Can You Hunt On Public Land In Canada?
Canada is a vast country and is endowed with abundant land and a rich wildlife population. So, does it have public hunting lands?
Does Canada Have Public Hunting Land?
In Canada, hunting is legal and offers public land for hunting, but there are rules put in place at the federal and provincial levels to conserve animals. Public land hunting is regarded as a conservational technique and a way of living for both local and foreign hunters.
Since the mid-19th century, hunting in Canada has gained a lot of prominence. On their part, the hunters have played a significant role in Canada’s natural resource conservation and have molded the country’s public lands and wildlife management philosophy.
Hunters living in Canada are aware of the abundance of public lands and the regulations the government and federal agencies must follow and adhere to when it comes to public hunting.
Failure to follow these regulations can lead to harsh consequences.
After researching why Canada offers public hunting, I discovered that the abundance of land was the primary reason. Typically, Canada has at least 8 million square kilometers of public land with features such as swamps, mountains, lakes, and prairie.
Additionally, the government, through the wildlife conservation and natural conservation council, wanted to balance wildlife reproduction and overpopulation by enabling the public hunting of some species.
For instance, the rural part of Norfolk has a rich ecosystem that offers fantastic opportunities for people who want to enjoy the great outdoors and participate in several hunting seasons all year long. The Canadian government has approved hunting in Norfolk land because of the rapidly overpopulating rabbits, grouses, and pheasants.
At Norfolk, there are many birds that are released throughout the year. Such opportunities offer an ideal hunting challenge that thrill hunters.
Can you Hunt anywhere in Canada?
As we had mentioned earlier, Canada offers public land for hunting that is led by reasonable federal and provincial laws.
With that in mind, you cannot hunt on any public land depending on the laws offered in that locations.
Typically, the government provides permits to hunt on public lands with an overpopulation of wild animal species to balance the ecosystem. In Alberta, for instance, there are a wide variety of wild animals, such as buffalo, moose, seals, and caribou, among others, that the government and other concerned organizations have offered permits to allow hunting in that area.
Therefore, not all public lands are provided for hunting, and you should check up beforehand the public lands that are open for hunting.
Can Visitors Hunt in Canada?
Visitors need to acquire permits from the relevant authorities and be mindful of following the rules and regulations of a given location in Canada.
When, where, how, and what you can hunt are all governed by federal and provincial legislation.
Additionally, visitors must verify the regulation every time they go hunting because the laws change frequently. For instance, visitors should be aware that the age limit for hunting differs by province in that most regions demand that hunters should be 12 years or older, while some laws require that they be at least 16 years old.
Additionally, as a visitor, you must be cautious about the items you bring into the nation and the things you bring back.
You must adhere to the country’s guidelines when getting a particular animal and plant item through customs.
If your bait comprises plant or animal ingredients, it might not be permitted to take them across the Canadian border. You’ll be allowed to bring back whatever meat you’ve collected on your return journey, but it depends on a few things, like how much you’re hauling and whether any disease outbreaks are afflicting the animal species you hunted.
How much of Canada is Public Land?
The government owns most of the public land known as “crown land.” Crown land, which can either be federal or federal, makes up about 89% of Canada’s land.
Only 4% of the land in the provinces is under federal control, primarily in the form of national parks, Indian reservations, or Canadian forces bases.
The majority of federally controlled land is in the Canadian territories and is managed on behalf of the aboriginal affairs and northern growth in Canada. In contrast, when it comes to the provinces, they keep a large portion of crown land that can be preserved as wilderness or provincial parks.
The regional governments, who control all unclaimed land under their jurisdiction, represent the largest category of public landowners.
The Provincial Crown land makes up more than 90% of Canada’s vast boreal forest. In Canada, the Provincial lands make up 60% of the land in Alberta, 94% of the public land in British Columbia, 95% of the land in Newfoundland and Labrador, and 48% of the land in New Brunswick.
Therefore, The Canadian government is by far the most prominent landowner in the country, making it one of the biggest in the entire globe
The vast northern territories, whose Crown lands are held in the federal rather than territorial authority, are the locations of most of the national government’s public lands, and this is the space where hunting takes place.
Can US citizens hunt in Canada?
Canada has established good relations with the US, so the country has approved and permitted US citizens to hunt in the country. Therefore, as an American, you will not face unique restrictions when it comes to hunting in Canada.
In any case, the restrictions that you face will apply to Canadians too. Therefore, all you need to do when planning to hunt in Canada is to follow the law and you will have a pleasant experience hunting in the country.
However, the COVID pandemic changed the way things are done all over the world
Due to the recent coronavirus pandemic and the illegal use of firearms during hunting activities, the Canadian government has established new regulations concerning the eligibility of US citizens when crossing their border. The following are some of the rules that we citizens should follow:
- The Canadian government will permit US citizens and other visitors in their territories to perform activities such as Hunting if they have completed all the required vaccinations.
- The Canadian government will also permit US citizens to hunt in their territories if they submit mandatory vaccination information via the arriveCAN platform.
- Regarding the possession of firearms, the CBSA must be informed of any firearm, according to Canadian legislation. The country requires you to provide all the required documentation for a smooth border crossing.
Key Takeaways
- Canada offers public land for Hunting depending on the regulations placed on the particular public lands
- About 84 % of Canada is public land and is owned by the federal and provincial government
- Canada gives permits to all visitors who want to hunt in its territories as long as they follow the underlined laws
- The Canadian government considers Hunting as a way of balancing the ecosystem since some of the wild animal species have a rapid reproduction rate that can lead to overpopulation
