Starting January 1, 2020, new hunters must complete Hunter Education prior to being issued a hunting licence in the Northwest Territories (NWT).
Hunter Education may be completed online or in-person by prior arrangement with local or regional Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) offices. This free course was developed in collaboration with Indigenous governments and organizations to share knowledge and to help prevent wounding and wastage of game. It contains modules on hunter responsibility, ecology and wildlife management, applicable laws and hunting and survival skills.
“Hunting has a long history in the Northwest Territories. To ensure this rich tradition survives, Indigenous or non-Indigenous hunters should be guided by the wisdom of past generations,” Shane Thompson, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources said. “Hunter Education draws on practices long taught by Elders and community Knowledge Keepers to help train the next generation of responsible hunters.”
Although only new hunters and those convicted of specified hunting offences (listed here) will be subject to the new requirements, ENR recommends all harvesters complete the course.
Hunter Education is recommended for all harvesters, regardless of experience level.
However, hunters will not have to take the course if they:
- Are exercising an established or asserted Aboriginal right to harvest in the NWT in areas where they have harvesting rights
- Hold a General Hunting Licence
- Are an NWT resident and have held an NWT resident hunting licence in the previous five years
- Are an NWT resident and can prove they held a hunting licence in another Canadian jurisdiction in the previous five years or that they passed a hunter training course in another Canadian jurisdiction
- Are a hunter using a licensed guide or outfitter
Hunter Education is mandated under section 46 of the Wildlife Act.
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