The number of hunting permits issued by Environment and Natural Resources has increased compared to last year, but a department spokesperson says they don’t believe the higher number of people hunting is linked to an increase in illegal caribou harvesting.
In March, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Shane Thompson said illegal caribou harvesting was five times higher than it was last year.
In 2019-20 there were 1,140 big game hunting licences issued and 1,186 small game hunting licences issued to NWT residents. There were also 94 big and 71 small game hunting permits issued to Canadian non-NWT residents.
Compare that with this year: there were 1,363 big game hunting licences issued and 1,243 small game hunting licences issued to NWT residents. There were also 94 big and 71 small Hunting permits issued to Canadian non-NWT residents, however, 18 big and 4 small.
Despite the higher number of permits, Mike Westwick, a spokesperson for ENR says the numbers likely haven’t contributed to the spike in illegal harvesting and dumping of carcasses.
“It is important to note that Indigenous harvesters who are harvesting within their rights area do not require a license,” he added in an email. “Indigenous harvesters who are harvesting in areas of the NWT and outside of their rights area require a General Hunting Licence (which have no expiry date).”
Speaking alongside Thompson in March, Qamanirjuaq Caribou Management Board Chair Earl Evans says the illegal harvesting this year is the worst he has seen in his 50 years of hunting and trapping.
Evans says warmer weather and the decline in elders hunting, replaced by younger people, could be leading to the increase in illegal harvesting.
“There’s a lot of good hunters out there, and they’re getting painted with the same brush and they’re not the people that are concerning,” he added.
“It’s the people that are doing the wastage, chasing and harassing these animals that we have to deal with somehow. Somehow, we got to get a message across to these people that we need responsible hunters out there.”
