All non-resident hunters wishing to hunt big game in the province of British Columbia must be accompanied by a registered guide or accompanied by a resident who holds a Permit to Accompany.

You must fill out an application [PDF 200KB] to receive your non-resident hunting licence and species licences. The application package includes the application form, a complete list of guide outfitters [PDF 482KB] in the province, a copy of the current hunting regulations to give you an overview of how hunting in the province works, and a list of licence costs.

Guide outfitters charge different rates depending on the package you are buying.

Non-resident/Non-resident Alien hunting application packages may be obtained by contacting us:

Fish and Wildlife Branch
Ministry of Environment
PO Box 9374, STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, B.C.  V8W 9M4
Canada

Telephone: Toll free 1-800-663-7867 or local 250 356-1427
Fax: 250 387-0239

All non-residents, while hunting big game, are required to be accompanied by a licenced guide or by a resident 19 years of age or older who holds an Accompany to Hunt Permit.

Big Game includes deer, mountain sheep, mountain goat, moose, caribou, elk, cougar, wolf, grizzly bear, black bear, lynx, bobcat, and wolverine. Guides are not required while hunting small game, i.e. game birds, migratory game birds, fox, raccoon, coyote, skunk and hare.

Guide outfitters employ licenced assistant guides to assist in providing guiding services. Guide outfitters set their own guiding fees. It is suggested that you write several guide outfitters in the area of your choice to obtain full particulars regarding the species of game available, the recommended period to hunt, rates, services provided, and reservations. The assurance of a successful and enjoyable hunt is most dependent upon a clear understanding between the hunter and guide outfitter as to what each expects from the other.

A licenced guide may not have more than two hunters in the field at one time.

The Province is divided into nine administrative regions, having a total of 225 management units for the purpose of efficient game management. The following guide outfitters are listed in the region and management units in which they operate. A list of the big game animals available in each guide's area is shown after each entry.

Refer to the British Columbia Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis for maps showing boundaries of management units, regions, and other pertinent information.

Please Note:
As of August 8, 2003, hunter-harvested wild ruminant meat from Canada and certain hunting trophies may now enter the United States through designated land ports and all international airports.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is also accepting import permits for certain other ruminant-derived products from Canada. The decision to modify the restrictions for these and hunter-harvested ruminant products was made after USDA experts determined that these items posed a minimal BSE risk and an extremely low risk to human health. This determination followed a thorough review of the international animal health standards pertaining to BSE, the results of Canada's exhaustive epidemiological investigation of the BSE case in Alberta, and the additional disease risk mitigation measures established by Canada in response to an independent panel's review of the BSE investigation. Additional information can be found at the USDA website.

Before you hunt:

1. Make sure you have:
   1. Your resident or non-resident hunting licence.
   2. Species licences for those species you intend to hunt.
      (Also make sure the species you wish to hunt are in the area of your planned hunt.)
   Applications for non-resident hunting and species licences are available
   from Service BC Offices or:
   Fish and Wildlife Branch
   Ministry of Environment
   PO Box 9374, STN PROV GOVT
   Victoria, B.C.  V8W 9M4
2. Your licence application, accompanied by your remittance in Canadian Funds by Bank Money Order or Draft on a Canadian Bank, should be sent to a Service BC Office or the Victoria office 60 days in advance of your hunting trip. Alternatively you may purchase your licences at these offices Monday to Friday during business hours. Have a clear understanding with your guide outfitter as to who is purchasing the licences. Refunds are not issued for duplicate licences.
3. Be familiar with hunting regulations as outlined in the current Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis (available from the same sources as the hunting application).

Guide Areas by Region:

• Region 1 - Vancouver Island [PDF 1.14MB]
• Region 2 - Lower Mainland [PDF 970KB]
• Region 3 - Thompson [PDF 906KB]
• Region 4 - Kootenay [PDF 1.07MB]
• Region 5 - Cariboo [PDF 1.33MB]
• Region 6 - Skeena [PDF 1.18MB]
• Region 7A - Omineca [PDF 1.22MB]
• Region 7B - Peace [PDF 1.06MB]
• Region 8 - Okanagan [PDF 1023KB]

Licence Quick Links:

• Hunting Licence
• Species Licence
• Youth Licence
• Duplicate copy
• Statement of Loss for a lost, stolen or destroyed licence

Hunting Licence Fees for Non-Residents*

 

Licence Type	Fee
Hunting Licence issued to:
a non-resident to hunt wildlife	$75
a non-resident alien to hunt wildlife	$180
a person to hunt in the Gulf Islands special hunting area	$2
an applicant for a youth licence	$7
a person to hunt in the Fraser Valley special area	$10
Species licence to hunt:
Black Bear	$180
Caribou	$230
Cougar	$230
Mule Deer, including Black-tailed Deer and Fallow Deer	$125
Elk	$250
Grizzly Bear	$1030
Moose	$250
Mountain Goat	$350
Mountain Sheep	$620
Wolf	$50
White-tailed Deer	$125
Queen Charlotte Islands Deer	$25
Upland game birds	$50
Bobcat	$40
Bison	$700
Lynx	$40
Wolverine	$40
Duplicate copy of:
a Gulf Islands Special Area hunting licence	$1
a youth hunting licence	$1
any other licence	$10
A Statement of Loss is required for a lost, stolen or destroyed licence	No Charge

Definition of Non-resident is:

*Non-resident means - a person who is not a resident but who is a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, or there primary resident is elsewhere in Canada and has resided in Canada for the preceding 12 months.

*Non-resident Alien means - a person who is neither a resident nor a non-resident.

Youth Licence

Effective April 1, 2013, an expanded age range for the Youth Hunting Licence will be in effect, making it available for youth ages 10 to 17 years, inclusive. Previously, the age range of the youth (‘junior’) hunting licence was 10 to 13 years.

It is anticipated the new licence will be available at Service BC locations and local vendors no later than March 20, 2013.

Expanding the age range of the youth hunting licence aims to ensure that hunting remains affordable for youth and their families. It also makes it easier for youth ages 14 to 17 (inclusive) to give hunting a try and to have more mentorship opportunities as they are no longer required to first complete the Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE) course. A youth who is a B.C. resident and has completed CORE may purchase an adult hunting licence; however, a Hunter Number Card is first required.

As previously required, a parent or guardian must purchase, as well as hold, the youth hunting licence on behalf of the youth. To purchase the youth hunting licence, the parent or the guardian must sign an “Acknowledgement of Responsibility” form, confirming that the parent or guardian will be fully responsible for the actions of his or her child or ward while the child or ward is hunting or carrying a firearm. Youth (ages 10 to 17, inclusive) who participate in hunting in B.C. must be accompanied by, and under the close personal supervision of, an adult 18 years or age or older, who holds a hunting licence (unless exempted) and meets the qualifications as a supervising hunter.

Supervising Hunter For Youth
A supervising hunter must be 18 years of age or older, hold a hunting licence (other than an initiation hunting licence) or be exempted from holding a hunting licence, and meet the prescribed qualifications.

The prescribed qualifications are:

• if the person is a resident, the person must hold a resident hunter number card (unless exempted);
• if the person is a non-resident or non-resident alien, the person must have  passed a hunter safety training course anywhere in Canada or the USA;
• the person must have held a hunting licence, other than an initiation hunting licence, in B.C. (unless exempted), or a licence to hunt elsewhere, in not fewer than 3 of any of the licence years preceding the current licence year;
• if the person is an Indian residing in B.C., paragraphs (a) to (c) do not apply and the person must have received training in hunting and previously hunted lawfully without supervision, and
• the person must not be prohibited from carrying or possessing a firearm.

The supervising hunter may accompany no more than two youths at one time (or no more than two initiation licence holders, or one youth and one initiation licence holder).

Bag Limits
Individual species licences may not be purchased under the youth hunting licence; youth under this licence do not have an individual bag limit for game. The supervising hunter must hold the appropriate uncancelled species licence for any species that is hunted. Any game killed by a youth must be accounted for and is part of the bag limit of the supervising hunter.

A B.C. resident youth who holds a valid expanded youth hunting licence may hunt in a Limited Entry Hunt (LEH) if accompanied by and under the close supervision of an adult who holds a valid species licence and a valid LEH authorization. The supervising hunter must cancel the species licence when an animal is taken and it is part of their bag limit.

If the youth, on whose behalf a youth hunting licence has been issued, is hunting with a licensed guide, the prescribed qualifications in item (a) to (c) do not apply to the supervising hunter and the youth is allowed their own bag limits for small game only.

See Questions and Answers for more information.

To bring firearms into Canada for hunting purposes, for non-resident from outside of the country, you must:

1. be at least 18 years old, and
2. declare your firearms at your first point of entry into the country. To do so requires filling out a non-resident firearm declaration form which must be confirmed by a Canadian customs officer. Customs ask that you have these forms filled out already before you get to the customs office. Forms can be obtained by calling 1-800-731-4000.

All inquiries related to Canadian firearms regulations should be directed
to the Canadian Firearms Centre.