicate the exact location and date of the kill, along with the gender of the animal and the absence or presence of milk.
Transporting a Whitetail Deer
You must transport the whitetail deer to the registration station after killing it and produce it whole or in two parts that are approximately equal, separated transversally along the kidneys or the floating ribs.
If the animal is divided into two parts, both parts must be presented without removing the external genital organs ( vulva or scrotum ) or the head from any part of the animal. Before it is registered, the skin or hooves must not be removed from the animal.
Transporting a Moose
After killing a moose, a hunter must transport and produce it whole or in identifiable quarters at the registration station.
If your moose is produced in quarters, you must produce and make available the entire head as well, failing which you must produce and make available the whole lower jaw and if it’s a male, the antlers attached to the partial or full calvarium.
Transporting a Wild Turkey
When killing a wild turkey, the hunter must transport it and present it whole at the registration station, eviscerated or not
Transportation Outside Québec
The proof of registration and transportation coupon allow you to transport your big game or part of it ( which includes fur ) outside Québec.
However, the wolf and black bear are covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For that reason, a CITES export permit is required when exporting those animals, parts of them or derivative products outside Canada. The permit is issued by the Canadian government.
If you are a resident of the United States or Canada, you can import into or export from Canada a black bear or part of it ( which is the product of your own hunting activities ) in your personal luggage. If the bear or part of a bear is frozen, fresh, or salted, there is no need for a CITES export permit. But if it is not transported by the hunter itself or if it is dressed, stuffed or otherwise preserved, then a CITES export permit is required.
If you are not a non-resident and wish to export raw fur (which is a product of your own hunting activities) outside Quebec, you must hold a tanner’s licence or a dealer’s licence and get an export form from the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs.
Hunting Outfitters in Québec
Here is a list of the Hunting Outfitters in Québec
1. Mike’s Driftwood Outfitters
