For hunters preparing for the season, a new online option means many licences can now be purchased from home rather than requiring an in-person visit.
The Province has launched an e-licensing pilot program through HuntNS, allowing most types of hunting licences to be purchased online.
Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton says online licensing will make things easier for hunters while also reducing some of the administrative work associated with the sector.
“Making licences available online is not only convenient for Nova Scotians who hunt,” Rushton said. He added that the change could also help make Nova Scotia a more attractive destination for non-residents planning hunting trips.
The licences currently available through the pilot include:
- Wildlife habitat stamp: required for all hunting and fur harvesting for residents and non-residents.
- Small game licence: for residents and non-residents hunting snowshoe hare and game birds such as ring-necked pheasant, geese and ducks.
- Fur harvester licence: restricted to Nova Scotia residents and covering animals including beaver, raccoon and fox.
- Annual commercial guide licences.
Peter White, President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers and Hunters, says the organization supports giving hunters another way to obtain their licences.
“Adding this convenient option will benefit resident hunters and our provincially registered guides who have out-of-province clients,” White said.
He also described HuntNS as an increasingly valuable tool for hunters and wildlife managers.
The online pilot does not currently include deer and bear licences.
The Province says those licences are excluded because of physical harvest tag requirements, as well as related operational and enforcement considerations.
While online licensing is intended to make the process easier, hunters are reminded that Nova Scotia’s hunting safety requirements remain in place. Those requirements include maintaining regulated distances from buildings, schools and public areas.
