News release

Apply for Cape Breton's Annual Moose Hunt

Natural Resources (to July 2018)

Applications are being accepted for the 2009 annual moose licence lottery.

Last year, more than 10,000 applicants entered the draw vying for one of 345 licences.

"We had another successful and accident-free moose hunt last year," said Natural Resources Minister Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. "Three hundred and forty-five hunters received a licence and 274 moose were harvested, giving us an overall success rate of almost 80 per cent."

This year, 336 total licences will be available through the lottery for the four moose-management zones within Victoria and Inverness counties -- the only counties in the province where moose hunting is permitted. Hunters must pick a zone and one of three seasons in which to hunt. The first season is Sept. 28 to Oct. 3. The second is Oct. 5 to Oct. 10. The third season, which is limited to zone one only, is Dec. 8 to Dec. 10.

Prospective hunters should carefully consider which hunt and zone they apply for. Terrain, access, available guiding services and abundance of moose differ considerably from one moose-management zone to another. Even weather conditions can vary between the northern and southern zones.

The application period is from April 1 to May 31. Applicants must have their wildlife resources card number when calling the application line at 1-900-565-3337. Calls to this number can only be made from a land-line and a fee of $6.90 will be charged to the phone from which the call is made. Application forms can also be mailed with a fee of $11.51 to Moose Draw, Wildlife Division, 136 Exhibition St., Kentville, N.S., B4N 4E5.

Also, for a fee of $6.90, applicants can apply on-line at https://www.hmcgroup.ca/moosedraw/ .

The draw will begin at 11 a.m. at the East Bay Legion, 2317 Kings Rd., Sydney Forks, Cape Breton Co., on Tuesday, June 23.

This will be the only occasion when winners will be publicly announced. Winners will also be notified by mail shortly after the draw. Applicants can use their wildlife resource card number to check their individual draw results on-line or by calling a local Department of Natural Resources office.

Detailed information on the Cape Breton moose hunt is available at Department of Natural Resources offices and on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/natr/draws/moosedraw/ .