Seasons and Bag Limits (2010)

With three big game species in Nova Scotia, white tailed deer, black bear and moose, hunting enthusiasts will find ample opportunity to enjoy their sport. Hunting seasons are in the fall of each year. As the season dates and bag limits may vary from year to year, please consult the annual Summary of Hunting and Furharvesting Regulations for details.

The annual Summary is also available from licence vendors or from local Department of Natural Resources offices.

NOTE: ALL WILDLIFE NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN THIS SECTION, INCLUDING EAGLES, HAWKS, FALCONS, OWLS, AND OSPREY ARE PROTECTED AT ALL TIMES.

Note: A Wildlife Habitat Stamp is required as part of a licence to hunt or take any wildlife species.

Black Bear

Bear Hunting Season
SEPTEMBER 13 TO DECEMBER 4, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS
BAG LIMIT — ONE (1) BEAR

Bear Snaring Season
Bear Snaring Season
OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 4, INCLUDING SUNDAYS
BAG LIMIT — TWO (2) BEAR
To obtain a Bear Snaring Stamp, you must be a resident of
Nova Scotia and certified as a qualified (FQ) or trained (FT)
Furharvester. See page 26.

Attention Bear Hunters! To prevent possible trichinosis, (a parasitic infection), bear meat should be throughly cooked before it is consumed by humans or pets.

White-tailed Deer

Deer Hunting
BAG LIMIT IS ONE (1) FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR ALL HUNTERS, EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO HOLD A BONUS DEER HUNTING STAMP. (SEE PAGE 60). DEER HUNTING IS LIMITED
TO ANTLERED DEER EXCEPT:
A) FOR HUNTERS HAVING A VALID ANTLERLESS DEER HUNTING STAMP AFFIXED TO THEIR DEER HUNTING LICENCE;
B) IN 2010 ZONE 102 105, AND 107 ARE OPEN TO EITHER SEX (ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS);
C) FOR HUNTERS HOLDING A ZONE 102 BONUS ANTLERLESS DEER HUNTING STAMP (SEE PAGE 24)

Special Open Season for Bowhunting Deer
SEPTEMBER 25 TO OCTOBER 28, AND DECEMBER 6 TO DECEMBER 11, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS
To hunt deer with a bow and arrow during the special open season for bowhunting deer, a hunter must:
a) be certified as a qualified Bowhunter (B) and;
b) possess a Bowhunter Stamp and;
c) possess a valid Deer Hunting Stamp or Bonus Deer Hunting Stamp

For definitions of "ANTLERED" and ANTLERLESS DEER" see 2010 Summary of Regulations. Also see booklet for a map of Deer Management Zones and information on hunting antlerless deer.

Special Youth Season for Hunting Deer
OCTOBER 15 TO OCTOBER 23, EXCLUDING SUNDAY
During this special youth season, persons 16 and 17 years of age may hunt deer with a firearm or bow or crossbow, provided they hold the appropriate certification (HT,CQ, CT or B) and hold a valid Deer Hunting Licence or a Bonus Deer Hunting Stamp and are under the immediate supervision of a person over the age of 18 who is certified to hold a deer hunting licence. See definition of “immediate supervision” on page 44.

General Open Season for Hunting Deer
OCTOBER 29 TO DECEMBER 4, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS

Moose Hunting Seasons

SEASON 1 - SEPTEMBER 27 TO OCTOBER 2,
SEASON 2 - OCTOBER 4 TO OCTOBER 9,
SEASON 3 - DECEMBER 14 TO DECEMBER 16
SEASON 4 - SEPTEMBER 20–25 AND OCTOBER 11–16
BAG LIMIT — ONE (1) MOOSE

Moose Draw Entry Fee (effective June 22, 2010): $7.25+ HST.
Note: Moose Hunting Permits are allocated through an application and random draw process. Applicants must be
18 years of age or older by the closing date of draw. Hunting is only permitted in Inverness and Victoria counties. See Big
Game, page 23 or: www.gov.ns.ca/natr/draws/moosedraw

Muzzleloader Hunting Season
OCTOBER 18 TO OCTOBER 23, (LISCOMB GAME SANCTUARY AND TOBEATIC WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS ONLY) BAG LIMIT — AS PER SPECIES FOR WHICH THE PERSON POSSESSES A VALID LICENCE. SEE PAGE 100 FOR DETAILS. SEE PAGE 95 FOR REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO USE OF BAIT IN THE TOBEATIC WILDERNESS AREA.

Small Game

Pheasant Preserve Hunting Season
AUGUST 1 TO MARCH 31, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS NO BAG LIMIT
A Wildlife Habitat Stamp (base licence) is required to shoot pheasants or quail on a licenced pheasant shooting preserve.
A Small Game Hunting Licence is required to shoot other small game on a preserve. No person is to remove a pheasant
or quail from a preserve unless the game bird(s) are identified with a band or tag bearing the licence number of the pheasant shooting preserve operator.

 

Ruffed Grouse Hunting Season
OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 31, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS BAG LIMIT — FIVE (5) PER DAY, WITH POSSESSION LIMIT AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF TEN (10) AT ANY TIME.
A Small Game Hunting Stamp is required.

Ring-necked Pheasant (Male) Hunting Season
A) IN THE COUNTIES OF ANNAPOLIS, KINGS AND HANTS, NOVEMBER 1 TO DECEMBER 15, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS
B) IN ALL OTHER COUNTIES OF THE PROVINCE, OCTOBER 1 TO DECEMBER 15, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS BAG LIMIT — TWO (2) MALE RING-NECKED PHEASANTS PER DAY, WITH A POSSESSION LIMIT AFTER THE FIRST DAY OF FOUR (4) BIRDS AT ANY TIME.

Persons transporting a ring-necked pheasant must leave at least one fully feathered wing and the tail attached to the bird.
This does not apply to legally tagged pheasants taken from a licenced pheasant shooting preserve. A Small Game Hunting
Stamp is required.

Rabbit (Snowshoe Hare)
HUNTING SEASON; NOVEMBER 1 TO THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY, EXCLUDING SUNDAYS.
SNARING SEASON; NOVEMBER 1 TO THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY, INCLUDING SUNDAYS
NO BAG LIMIT
A Small Game Hunting Stamp is not required except by nonresidents. However, a Wildlife Habitat Stamp is required by all
persons hunting and/or snaring rabbits (see page 18). The use of dogs to hunt snowshoe hare is prohibited from November 1 to November 15 inclusive.

Hungarian Partridge
No open hunting season.

Migratory Game Birds
Only the following migratory game birds may be taken or hunted: ducks, geese, woodcock, and Wilson or common snipe. Seasons and bag limits are established by the federal government. You must obtain a Small Game Hunting Stamp and a Federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit to hunt migratory birds. The federal permit and Regulations summary can be obtained at your local post office or online at www.ec.gc.ca/rcom-mbhr/default.asp? lang=en&n=BA8069D0-1.
See Legal Firearms/Bows and Ammunition—regarding Non-Toxic Shot requirement (page 90).