News release

Applications Opening for Annual Cape Breton Moose Hunt

Natural Resources and Renewables

The annual Cape Breton moose hunt licence lottery will open Monday, May 9, at noon.

This year, 345 licences will be available in five moose-management zones within Victoria and Inverness counties, the only counties where moose hunting is permitted. Hunters can apply once for motorized access hunts in zones 1 through 4 and once for the non-motorized hunt in Zone 5.

Applications can be made online with a debit or credit card. The fee is $9.25 (including HST). Applications can also be made by phone and require a credit card.

The deadline for applications is May 31 at noon.

The licence draw will take place in June and winners will be notified by mail. Hunters can also go online after June 21 or call 1-833-302-0750 to find out if they were successful.

Quick Facts:

  • an average of 10,000 people apply for moose licences each year
  • eligible hunters must be Nova Scotia residents, hold a valid Wildlife Resources Card and be at least 18 years old by September 19, 2022
  • hunters who held a moose hunting licence in the last five years cannot apply this year
  • season dates vary by moose-management zone, with hunts taking place from late September to early December

Additional Resources:

Moose draw website: https://wrs.novascotia.ca/MooseDraw/

Cape Breton moose population data: https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/sustainable/pdf/moose-survey-summary-winter-2020.pdf

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