Open Season for Hunting and Trapping

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The Newfoundland and Labrador Regulation 55/24, known as the “Open Seasons Hunting and Trapping Order, 2024-2025,” was enacted on August 22, 2024, under various sections of the Wild Life Regulations and the Wild Life Act. This regulation outlines the designated open seasons for hunting and trapping a range of species within the province, including fur-bearing animals, big game, small game, and coyotes for the 2024-2025 season.

The regulation establishes key definitions and provisions, notably requiring hunters to possess a valid license specific to the species and hunting area during the designated open seasons. This requirement supports responsible hunting practices and wildlife conservation. For fur-bearing animals, open seasons differ between Labrador and Newfoundland. In Labrador, trapping and shooting seasons for species like beaver, coyote, lynx, and wolf are set from October 15, 2024, to May 31, 2025, depending on the species and management zones. In Newfoundland, similar species are regulated with open seasons generally from October 20, 2024, to March 15, 2025, with lynx having a specific season from January 1 to February 1, 2025, in designated areas.

The regulation also details hunting seasons for big game animals such as black bear, caribou, moose, and polar bears. In Labrador, the black bear hunting season runs from August 10, 2024, to November 30, 2024, and April 1 to July 13, 2025, while in Newfoundland, the season is from September 14 to November 10, 2024, and May 1 to July 15, 2025. Due to conservation efforts, there is no open season for hunting caribou in Labrador; however, Newfoundland has designated seasons from September 14 to December 1, 2024. Moose hunting is permitted in both regions, with Labrador’s season running from September 14, 2024, to March 9, 2025, and Newfoundland following a similar timeline with some exceptions based on management areas. The polar bear hunting season in Labrador is scheduled from February 1 to June 30, 2025.

For small game, Labrador’s open seasons include species such as Arctic hare, snowshoe hare, and grouse, generally running from October 1, 2024, to April 20, 2025, with Newfoundland having similar provisions but specific dates for different small game species. Coyote hunting is regulated in both regions, with the general open season extending from September 14, 2024, to July 15, 2025, in Newfoundland and from October 15, 2024, to March 31, 2025, in Labrador.

The regulation repeals the previous Open Seasons Hunting and Trapping Order for 2023-2024 (Regulation 62/23), replacing it with updated guidelines for the 2024-2025 season. Overall, the Open Seasons Hunting and Trapping Order, 2024-2025, provides a comprehensive framework for hunters in Newfoundland and Labrador, establishing clear rules and timelines for hunting various wildlife species. It emphasizes sustainable hunting practices and wildlife conservation while providing specific guidance on licensing and open seasons, aiming to balance hunting activities with effective wildlife management.

Newfoundland and Labrador (55/24) August 22, 2024