Mandatory hunter reporting

Last updated on September 4, 2024

Mandatory Hunter Reporting is a requirement under the Wildlife Act Hunting Regulations for any B.C. residents who hold a species licence for moose or caribou. These reports provide important data for the management of these species.

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Information collected on a mandatory hunter report

An individual who holds a moose or caribou species licence must submit a report by January 15. The format of a mandatory hunter report largely follows the hunter survey that most hunters receive annually and will be familiar to many. In the report, hunters must specify for each species:

  • The hunter’s name and FWID
  • If they hunted for that species
  • The number of days spent hunting in each management unit (MU) they hunted
  • The approximate landmark of the area they hunted in each MU and
  • If they harvested an animal,

If an animal was harvested, the report must include:

  • Date of kill
  • Animal class of the animal killed
  • Weapon type used for the kill and
  • If the kill was under a general open season or limited entry hunt (LEH) season.

Submitting a mandatory hunter report

Mandatory hunter reports may be submitted:

Offences

Residents who hold a moose or caribou species licence and fail to submit a mandatory hunter report for that licence by January 15 will be prevented from purchasing a licence, LEH application or permit under the Wildlife Act until the report is properly submitted.

Implications for other reporting systems

The submission of a mandatory hunter report also fulfills the requirements of compulsory reporting. Mandatory hunter reporting does not fulfil requirements for harvested animals that require compulsory inspection.

Hunters who submit a mandatory hunter report may receive a hunter survey requesting information on hunting activity for moose or caribou. Hunters are asked to submit the hunter survey as they normally would. This allows Wildlife Branch staff to understand any differences between these data collection systems.