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Department of Natural Resources

Base Licence (Wildlife Habitat Stamp) (for all Hunting & Furharvesting)

Who Needs This Licence?

Anyone who wants to hunt, trap or snare any species of wildlife in Nova Scotia.

Issuing Department / Agency:
N.S. Department of Natural Resources .

Where can you get this Licence and / or further information?
Authorized Vendors

OR

Any of the Local or Area Offices of the N.S. Department of Natural Resources.

OR
Service Delivery Division
Business Registration Unit
Service Nova Scotia

Tel: 902-424-4821
Fax: 902-424-4633
Office Location:
Maritime Centre
9th Floor, Reception Area
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3K5

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1529
Halifax, NS B3J 2Y4
Note:  The Maritime Centre is located at the intersection of Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road (the Aliant Building at the foot of Spring Garden).

OR

Consult the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations (which is available both in printed form and on the Department of Natural Resources website.)

Application Forms & Process

NO APPLICATION FORM IS REQUIRED.

Your base licence is complete once you purchase a Wildlife Habitat Stamp and this stamp is affixed to the front cover of the current copy of your Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting licence and Summary of Regulations Booklet.

Note: Whenever you are hunting, you have to have this Base Licence with you. [And if you are walking in the woods with a gun during hunting season, you are presumed to be hunting!]
(B) In addition to the base licence you must purchase a licence specific to the type of hunting you wish to do. For example: if you wish to hunt deer you must purchase a deer licence in addition to the base licence.

Each hunting stamp has a separate price. [You can find the prices in this Directory by going to the section for that type of hunting, such as "Hunting Licence: Small Game..." or by looking in the Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations .]

(C) After you buy your hunting stamp, the licencensed vendor you purchased it from will affix it to the proper location in your Licence and Summary of Regulations booklet. Base Licence + Hunting Stamp = Hunting Licence.
Waiting Period:
None.

Price: (No tax is charged)
Wildlife Habitat Stamp: $5.15
Expiry & Renewal:

This is a seasonal licence which expires on March 31 of each calendar year. Once it expires, it is invalid, and you must get a new one.

For information on seasons, limits and regulations, see the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations booklet, available on the Department of Natural Resources website. This booklet is available in August of each year, wherever you can buy licences or by contacting the Licensing Division office (see "Where Can You Get . . ." above).

Related Requirements:
  1. To get a Base Licence, you have to have a valid Wildlife Resources Card and be certified for the weapon with which you will be hunting.   [If you are a non-resident, you have to have whatever is the equivalent in your own province or state.]

  2. If you are carrying a gun in any wildlife habitat in Nova Scotia, you may also be asked to produce one of the following:
    1. A valid Firearms Acquisition Certificate ; or
    2. Canadian Firearm Possession & Acquisition Licence ; or
    3. Canadian Minor's (Firearm) Possession Only Licence (if you are under 18).

  3. Hunting is not allowed in Nova Scotia on Sundays.
     
  4. If you are going to hunt ducks, geese, woodcock, Wilson or common snipe, in addition to your N.S. Small Game Hunting Stamp, you will also have to have a (Canadian) Federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit. This can be obtained at any Office of Canada Post.
Additional Information:

1. You can only get one Base Licence each year.
2. You have to carry your Base Licence with you whenever you are hunting.
3. A Base licence is required to snare rabbits, even if you are under 18.
4. Special Stamps are required for the following:

Bear Hunting;
Bear Snaring;
Deer Hunting;
Antlerless Deer Hunting;
Moose Hunting;
Small Game - including ruffled grouse, ringed neck pheasant and migratory game birds (ducks, geese, woodcock, Wilson or common snipe); [non-residents also need this stamp to hunt or snare rabbits];
Furharvesting - including beaver, otter, mink, muskrat, fisher, raccoon, fox, bobcat and weasel;
Bow hunting;
Muzzle Loader hunting.

5.
(A) The following can be hunted with a Base Licence (only), but only during their open season :

(a) Bullfrog:
(b) Crow:
(c) Coyote:
(d) Rabbit (Snowshoe Hare):
[non-residents need a Small Game Licence, see above ]

July 15 to September 30
September 1 to March 31
January 1 to December 31
November 1 to last day of February
(e) Red Squirrel:
November 1 to the last day of February
(B) For the purpose of preventing damage to their property, the owner/occupier of a property (or their agent) can hunt any of the following wildlife without a Base Licence (only) at any time of year : Mice, Rat, Porcupine, Red Squirrel, Chipmunk, Skunk, Crow, Starling, Vole, Mole, Shrew, Woodchuck (Groundhog), Rock Dove (Common Pigeon), and English Sparrow (locally known as a "House Sparrow").

6. Some wildlife can never be hunted - for example, eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, osprey, and many others. [The only wildlife which can be legally hunted or trapped in Nova Scotia are those species listed in the Licence and Summary of Regulations Booklet; all other species of birds and animals are protected by law at all times.] If you see anyone hunting protected wildlife, please report the incident to a local or area office of the N.S. Department of Natural Resources.
Legislative Authority:
Wildlife Act, Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, Chapter 504; General Wildlife Regulations.




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