See up-to-date hunting rules and regulations

  • Yukon hunting regulations
  • Important changes for the current hunting season
  • Other hunting updates
  • When and where can you hunt?

  1. Yukon hunting regulations

    To hunt in the Yukon, you must have a valid Yukon hunting licence and follow Yukon hunting regulations.

    When you get a hunting licence, you'll get a copy of the Yukon hunting regulations summary, or you can download it.

    Download the Yukon hunting regulations summary

    It's your responsibility to know and follow these regulations.

    View the insert map of Game Management Subzones and special area restrictions.

    Hunt wisely

    We've streamlined the Yukon hunting regulations summary to keep the focus on the regulations.

    For field dressing methods, hunting tips, safety information and more, download Hunt wisely: a guidebook for hunting safely and responsibly in Yukon.

    Migratory game birds

    You can get the Regulations for hunting ducks, geese, rails, coots, sandhill cranes and snipe in the Yukon from Environment and Climate Change Canada.


  2. Important changes for the current hunting season

    As of April 1, 2023

    Moose

    • Permit Hunt Authorizations (PHAs) in the Sifton-Miners Range Moose Management Unit have doubled. 
      • Last year, 12 permits were issued to licensed resident hunters for the Sifton-Miners Range, comprised of Game Management Subzones 5-48, 5-49 and 5-50.
      • After recent survey results, 24 permits will be available this year.

    Sheep

    • Cancellation of the Kluane sheep permit.
      • This permit is offered at the discretion of the Kluane First Nation and territorial Minister of Environment.
      • Due to conservation concerns with local sheep populations, Kluane First Nation cancelled their auction of the Kluane sheep permit this year and the Department of Environment has cancelled the 2023-2024 lottery for this specific permit.
      • This opportunity will be re-evaluated next year.

    Elk

    • There is a new hunt code for the 8 Wildlife Act adaptive elk permits introduced last year.
      • Hunters will see a third hunt code for elk this year. Apply for the adaptive elk permits using the new hunt code EL24.
      • The Wildlife Act adaptive elk permits are restricted to the harvest of a bull elk with five-point antlers or less, in the Takhini Valley area: Game Management Subzones 5-47, 5-50 (portion), 7-02 (portion), 7-04 (portion), 7-05 (portion), 7-13, 7-14 (portion), 7-15, 7-18, 8-04 (portion).
      • This is a weighted lottery process, if drawn, a hunter’s weighting will reset to zero. It will follow all the other characteristics of a normal PHA process.
      • These permits are in addition to the 4 existing PHA’s under hunt code EL23, for a total of 12 elk permits for resident hunters in the Takhini Valley for the 2023–24 hunting season.
      • Learn more about this hunt.

  3. Other hunting updates

    Snowmobile use open along the Dempster Highway

    The Dempster Highway corridor extends to 8 kilometres either side of the centre line of the highway, from kilometre 68 to the Yukon-NWT border.

    The Dempster Highway is open for snowmobile use as of November 10, 2023. 

    If weather conditions change, snowmobile closures may come also into effect when this area is open to protect the tundra from damage.

    We remind hunters on snowmobiles:

    • Not to harass or chase any animals while on their snowmobile. 
    • Operate your machine responsibly.
    • Use common sense and do not travel across a landscape that might not be properly protected by snow cover. 

    Other types of off-road vehicles such as ATVs are not permitted within the Dempster Highway corridor.

    Attention Dempster Highway caribou hunters

    Hart River caribou herd

    Caribou south of kilometre 140 on the Dempster Highway (near Windy Pass) are from the Hart River caribou herd. These are not Porcupine caribou. Hart River caribou are a much smaller herd (approximately 2,700 in number) and are vulnerable to over-hunting.

    Harvest rights granted to Inuvialuit and Gwich’in beneficiaries under the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement do not extend south of kilometre 140 at this time.

    Remember that caribou hunting in the 5Game Management Subzones 2-16, 2-23, 2-27, 2-28 and 2-39 is closed to licensed hunting effective November 1. This includes the Dempster Highway from kilometre 77 (North Fork Pass) to kilometre 195 (Ogilvie River bridge).

    The Government of Yukon monitors the Porcupine caribou herd’s movements, and if large numbers move south of kilometre 140 we may open this area to harvest. We continue to monitor caribou movement to the northwest of Windy Pass using satellite collars and fixed-wing aircraft to help ensure the most up to date knowledge of herd movements is available. If Porcupine caribou enter these subzones in sufficient numbers before January 31 each year, we'll make an announcement opening these subzones.

    Hunters can monitor the movements of Porcupine caribou by checking PCMB.ca.

    For more information about harvesting caribou along the Dempster Highway in the Yukon, contact the Department of Environment office in Dawson City at 867-993-5492.

    Help conserve the Hart River caribou herd.

    Hunting the Porcupine caribou herd

    • Licensed hunters can only hunt Porcupine caribou north of kilometre 195.
    • Subsistence hunters can hunt Porcupine caribou north of kilometre 140.

  4. When and where can you hunt?

    Game Management Subzones

    The Government of Yukon uses Game Management Subzones (GMS) to manage Yukon wildlife species. These are areas within which authorities can make specific regulations for managing big game.

    There are 443 Game Management Subzones in the Yukon, grouped into 11 Game Management Zones. Most zone boundaries follow highway-centre lines, while Game Management Subzones boundaries follow creeks and rivers. Except for national parks, Game Management Subzones cover all of the Yukon.

    Each Game Management Subzone has different:

    • open species;
    • bag limits;
    • season dates; and
    • special area restrictions.

    Check the Yukon hunting regulations summary for details.

    Maps for hunting

    Download a map of Yukon Game Management Zones and Subzones, as well as special area restrictions.

    You can purchase printed administrative boundary maps showing Game Management Subzones, First Nation Category A and B Settlement Lands, conservation officer districts and other areas from the Department of Environment’s offices in Dawson City and Haines Junction and in Whitehorse at 10 Burns Road for $10 plus GST.

    Hunting near roadways

    • You must be off the road or highway completely before you can fire a shot. This includes the shoulder.
    • You must shoot away from the road, not across or along it.

    Hunting on First Nations Settlement Lands

    Licensed hunters must:

    • comply with the general Yukon hunting laws and any laws the First Nation has enacted regarding hunting on Settlement Lands;
    • obtain written permission from the First Nation before hunting any big game or small game species on all Category A Settlement Land;
    • obtain written permission from the First Nation before hunting bison and elk on Category A and B Settlement Lands;
    • not damage the land or structures;
    • not commit acts of mischief; and
    • not interfere with the use and enjoyment of the land by the First Nation.

    The map included with the Yukon hunting regulations summary only shows the larger blocks of Category A Settlement Land. Smaller blocks of Category A Settlement Lands, and all other First Nation Settlement Land, are marked on detailed maps. You can view these at:

    For more information about rights and responsibilities when hunting on First Nations lands:


Contact 

For questions about Yukon hunting rules and regulations, email environmentyukon@yukon.ca or phone 867-667-5652 or toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5652.