Hunting authorizations for people with disabilities

If you have a significant and persistent physical impairment that prevents you from hunting in accordance with the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife, you may be allowed to bypass some regulatory provisions.

To make sport hunting more accessible, special authorizations may be granted to people with disabilities who request them.

There are two types of special authorizations:

• Hunting with a crossbow during the period in which only bow hunting is allowed, except in zones 17, 22, 23 and 24 (see the maps)
• Being in a stationary vehicle (or trailer), in possession of an armed crossbow or a loaded firearm, and shooting a firearm, a bow or a crossbow from this vehicle.

You may apply for both authorizations at the same time if you meet the criteria for both situations.

These authorizations are for the person with a disability only. The accompanying hunter must abide by the rules in force [CL(1] for the period during which hunting is allowed.

To be eligible for any of these authorizations, you must have a significant and persistent physical impairment and be at least 12 years of age.

Additional eligibility criteria vary according to the requested authorization.

You may benefit from this authorization if you identify with any of these situations:

• you have a physical impairment that prevents you from using a hunting bow in a repeated, effective manner while hunting and practising;
• you have paralysis or have had an upper limb amputation (including two or more fingers, one hand, or one forearm).

This authorization is permanent or temporary depending on whether the impairment is irreversible or not.

You may benefit from this authorization if you identify with any of these situations:

• you are a person with paraplegia, hemiplegia or quadriplegia;
• you have a physical impairment that prevents you from moving around otherwise than by means of a specially equipped vehicle, a wheelchair or any other similar means;
• you had a double amputation under the waist or a single amputation above the knee.

To obtain these authorizations, you must:

• Fill out and print the Hunting authorization application for people with disabilities (PDF 82 Kb) form.
• Print and join the Certificate of physical deficiency (PDF 87 Kb) to the application. The certificate must be filled out and signed by a physician, an occupational therapist or a physiotherapist to specify the nature of your impairment and how it prevents you from hunting in accordance with the regulation.
• Send both documents by mail to the nearest wildlife protection regional office.

For more information on this measure, refer to the Explanatory document for applicants and health professionals (PDF 62 Kb).

If you need help for the application process, contact the Office des personnes handicapées du Québec .