Hunter / Trapper Education

Whether you are an experienced hunter or trapper or trying it for the first time, the Wildlife Division offers programs and training opportunities to meet your needs. Anyone wishing to become eligible to hunt game with a firearm must first complete the Canadian Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course, offered year-round at College of the North Atlantic campuses throughout the province.

An Outdoor Identification Card is issued to all residents who have completed the Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course, and to those who previously completed the Hunter Capability Test or the Canadian Firearm Safety Course (in Newfoundland and Labrador only) before April 1996. Residents who complete the Trapper Education Course will also receive an Outdoor ID card with the course code. An Outdoor ID Card, along with the appropriate hunting licence, must be in a hunter’s possession while hunting with firearms. Trappers must also carry their Outdoor ID Card while trapping.

Other programs have been designed to meet the specific needs of hunters and trappers:

• Becoming an Outdoors Woman
• Bow Hunter Education Course
• Firearms Safety/Hunter Education Course
• Hunters/Anglers with a Disability
• Newfoundland and Labrador Guide Licence
• Trapper Education Course
• Youth Hunting/Fishing Exchange Program (733 KB)
• Youth Hunter Skills Events

Bow Hunter Education Course

The Wildlife Division supports and endorses the International Bow Hunter Education Program as a voluntary program for archery hunters. While bow hunter education is not presently mandatory to hunt game in Newfoundland and Labrador, resident and non-resident hunters must still complete a recognized Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course in order to hunt game with archery equipment.

For more information on bow hunter education, please contact the Wildlife Division’s Conservation Services Section or visit the International Hunter Education Association .

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Trapper Education Course

Trapper Education is a mandatory pre-requisite of licensing for all beaver and general trappers, with the exception of persons born before Sept. 30,1926 who have held a trapping licence in at least one year since the 1992/93 season.

For more information on a trapper education course in your area, contact the Wildlife Division at 637-2006.

For more information on hunting and trapping in Newfoundland and Labrador, please consult the annual Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Download a PDF of the Atlantic Provinces Trapper Education Student Manual

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Firearm Safety / Hunter Education Course

In Newfoundland and Labrador, a person must complete the Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course (FS/HE) to become eligible to hunt game with a firearm. Participants may take the course starting at age 12.

The minimum age to hunt small game in this province is 12. To hunt big game a person must be at least 16 years of age. For more information about youth hunting and trapping, visit the online Hunting and Trapping Guide by clicking here.

NOTE: Conditions for possession and use of non-restricted firearms apply to minors under 18 years of age. For further information, contact the Canadian Firearms Program in Ottawa or call 1-800-731-4000.

The FS/HE Course has two parts:

The Canadian Firearms Safety Course teaches participants the basics of firearms safety and the laws related to firearms storage, handling and transportation. By completing this course, a person may also apply for a Firearms Possession and Acquisition Licence to obtain non-restricted firearms.* Visit Government of Canada Publications to download a PDF copy of the CFSC manual.

* Regulations under the Firearms Act (Justice Canada), require a person to obtain a Firearms Possession and Acquisition Certificate to possess and acquire firearms. Applications for Firearms Licences are available at local postal offices. For more information about firearms licensing, please contact the Canadian Firearms Program in Ottawa at 1-800-731-4000.

The Hunter Education Course teaches aspects of wildlife conservation and management, hunting laws, hunter ethics and responsibility, outdoor safety and survival techniques and other skills used for hunting. By completing the FS/HE Course, the participant meets the provincial requirement to obtain provincial licences to hunt with a firearm. Download a PDF of the Atlantic Canada Hunter Education (Part B) Student Manual.

The Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course is recognized by all Canadian provinces. Hunters traveling to other parts of Canada should carry their Outdoor Identification Card.

Note: Some provincial jurisdictions may require additional hunter training and/or testing for new residents moving into their province. For more information, please contact the Conservation Services Section, Wildlife Division address listed on this page.

Each eligible resident hunter receives an ID card from the Wildlife Division. Hunters must carry their card, along with the appropriate hunting licence, while hunting with a firearm.

Successful FS/HE Course participants also receive annual applications for the annual Big Game Licence draw under the following conditions:

• must be 16 by Aug. 31 in the year the big game licence is valid
• must be a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador
• must not be prohibited from possessing firearms by Order of Court

To register for a FS/HE course, please visit College of the North Atlantic’s Continuing Education Page. Courses are offered throughout the year.

For more information about the Firearm Safety/Hunter Education Course, please contact the Wildlife Division’s Conservation Services Section.

Contact Information

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Youth Hunter/Angler Skills Workshops

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, Wildlife Division, partners with local Rod and Gun Clubs to offer hunting/angling skills workshops and events for youth age 12 to 17. These events provide youth with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in a safe environment with qualified instructors and volunteers. Youth participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information, please visit the online Hunting and Trapping Guide by clicking here.

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