Anyone who wants to hunt moose in Nova Scotia.   To get a licence you must first participate in a lottery called the "Moose Draw", and only residents of Nova Scotia can apply.  The winners of the draw must first buy a Base Licence for Hunting and Furharvesting, and then buy a Moose Hunting Stamp from the Department office in Halifax (see addresses given above).

NOTE:  Applications for the draw, which is held every spring, are usually made by telephone; for details, including the dates, see the Limited Entry Hunts page or the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations.

N.S. Department of Natural Resources

For more information, including the dates, see the Limited Entry Hunts page or the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations.

OR

Service Delivery Division
Business Registration Unit
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations

Tel: (902) 424-4821
Fax: (902) 424-4633

Office Location:
Maritime Centre
9th Floor, Reception Area
1505 Barrington Street
(Corner of Spring Garden Road)
Halifax, NS B3J 3K5

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1529
Halifax, NS  B3J 2Y4

A public draw is held each year to decide who gets a Moose Hunting Stamp.

To enter the Nova Scotia Moose Draw:

1. You must be a resident of Nova Scotia; 
2. you must be at least 18 years old before the moose hunting season begins 
3. you must have a valid Wildlife Resource Card and be certified for the weapon with which you will be hunting
4. you CANNOT have held a Moose Hunting Licence or Moose Hunting Stamp in the past 5 years   You can refer to a list of  persons who are currently ineligible to apply at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/draws/moosedraw/
5. If your hunting privileges are currently suspended, you are not eligible for the draw.

How:  There is a fee to apply.  Applications for the draw are usually made by telephone; for details, see the Limited Entry Hunts page or the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations for details. The phone line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  You can get information on what you need before you place the call to register for  the Moose Draw, from the Department of Natural Resources website.

Winners will be notified by mail, and a list of winners posted on-line at https://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/draws/moosedraw/results.asp   Applicants will also be able to learn of their success in the draw by calling the toll-free number 1-877-535-1234 or for Halifax local calls 493-1412.  To determine draw success of any applicant, that person's Wildlife Resource Card number must be provided.  For more information on this draw, including where and when results are available, please see the Nova Scotia Limited Entry Hunts page.

The winners of the draw must first buy a Base Licence for Hunting and Furharvesting, and then buy a Moose Hunting Stamp from the office in Halifax (see address given above). 

When they apply that Moose Hunting Stamp on the inside of the front cover of their Base Licence, it becomes a Moose Hunting Licence.  Base Licence + Moose Hunting Stamp = Moose Hunting Licence.

Once the winners have purchased their Moose Hunting Stamp, there is no further waiting period for their licence but winners must wait until the Moose Hunting Season begins to actually go hunting.  

This licence is only valid during the Moose Hunting Season.  The opening and closing dates are usually announced in June.

Application for the draw:   $6.78

Moose Hunting Stamp:  $65.48

Companion Moose Hunting Stamp:  $24.60

If you are carrying a gun in any wildlife habitat in Nova Scotia, you may be asked to produce the following: 

1. A Valid N.S.Wildlife Resource Card;
2. Canadian Firearm Possession & Acquisition Licence, or Canadian Adult (Firearm) Possession Only Licence, or Canadian Minor's (Firearm) Possession Only Licence (if you are under 18).
   
   A Meat Permit (Wildlife) to store / keep moose meat.
   
   NOTE:  Hunting is not allowed in Nova Scotia on Sundays.

1. The Moose Hunting Stamp  is awarded only to those who are picked in the Moose Draw:  Approximately 11,000 to 13,000 applications are received each year, from which the winners are drawn.
   
   
2. The Nova Scotia moose hunt takes place ONLY in Inverness and Victoria counties, in Cape Breton.
   
   
3. Companion Moose Hunting Licence:  Each Moose Hunting Licence holder can designate 2 companions who may also fully participate in the hunt (that is, carry a firearm) -- provided they 
   
   1. stay within hailing distance of the person with the licence at all times, and 
      
   2. possess a valid Companion Moose Hunting Licence.  (Base Licence + Companion Moose Hunting Stamp = Companion Moose Hunting Licence)
      
   
   
4. For more information on hunting regulations, download the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations.  (This is also available in print form.)

Wildlife Act, Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989, Chapter 504