Sport Hunting in Québec
Main Rules April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2014
Main Rules April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2014
Hunting in Québec is practiced on both lands of the state domain and lands of the private domain. Special wildlife management rules apply to certain parts of these lands. The following list presents these areas and their specific characteristics.
Private property and peripheries of urban areas
Private lands that are subject to a hunting accessibility agreement
Zecs
Outfitter establishments
Wildlife sanctuaries
Wildlife preserves
Nature reserves
Migratory bird sanctuaries and national wildlife reserves
Nord-du-Québec
Territories where hunting is not permitted
Territories where hunting is restricted
Private property and peripheries of urban areas
All persons wishing to hunt on private property must request the owner’s permission before entering onto the property. Moreover, while hunting on the peripheries of urban areas hunters are required to be aware and respectful of the presence of other citizens. To this end, hunters should consult the brochure La Chasse à l’aube du XXIe siècle (in French only)(PDF Format, 640 Kb, in French only) available at the offices of the Department and promote its application.
Private lands that are subject to a hunting accessibility agreement
In the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Estrie, and Montérégie areas, some land owners have entered into an agreement with the Department for the purposes of the management of wildlife and its accessibility to hunters. On these lands, the Department prosecutes offenders who hunt without authorization from the owner. Now this approach shall apply to hunting on a private property whose owner is party to an agreement with an association or organization, whose vocation is to promote access for hunters to private grounds and is recognized to this effect by the Department, in order to gain access to wildlife. For more information on these territories, contact the regional office concerned.
A controlled zone (zec) is a hunting and fishing territory whose management has been delegated to a non-profit organization, which you can join by becoming a member. To hunt in a zec, you must register and respect the dates, times and places indicated on the registration card. You must have this registration card on hand and show it, upon request, to a wildlife protection officer, a wildlife protection assistant or an area warden. You can also place this card in prominent view on the vehicle dashboard so that it can be read from the outside. Finally, you must return this card when you leave the territory and report all your catches. For more information, contact the managing organization of the zec that you wish to frequent.
An organization managing a zec may, in a hunting sector, prohibit small game hunting (except migratory birds) with a firearm, crossbow or bow during the moose-hunting season. Moreover, black bear hunting is occasionally prohibited during either a portion or the entire season in the zone where the zec is located. In addition, the use of an all-terrain vehicle for recreational purposes may be prohibited during the moose or white-tailed deer hunting season, except where the vehicle is used to recover the animal’s carcass. For more information, get in touch with the Zecs Québec or consult its Web site www.zecquebec.com at 1-866-567-0235, or contact the managing organization of the zec that you wish to frequent.
These private establishments offer hunters accommodations and services or equipment for the practice of hunting for recreational purposes. Some outfitter establishments have exclusive hunting rights on designated territories; you must then obtain the outfitter's authorization to hunt there. The Seigneurie Mitis (Zone 2 east), the Seigneurie Nicolas Riou (Zone 2 west) and Kenauk (Petite Nation) (Zone 10 east) generally benefit from the regulatory provisions applying to outfitter establishments with exclusive rights . For more information, contact the Fédération des pourvoiries du Québec at 1 800 567-9009, or consult its Web site www.fpq.com or get in touch with the outfitter establishment that you wish to frequent.
To hunt in a wildlife sanctuary, you generally must register. You must also acquire a right of access, and respect the date, time and location indicated thereon. You must have this right of access with you and present it, upon request, to a wildlife protection officer, a wildlife protection assistant or a land warden. You can also place this document on the dashboard of your vehicle so that it is readable from outside. Upon leaving the sanctuary at the end of a stay, you must submit a hunting report and show the bagged game, if any. The possession of hunting gear is generally forbidden in a wildlife reserve, unless hunters hold a right of access pass that authorizes them to hunt there.
When a right of access is required and there is no person on hand to issue it in a wildlife sanctuary, any person must complete the form available at the check-in station and deposit it at the appropriate spot, along with the amount of the right of access stipulated in the regulation. In such a case, the duly completed form takes the place of the right of access.
When there are no accommodations at a cottage, a right of access to hunt small game or to snare hares in a wildlife sanctuary authorizes children less than 18 years of age, accompanied by a person having parental authority, to hunt.
To be entitled to hunt an animal other than black bear in an area where there is limited access hunting in a wildlife sanctuary, a person must be a resident and have been selected by computer draw. If places remain after the computer draw, any person (resident and non-resident) may hunt there after having obtained a reservation. Any person may also hunt there if he is accompanied by a person who was selected by the computer draw or who obtained a reservation. To hunt black bear in an area where there is limited access hunting, any person must obtain a reservation.
Some wildlife sanctuary offer limited-access hunting sectors for the exclusive use of bow or crossbow hunting. It is prohibited to carry a firearm in these sectors and hunters (archers and crossbowmen) are not required to wear a safety vest when hunting authorized species. A wildlife sanctuary may also set aside non-limited-access hunting sectors for the exclusive use of bow or crossbow hunting.
For more information, contact the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec (Sépaq) which manages activities in most wildlife sanctuaries at 418 890-6527 or 1 800 665-6527 or consult its Web site www.sepaq.com.
For Réserve faunique Duchénier, call 418 735-5222 or consult its Web site www.reserve-duchenier.com and for Réserve faunique Dunière, please call: 418 756-6174, toll-free: 1 888 730-6174 or visit the Web site www.cgrmp.com.
In wildlife preserves, conditions governing the use of resources are fixed in view of preserving the wildlife habitat or the habitat of a species of wildlife. In these territories, hunting may be subject to specific regulations. Hence, in the Grande-Île Wildlife Preserve (Zone 7), it is prohibited to carry on any hunting activity from April 1 to July 31; in the Pointe-du-Lac Wildlife Preserve (Zone 7), it is prohibited to hunt, enter, circulate or carry on any activity whatsoever on the territory from September 25 to December 26; in the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles Wildlife Preserve (Zone 8) and in the Deux-Montagnes Wildlife Preserve (Zone 8) hunting is prohibited; in sectors B and C of the Pierre-Étienne-Fortin Wildlife Preserve (Zone 8), it is prohibited to carry on any hunting activity from June 20 to July 20; in the Île-Laval Wildlife Preserve (Zone 18), hunting is permitted provided that access conditions within the territory are met; in the Pointe-de-l’Est Wildlife Preserve (îles de la Madeleine, Zone 21), hunting is permitted provided that access and travelling conditions within the territory are met and in the Îlet-aux-Alouettes Wildlife Preserve (Zone 27), it is prohibited to carry on any hunting activity from April 1 to July 15. In Battures-de-Saint-Fulgence Wildlife Preserve (zones 21 and 28), hunting is prohibited in sector A except to recover a wounded animal there; in sector B a person may use a stationary or floating blind during the migratory bird hunting season provided that he disassembles or removes it after hunting; a hunter may circulate otherwise than in an off-road vehicle in the preserve during the hunting seasons to go to the place where he is hunting or to recover hunted animals; during the migratory bird hunting season, you are not required to keep a hunting dog on a leash. For more information on these territories, contact the Department office concerned.
A nature reserve is a private property protected by way of a conservation agreement reached between an owner and the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs. Its recognition seeks to guarantee the preservation of the natural characteristics warranting the interest in the conservation of this property. It is governed by the provisions of the Natural Heritage Act.
In a nature reserve, wildlife harvesting activities may be subject to more restrictive measures than those stipulated in the provincial regulations. Before accessing this private property, you must obtain the owner’s authorization and inquire about the special measures in effect. For more information, get in touch with the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs or visit the Web site www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca.
Migratory bird sanctuaries and national wildlife reserves
These territories are managed by the Canadian Wildlife Service, a component of Environment Canada. Hunting and the possession of hunting gear are permitted subject to certain conditions. For further information, call this organization at 1 800 463-4311, or visit the Web site www.qc.ec.gc.ca/faune/chasse/html/regulations.html.
Hunters who travel to Zones 17, 22, 23 and 24 must, in addition to the rules already set out, comply with the Act respecting hunting and fishing rights in the Baie James and Nouveau-Québec territories. These territories are subdivided into three categories. To hunt on Category I and II lands, in addition to the required hunting licence, an authorization is necessary from the Cree, Inuit or Naskapi authorities.
In these zones, only hunting with a firearm and a bow is permitted. Consequently, hunting with a crossbow or a bird of prey is prohibited.
Caribou hunting is practiced in zones 22A, 22B and 23 west. In zones 22B and 23 west, every caribou hunter must use the services of an outfitter; this requirement also applies to Schefferville residents. In zone 22 A, caribou hunting is reserved for Québec residents selected by random draws.
Territories where hunting is not permited
Hunting is prohibited in Zone 19 north. It is prohibited to hunt in national parks (provincial and federal), in forest stations and in ecological reserves. Hunting is also prohibited in the Assinica and Lacs-Albanel-Mistassini-et-Waconichi Wildlife Sanctuaries (Zone 22), as well as in the following hunting reserves: the Grosse-Île sanctuary (Zone 3) and the Gatineau park hunting sanctuary (Zone 10).
Hunting is also prohibited on Charles-B.-Banville, Estcourt, Ixworth, and Parke territories (Zone 2), Drummondville territory (located in Saint-Majorique and Drummondville) (Zone 7), Bois-de-Belle-Rivière territory (Zone 8), the territory of Laurentides tourism and education centre in Saint-Faustin (Zone 9), Lac-la-Blanche territory (Zone 10), part of the Aiguebelle and Destor townships (Zone 13), a part of the Lacs Vaudrey-et-Joannès biodiversity reserve (Zone 13), Manicouagan study and research centre (Zone 18), the Matamec ecological reserve (Zone 19 south), Mont-Sainte-Anne territory (Zone 27), Les Palissades territory (Zone 27), the Massif de la Petite-Rivière-Saint-François (Zone 27) and the territory of the chute à Michel (Cégep de St-Félicien) (Zone 28). For more information, contact one of the offices of the Department.
Territories where hunting is restricted
In the five following territories, hunting is more restricted than the zone in which these territories are located:
