Bear Harvesting Regulations
made under subsection 113(1) of the
Wildlife Act
R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 504
O.I.C. 88-349 (effective May 1, 1988), N.S. Reg. 60/1988
amended to O.I.C. 2015-239 (effective July 23, 2015), N.S. Reg. 287/2015
Table of Contents
Please note: this table of contents is provided for convenience of reference and does not form part of the regulations.
Click here to go to the text of the regulations.
Citation
Definition[s]
Type of licence/fees
Qualifications
Bear hunting open season
Bear snaring open season
Bag limit for bear
[Prohibition—female bear with cubs]
Tagging bear
Snaring bear with partner
Transporting bear
Hunting methods and equipment
Information return
Terms/conditions of licence
Repeal of old regulations
Effective date of new regulations
Citation
1 These regulations may be cited as the Bear Harvesting Regulations.
Definition[s]
2 In these regulations
(a) “Act” means the Wildlife Act;
(b) [repealed]
(c) [repealed]
(ca) “baiting period” means the period of time when bait may be set out for the
purpose of attracting bears;
(d) “Bear Hunting Licence” means a valid base licence which has affixed to it a
valid Bear Hunting Stamp and a tag;
(da) “Bear Hunting Stamp” means a stamp issued by the Department that, when
affixed to a valid base licence, confers on the holder the privilege of hunting
bear with a weapon in accordance with the Act and regulations;
(db) “Bear Snaring Stamp” means a stamp issued by the Department that, when
affixed to a valid base licence, confers on the holder the privilege of snaring
bear in accordance with the Act and regulations;
(e) [repealed]
(ea) “cable foot snare” means a cable that is at least 4.75 mm in diameter and is
capable of being set to catch and hold a bear by 1 leg only and other devices
that assist in placing a loop of the cable around the leg of the bear;
(f) “Department” means the Department of Natural Resources;
(g) [repealed]
(h) “Minister” means the Minister of Natural Resources;
(i) “Resident Bear Snaring Licence” means a valid base licence which has
affixed to it a valid Bear Snaring Stamp and a tag;
(j) “special baiting permit” means a permit issued by the Department
permitting the holder to set out bait for the sole purpose of viewing or
photographing bear.
Type of licence/fees
3 (1) The Minister may issue a stamp in the following form at the rates stated:
(a) Resident Bear Hunting Stamp $26.57
(b) Resident Bear Snaring Stamp $26.57
(c) Non-Resident Bear Hunting Stamp $124.52
(2) Despite clauses (1)(a) and (1)(b), the Minister may issue a Resident Bear Hunting
Stamp or a Resident Bear Snaring Stamp at no charge to a resident who is 65 years
of age or older and shows proof of age and residency.
(3) The Department may issue a special baiting permit at any time during the year at
no charge.
Qualifications
4 (1) Any resident eighteen years of age or over who is certified to hunt with a weapon
under the Hunter Education, Safety and Training Regulations made under the Act
may apply for a Resident Bear Hunting Licence.
(2) Any resident eighteen years of age or over who is certified as a qualified fur
harvester under the Hunter Education, Safety and Training Regulations made
under the Act may apply for a Resident Bear Snaring Licence.
(3) Any non-resident eighteen years of age or over who is certified to hunt with a
weapon under the Hunter Education, Safety and Training Regulations made under
the Act may apply for a Non-Resident Bear Hunting Licence.
(4) It is an offence for a non-resident to snare for bear.
(5) No Bear Hunting Licence or Bear Snaring Licence shall be issued to any person
under the age of sixteen years.
(6) (a) Any resident or non-resident over sixteen and under eighteen years of age
may apply for a Resident or Non-Resident Bear Hunting Licence and any
resident over sixteen and under eighteen years of age may apply for a
Resident Bear Snaring Licence provided
(i) the appropriate licence is acquired by the parent or guardian of the
applicant at the fee prescribed; and
(ii) the applicant and the parent or guardian both sign the licence.
(b) Any person issued a Bear Hunting Licence or Bear Snaring Licence under
clause (a) shall, while hunting or snaring, be under the immediate
supervision of the parent or guardian or any other responsible person
eighteen years or over who is certified under the Hunter Education, Safety
and Training Regulations made under the Act to hunt with a weapon.
(7) No person shall take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill bear with a
weapon unless that person
(a) holds a valid Bear Hunting Licence; and
(b) is certified to hunt with the weapon under the Hunter Education, Safety and
Training Regulations made under the Act.
(8) No person shall snare for bear unless that person
(a) holds a valid Resident Bear Snaring Licence; and
(b) is certified as a qualified fur harvester under the Hunter Education, Safety
and Training Regulations made under the Act.
Bear hunting open season
5 A person who holds a valid Bear Hunting Licence may take, hunt or kill or attempt to
take, hunt or kill the bag limit for hunting bear regardless of sex with a weapon in all
counties of the Province within the open season for hunting bear which is defined as the
period from the second Monday of September until the end of the general open season
for hunting deer specified in the Deer Hunting Regulations in any year, both dates
inclusive.
Bear snaring open season
6 A person who holds a valid Resident Bear Snaring Licence may snare the bag limit for
snaring bear regardless of sex in all counties of the Province within the open season for
snaring bear which is defined as the period from October 1 to the date specified for the
end of the general open season for hunting deer in the Deer Hunting Regulations made
under the Act, both dates inclusive, including Sundays.
Bag limit for bear
7 (1) The bag limit for hunting bear with a weapon during the open season for hunting
bear is one bear regardless of sex.
(2) The bag limit for snaring bear during the open season for snaring bear is two bear
regardless of sex.
(3) No person shall take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill or have in their
possession a greater number of bear than the bag limits for bear prescribed in these
regulations.
[Prohibition—female bear with cubs]
7A Despite Section 5 and subsection 7(1), no person who holds a Bear Hunting Licence
shall take, hunt or kill or attempt to take, hunt or kill a female bear that is accompanied
by one or more cubs.
Tagging bear
8 (1) When the holder of a Bear Hunting Licence or Resident Bear Snaring Licence kills
a bear, that person shall immediately
(a) detach from the Bear Hunting Licence or Resident Bear Snaring Licence
issued to that person the tag which forms part of the licence; and
(b) indicate the date of kill on the Bear Hunting Licence or Resident Bear
Snaring Licence by cutting out both the outlined areas showing respectively
the day and month of the kill.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), the holder of a valid Bear Hunting Licence or Resident
Bear Snaring Licence shall ensure that the detached tag remains in or upon the bear
carcass until it is prepared for consumption.
(3) The holder of a valid Bear Hunting Licence or Resident Bear Snaring Licence may
keep the detached tag on their person provided the holder stays with the bear at all
times while it is being transported.
(4) Except as provided in Section 8A for snaring bear in partnership, no person shall
take, hunt, kill or snare or attempt to take, hunt, kill or snare a bear after the tag has
been detached from the Bear Hunting Licence or Resident Bear Snaring Licence
issued to that person.
Snaring bear with partner
8A (1) In this Section, “partner” means a person snaring bear in partnership with another
person in accordance with this Section.
(2) To snare bear in partnership, a person who holds a valid Resident Bear Snaring
Licence must notify the Department in writing that they are snaring bear in
partnership with another holder of a valid Resident Bear Snaring Licence named in
the notice.
(3) A person may tend bear snares set by their partner.
(4) A person tending their partner’s snares must
(a) carry their partner’s Resident Bear Snaring Licence with them while tending
the snares; and
(b) complete the necessary tagging requirements on behalf of their partner in
accordance with these regulations.
Transporting bear
9 (1) No person shall be in possession of or transport a bear carcass killed by another
person unless
(a) it is possessed or transported during the open season when the bear was
taken or one day immediately thereafter;
(b) the bear carcass has attached to it the tag of the valid Bear Hunting Licence
or Resident Bear Snaring Licence issued to the person who killed the bear.
(c) [repealed]
(2) No person who kills a bear shall permit it to be transported by another person
without complying with this Section.
(4) [repealed]
(5) [repealed]
Hunting methods and equipment
10 (1) (a) No person shall snare for bear except with a cable foot snare.
(b) No person shall snare for bear within 100 feet of the boundaries of any
common or public highway.
(c) No person who has set a snare for bear shall fail to examine it at least once
every day.
(d) For the purpose of these regulations, “day” is defined as the time period
between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.
(2) No person shall set out bait for the purpose of attracting bears within the distances
prohibited under the Firearm and Bow Regulations made under the Act for
discharging a weapon near a school, dwelling or any other place listed in those
regulations, unless the person has the consent of the owner or occupier of the
place.
(3) [repealed]
(4) [repealed]
(5) [repealed]
Information return
11 The holder of a Bear Hunting Licence or a Resident Bear Snaring Licence shall, not later
than 2 weeks after the end of the season for which the licence was issued,
(a) complete and return to an area office of the Department an information
return as required by the Minister; and
(b) where the licence holder has killed a bear, submit the lower jawbone or
skull of the bear to an area office of the Department for extraction of a pre-molar tooth together with the completed information return required under
clause (a).
Terms/conditions of licence
12 It shall be an offence for any person to contravene any term or condition contained on a
Bear Hunting Licence or Resident Bear Snaring Licence.
13 [repealed]
Repeal of old regulations
14 Regulations made by Order in Council 87-959 dated the 18th day of August, 1987,
respecting the snaring of bear are rescinded as and from the 1st day of May, 1988.
Effective date of new regulations
15 These regulations shall come into force on and after the 1st day of May, 1988.