News release

Safety and Success Highlight Hunting Season

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

Nova Scotia maintained its excellent hunter safety record in 1998 with no hunting fatalities and only two personal injury accidents.

"For the sixth consecutive year, there were no hunting fatalities in Nova Scotia," said Natural Resources Minister Kennie MacAskill. "This record reflects upon the efforts of hunters exercising caution in the woods, Natural Resources' co-ordinators, and volunteer instructors across the province."

Since the hunter education program became mandatory in Nova Scotia in 1980, the number of accidental shootings and fatalities has dropped by 50 per cent.

Hunters enjoyed a successful 1998 season, with 12,795 deer bagged during the six-week season, consisting of 10,087 bucks and 2,708 antlerless deer (does). This represents a 29.7 per cent increase from the number taken in 1997.

Deer management zones and antlerless deer hunting stamps were used during the 1998 hunting season. A total of 8,150 stamps were available in five of the seven deer management zones.

In Zone 1, 1,200 stamps were available and 377 does bagged; 1,275 stamps in Zone 2 and 508 does bagged; 3,075 stamps in Zone 4 and 1161 does bagged; 1,600 stamps in Zone 5 and 329 does bagged; and 1,000 stamps in Zone 6 and 318 does bagged. Stamps were not issued in Zones 3 and 7, but hunting of bucks was allowed. Fifteen antlerless deer were not registered to a specific zone.

"The number of antlerless deer hunting stamps available for the 1999 deer hunting season will be announced later in the spring, after the annual pellet count has been conducted and more is known about how winter affected herd condition," said Mr. MacAskill.

Lunenburg County again reported the highest number of deer bagged at 1,486, followed by Colchester County at 1,382. Numbers were up in all counties.

About 50,000 hunters were issued deer licences for the 1998 season.

Preliminary statistics for the 1998 moose and bear seasons have also been released.

During the 12-day moose season in October, 200 licensed hunters bagged 188 moose, compared with 182 in 1997. A total of 281 bears were taken in 1998, compared with 219 in 1997.

"Scientific and sound wildlife management policies have allowed us to maintain deer, bear and moose hunting seasons for many years in Nova Scotia," said Mr. MacAskill. "Hunter respect and support for these policies and regulations help to ensure that our wildlife resources remain sustainable."