Moose: There is a decrease of 100 moose licences on the Island of Newfoundland- for an overall total of 29,160 moose licences, including 17,650 Either Sex (ES); 11,035 Male Only (MO); and 475 Not-for-Profit (NFP). Adjustments have been made in eight Moose Management Areas (MMAs) – 1(+50), 2(+50), 2E (-100), 17(+50), 18 (+100), 28 (-75), 29 (-100), 44 (-50), NPF licences in Gros Morne National Park have been reduced by 25. In Labrador the quota remains unchanged at 369 licences, bringing the total provincial quota to 29,529 licences for 2019-20.
Caribou: For 2019 there is an overall caribou quota reduction of 27 licences for the Island of Newfoundland, for a total quota of 575. Low caribou population numbers in Caribou Management Area (CMA) 69 (Northern Peninsula) warrant a closure for the 2019 hunting season- These efforts were announced in the fall of 2018.
Relocating caribou to Grey Islands: A project involving translocation of at least 15 caribou to the Grey Islands will take place in the spring of 2019. Caribou will be captured and taken from the St. Anthony herd by department wildlife biologists and conservation officers in an effort to re-introduce caribou to the Grey Islands, where population numbers once reached an estimated 575 animals. The department will monitor these caribou on an ongoing basis to help support their re-establishment on Grey Islands.
Big game draw priority pool improvements for youth hunters: The minimum age requirement to shoot big game is 16. Youth hunters are only permitted to use a firearm under supervision of a qualified adult. All new youth applicants age 16 and 17 entering the 2019 Big Game Moose/Caribou Licence Draw will be placed at priority pool 5, which increases their chance of receiving a licence. For the purpose of eligibility in the draw, this includes youth who turn 16 on or before August 31, 2019. To be eligible for the 2019 draw, new applicants must have also completed the Canadian Firearms Safety and Hunter Education Course on or before November 30, 2018.
Promoting supply and purchase of high-quality snare wire: Best management practices include using 22-gauge brass wire for snowshoe hare snaring to allow trapping techniques that minimize the impact on marten. Information regarding the best brass wire brands for retaining snowshoe hare, along with list of vendors that sell these brands, will be collected and added to this website for future use. Please refer to the brass snare wire education program section for more details.