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Department of Natural Resources

Hunting Licence: Antlerless Deer

Who Needs This Licence?

Anyone who wants to hunt an antlerless deer in Nova Scotia. These licences are awarded by a limited draw. You must be a resident* of Nova Scotia to apply. Winners of the draw receive an Antlerless Deer Stamp to be attached to their N.S. Base Licence for Hunting & Furharvesting.

* "resident", at any time, means a person permanently or ordinarily resident in the Province for the two months immediately preceding that time, and includes
  1. an officer of the diplomatic or consular service of a foreign country stationed within the Province,
  2. a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or the Canadian Armed Forces stationed or born in the Province,
  3. a person born in the Province and the owner of real property in the Province;

NOTE: For more information on this draw please see the Nova Scotia Limited Entry Hunts page.

Issuing Department / Agency:
N.S. Department of Natural Resources
Where can you get this Licence and / or further information?
For more information, see the Limited Entry Hunts page.

or

Consult the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations (available in print and online from the Department of Natural Resources);

or

Contact any of the Local or Area Offices of the Department; 
Application Forms & Process:

To apply, you have to have a valid Wildlife Resources Card and be certified for the weapon with which you will be hunting.

The Antlerless Deer draw is held in Summer. You cannot apply unless

  1. you are eligible to hold a Nova Scotia Resident Deer Hunting Licence, and
  2. you already hold a valid Firearm Hunting Certificate, Bow Hunting Certificate or crossbow certification.

The cost to enter the draw is $7.83 plus HST. You apply online using a Visa or Mastercard at www.hmcgroup.ca/deerdraw/ or by phone at 1-900-565-3337, see the Limited Entry Hunts page or the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations for details.

Winners will be notified by mail. Applicants will also be able to check their success in the draw online at: http://novascotia.ca/natr/draws/deerdraw/winnersearch.asp or by calling the toll-free number 1-877-535-1234 or for Halifax local calls 493-1412. To determine your success in the draw you must provide your 9 digit Wildlife Resources Card Number. For more information on this draw, including where and when results are available, please see the Nova Scotia Limited Entry Hunts page.

Waiting Period:
None (draw results announced early each September)
Expiry & Renewal:
This is a seasonal licence, which is only valid until the end of the current deer season. Once it expires, it cannot be reused.
Price & Payment:
There is an application fee for the draw; see Where can you get...., above, for details)
Related Requirements:
  1. See Meat Permit (Wildlife) for the rules to follow if you want to store (freeze, etc.) the meat.

  2. If you are carrying a firearm 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).
Additional Information:
  1. You always have to obey local (municipal) regulations regarding the firing of guns.  (For example, firing guns is illegal in many Towns in Nova Scotia.)

  2. When you are issued a Deer Hunting Licence, you are also issued one or more tags (whatever is the number of tags available for each hunter for that particular season).  Once you have used those tags, your season is closed.

  3. When you kill a deer, you must attach one of those tags to the deer, and then you must take the deer to a Deer Registration Station, so that the proper Deer Registration Form can be filled out, or you can register the deer using the online Deer Registration Form.  If the deer is registered online, the confirmation number must be written on the Base Licence and Deer Tag.  You can find a list of Deer Registration Stations in the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations.

  4. Hunting is not allowed in Nova Scotia on Sundays.

  5. For more information on Hunting Regulations, download the Nova Scotia Hunting and Furharvesting Summary of Regulations.
Legislative Authority:
Wildlife Act, Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989, Chapter 504



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