Sharing a hunting licence with young hunters

A young hunter is a person that is at least 12 years of age and under 18 years of age, or a student between 18 and 24 years of age. The latter must carry his or her valid student card during the activity.

Young hunters may hunt any game animal under an adult’s licence, provided they comply with the following rules:

• The adult licence holder must accompany the young hunter and carry the licence with him or her. 
• The young hunter must carry a licence belonging to one of his or her parents, or to the spouse of a parent. The requirement to be accompanied by an adult always depends on the young hunter’s age.
• If the young hunter is hunting wild turkey, he or she must carry the appropriate licence, along with a turkey hunting attestation certificate.

The young Québec resident must hold (and carry) either his or her hunter's certificate appropriate to the weapon used or an introductory licence.

The annual bag limit of the species must be respected. When the transportation coupon is detached and affixed by the young person, the adult can no longer hunt under this licence or obtain a new one.

Even if a young hunter is hunting under an adult licence, they must have the appropriate hunting authorization (access rights) for the territory.

If a rule states that a hunter must be accompanied, the accompanying person must be over 18 years old. The person must hold a hunter’s certificate for the weapon used or a non-resident’s hunting licence.

If the accompanying person or spouse are residents of Québec, they must also hold a certificate for the weapon used.

An introductory licence holder must be accompanied by a resident who is at least 25 years of age. The latter must have the appropriate hunter’s certificate for the weapon used.

This person may accompany only one introductory licence holder at once.

A young hunter who hunts under the licence of an accompanying adult must respect the rules regarding each game and the particularities after the slaughter of the game. Check out our examples.

A young hunter hunting black bear under the regular licence of an adult.

If the young hunter kills an animal, he or she must affix one of the two transportation coupons from that licence.

If the animal is killed in the spring, the hunting under this licence may continue in the fall, for both the young and the adult, until the killing of a second bear, in zones where the regulations allow it.

All the rules governing black bear hunting.

A young hunter having his or her own regular licence and hunting antlerless deer under the antlerless deer licence (random draw) of an adult. Both licences must be valid at the time of the hunt and for the same hunting zone.

If the young hunter kills an antlerless deer, he or she must:

1. Affix the transportation coupon from his or her own licence.
2. Punch the adult’s antlerless deer licence in the appropriate circle.
3. Stop hunting. Only the adult can continue to hunt deer under his or her regular licence, in accordance with the rules in force for the current hunting season. Obviously, the antlerless deer licence is no longer valid.

A young hunter winning an antlerless white-tailed deer licence in a random draw. But he or she wishes to hunt under the regular licence of an adult instead of purchasing his or her own licence.

If the young hunter wants to exercise his or her privilege to hunt antlerless deer without obtaining a licence, he or she must first apply for a certificate validating the possession of an antlerless deer hunting licence (obtained by random draw) by calling 418-521‑3960. The young hunter must carry this certificate with him or her when hunting.

If the young hunter kills an animal, he or she must attach the transportation coupon from the adult’s licence. Neither the young hunter nor the adult can continue to hunt white-tailed deer.

All the rules governing white-tailed-deer hunting.

A young hunter hunting moose under the regular licence of an adult.

If the young hunter kills a moose, he or she must:

1. Attach the transportation coupon from this licence.
2. On the day of the kill, ensure that the number of additional transportation coupons from hunters who participated in the same hunting expedition and corresponding to the required number of licences per moose is affixed to the animal.
3. Stop hunting, for both the young hunter and the adult.

A young hunter hunting female moose under an adult’s female moose hunting licence (random draw). He or she also holds a regular licence.

If the young hunter kills a female moose, he or she must:

1. Attach the transportation coupon from his or her licence.
2. Punch the adult’s female moose hunting licence in the circle provided.
3. On the day of the kill, ensure that the number of additional transportation coupons from hunters who participated in the same hunting expedition and corresponding to the required number of licences per moose is affixed to the animal.
4. Stop hunting. The adult’s moose hunting licence is no longer valid to harvest a female.

A young hunter winning a female moose hunting licence through a random draw. But he or she wishes to hunt under the regular licence of an adult instead of purchasing his or her own licence.

If the young hunter wants to exercise his or her privilege to hunt female moose without obtaining a licence, he or she must first apply for a certificate validating the possession of a female moose hunting licence (obtained by random draw) by calling 418-521-3960. The young hunter must carry this certificate with him or her when hunting.

If the young hunter kills a female moose, he or she must:

1. Attach the transportation coupon from the adult’s licence;
2. On the day of the kill, ensure that the number of additional transportation coupons from a hunter who participated in the hunting expedition and corresponding to the required number of licences per moose is affixed to the animal.
3. Stop hunting. The moose hunting licence is obviously no longer valid for the young hunter and the adult.

All the rules governing moose hunting.

Young hunters who have an attestation stating that they have successfully completed the wild turkey hunting course (and a student card where applicable) may hunt wild turkey under the wild turkey hunting licence of an accompanying adult (a parent, a parent’s spouse or any other adult).

Non-residents do not need an attestation.

If a young hunter kills a wild turkey, he or she must attach the transportation coupon from the adult’s licence. 

An introductory licence holder is not required to have a wild turkey hunting course attestation, but the accompanying adult must have one.

All the rules governing wild turkey hunting.

A young hunter may hunt small game under the regular licence of an accompanying adult (parent, parent’s spouse or another adult).

All the rules governing small game hunting.

Children under 12 years of age may hunt using a bird of prey, snare hares and hunt certain frogs under an adult’s licence, as follows:

A child practices the activity under the small game hunting licence, frog hunting licence, hunting using birds of prey licence or snaring licence of an accompanying adult who must carry that licence. The child may also be accompanied by the licence holder’s spouse (who must be at least 18 years of age). The spouse must also hold the appropriate licence.

A child may carry the small game hunting licence (resident), frog hunting licence, hunting using birds of prey licence or snaring licence of a parent or the spouse of a parent.

Young people aged 12 to 18 and students aged 18 to 24 can also participate in these activities under the same two conditions.

A young person between the ages of 12 and 17 can obtain the federal migratory bird hunting permit and hunting stamp free of charge, to hunt migratory birds at any time. The young hunter must carry his or her appropriate hunter's certificate. He or she must also be accompanied by a person who is 18 years of age or older and who holds their small game hunting licence, their federal migratory bird hunting permit, and who has held such a permit during one year prior. The accompanying person must be certified according to the gear used.

The accompanying adult can only be with two young hunters at a time.

For additional information on Waterfowler Heritage Day, please see the website of the Government of Canada .