Non-Resident Canadian hunting opportunities

[cpwrestler]

Hi, I've been scouring the BC hunting regs and I think I've got the non-resident situation figured out but its not really very clear so I wanted to confirm my findings. As I see it, non-residents are allowed to hunt sheep and most non-LEH animals in open areas (non-LEH) in BC so long as they are accompanied by a resident host. Have I got that figured out correctly?

I'm a Yukon resident that has recently been bitten by the sheep hunting bug and I'm hoping for a chance to take a rocky mountain bighorn. I can't say for sure yet, but I'm even considering trading a Yukon moose hunt for the sheep hunt.

Thanks for the help in advance... As you can see I'm new to the forum and I've been enjoying reading all your stories!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

You're out of luck for a hunter host for sheep. You will need to hire a GO.
Goats-yes....but sheep-no.

SSS

[cpwrestler]

dang... I heard that but couldn't find it anywhere in the regs... ah well, guess I have to move to BC after I'm done up here!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Would be cheaper to move here...........:roll:.

SSS

[deadlyshot19]

HUGE money to hunt them as a non-resident, SSS is right it would actually probably be cheaper to move here haha.

[BiG Boar]

Goats are not available in all areas either. Even if they are GOS.

[cpwrestler]

Yup, looks like moving is the only option! One more season up here, and maybe I'll start to think about it!

[HCH]

Sheep and Grizz have to be guided for Non res, sorry bro

[Trev769]

Hey guys, looking for someone to host a buddy and I on a goat hunt? Were from alberta and would host for some November whitetails or anything else that we can.

[steel_ram]

Would offering to exchange services be considered guiding?

"The Wildlife Act defines "guide" as: "a
person who for compensation or reward
received or promised, accompanies and
assists another person to hunt wildlife"

[Moose Guide]

Yup, looks like moving is the only option! One more season up here, and maybe I'll start to think about it!

The good news is that you only have to live in B.C. for 6 months before you can hunt here. I've heard that it takes longer in the Yukon.

[Moose Guide]

Would offering to exchange services be considered guiding?

"The Wildlife Act defines "guide" as: "a
person who for compensation or reward
received or promised, accompanies and
assists another person to hunt wildlife"

Yes, although hard to prove! I certainly wouldn't announce it on the web!

[Trev769]

I'm just looking for some hunting opportunities and possibly make some new friends/hunting buddies.

[john.b]

Trade ya. I miss living in the yukon.

[Mulehahn]

Sheep and Grizz have to be guided for Non res, sorry bro

I have heard this, but can't figure out why Sheep are listed in the Hunter host application. Is it just that the MOE never issues them for sheep or is that they are not allowed?

[j270wsm]

A friend of mine had his father in law host him 7-8 years ago. He said he could have had a sheep tag for 4-22 but didn't take it because they didn't know the area very well. That same year another guy from elkford hosted his brother for sheep in 4-23

[Moose Guide]

A friend of mine had his father in law host him 7-8 years ago. He said he could have had a sheep tag for 4-22 but didn't take it because they didn't know the area very well. That same year another guy from elkford hosted his brother for sheep in 4-23

I asked a friend who is a C.O. and he said it wasn't possible for sheep, was the guy from Elkford an outfitter?

[Moose Guide]

I'm just looking for some hunting opportunities and possibly make some new friends/hunting buddies.

No one is trying to bust your chops, just a friendly warning as the C.O.'s in B.C. are serious about catching illegal guides. What part of Alberta are you from?

[BRvalley]

Would offering to exchange services be considered guiding?

"The Wildlife Act defines "guide" as: "a
person who for compensation or reward
received or promised, accompanies and
assists another person to hunt wildlife"


No one is trying to bust your chops, just a friendly warning as the C.O.'s in B.C. are serious about catching illegal guides. What part of Alberta are you from?

but it's not illegal guiding, where is the reward or compensation? I don't think hunting together is exchanging services....it's simply 2 friends who reside in border provinces, getting together to hunt

as long as I, the BC resident, have applied for a 'permit to accompany' it is perfectly legal for me to host my buddy from AB, and he hosts me on a hunt....there is no reward or compensation, simply splitting expenses and then the application fees and royalty fees...followed by a 'declaration of hunt' report after the hunt

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/pasb/applications/process/accompany_hunt.html#eligibility

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/pasb/reports/wildlife/accompanied_hunt_report_form.pdf


does anybody here have first hand experience doing this in BC? myself and my buddy in AB are planning to do this...2 yrs ago he hosted me to hunt in AB, we simply paid the fees and got the proper permits and off we went, we even met the local CO and everything checked out....I'm assuming I can host him just as easily, I'm not guiding, just hunting together

we haven't figured out vacation time yet, and I'll talk to the local CO before hand...but if anybody has direct first hand info, please correct me if I am mistaken here

[steel_ram]

but it's not illegal guiding, where is the reward or compensation? I don't think hunting together is exchanging services....it's simply 2 friends who reside in border provinces, getting together to hunt

When you offer on a public forum (to anyone) that you are willing to exchange a Alberta deer hunt for a BC hunt, that would be a "reward". Not sure if that counts, technically it probably does but hard to prove. Just be careful.

[Trev769]

I'm not looking to break the law here. I'd just like to expand hunting opportunities. Here in alberta you would be lucky to get drawn for a goat once in your life time.

[BRvalley]

I guess that depends on the definition of "reward"...I just don't see how hosting each others hunts is a reward, it's simply hunting together, and both sets of hunting regs include a hunter host program with detailed criteria for eligibility...if there was money or a gift involved, trading other services, or any other sort of tangible exchange, that's different...but it is a hunter host program, it's accompanying and actively hunting together, not guiding for compensation...although I'm sure there are some that would abuse the program

not trying to split hairs here, just curious as we intend to do exactly this scenario later this year...but we are already friends, not trying to recruit a new friend, but even still, the regs don't specify how you make friends or what constitutes a friend....online forums are increasingly popular and a legitimate way to make new friends, as I'm sure many members here could attest

[odie1830]

Well, maybe it should be said like this then!. Looking for some new hunting friends to hunt with, I live in Alberta but would be willing to hunt in bc . Then next year we could do a hunt in Alberta . Is that illegal guiding?? Just putting it out there!

[Trev769]

Ok so maybe it should have been worded a little differently. Regardless of the goat hunt i would gladly take someone from BC on a hunter host trip here in alberta.

[steel_ram]

Maybe I just read it wrong. Good luck on your hunts.

[Moose Guide]

I'm not looking to break the law here. I'd just like to expand hunting opportunities. Here in alberta you would be lucky to get drawn for a goat once in your life time.

That sucks, I have an open season for 3 months here.

[TheProvider]

Always a touchy subject. People get all wound up even when someone offers to pay the guys gas if he picks him up to take him hunting. Become friends and enjoy hunting with each other.

[Trev769]

I agree with you provider. People over react too much!

[TheProvider]

There are guys who will always take advantage of it however.

[butcher]

Ok so maybe it should have been worded a little differently. Regardless of the goat hunt i would gladly take someone from BC on a hunter host trip here in alberta.

This is totally legal and not something to worry about. It's exactly what the permit to accompany is for and I have done it many times. Not even close to illegal guiding and to claim it is borders on the ridiculous.

[Trev769]

This is totally legal and not something to worry about. It's exactly what the permit to accompany is for and I have done it many times. Not even close to illegal guiding and to claim it is borders on the ridiculous.
That's what I thought as well. This is the first time I will be doing it so it is a learning curve. I wanna do it right and not have any problems. I've done my share of research on the topic and pretty confident what I'm doing is ok .

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

A BC born, current Alberta Resident Hunter chiming in here -

Goat Hunts in Alberta are once in a lifetime, we have few Goats in some highly localized areas. The Draw is random like the BC LEH (As opposed to the priority based draws for all other Special Licenses) and the Mountain Goat Special License is a once in a lifetime opportunity as of this writing. The draw is available only to Residents and once an individual wins said Special License they are hence forth ineligible for the remainder of their lifetime - You get one License only, ever. The upside - We have little habitat for Mountain Goats here and are glad to have any Hunt. Another aspect of the upside is that so few Special Licenses for Goat are available (one per Zone per year) that the winner is literally the ONLY Goat Hunter on the Mountain! I'd prefer it to money based lottery grand prize!

Alberta F&W views trading for Hunts as compensation and is stated by F&W in Alberta as being entirely illegal. Any arrangements should be genuine and privately arranged sans compensation (No trades. No money... et al). Hunter Host is currently a much simpler process than the BC Permit To Accompany, which makes sense as the BC gov't is a much bigger fan of red tape and nonsense... Not that I am a fan of Alberta's currently reigning Red Queen... I digress!

All the best everyone - Stay legal, stay safe!

[butcher]

"Any arrangements should be genuine and privately arranged sans compensation (No trades. No money... et al). Hunter Host is currently a much simpler process than the BC Permit To Accompany, which makes sense as the BC gov't is a much bigger fan of red tape and nonsense.."



Exactly, no trades, no compensation. It's just hunting with friends. Everbody pays their own way. It's really pretty simple.

[.300WSMImpact!]

There are guys who will always take advantage of it however.

its not taking advantage if its legal, I think its a good option for guy that needs a large whitetail opportunity, good luck I hope you make a new friend

[TheProvider]

its not taking advantage if its legal, I think its a good option for guy that needs a large whitetail opportunity, good luck I hope you make a new friend

Read my post before this one. The post you quoted I meant that there will always be a few guys who take advantage of the permit and try to make money from it illegally.

I believe like my first post. Become friends and enjoy hunting with each other