Understanding Wildlife Enforcement

by: Chuck Moore
FALL 1996

Wildlife poaching is one of the biggest complaints Department of Lands and Forestry conservation enforcement officers receive. Poaching includes not only hunting wildlife illegally at night, but also taking any wildlife illegally, such as taking a second deer for someone else or taking wildlife out of season.

Each year in Nova Scotia, 50,000 to 60,000 lawabiding, safety-conscious people enjoy 1.5 million recreational days of hunting. Unfortunately, some people have always operated outside our wildlife management regulations. For the department to apprehend and prosecute a poacher, the wildlife officer and poacher, must be at the same place at the same time. This is not always easy to arrange.

The Department of Lands and Forestry has 50 conservation officers working out of 22 offices across the province. Each fall the department hires 45 assistant conservation officers, including 13 aboriginal persons. Wildlife enforcement is effective where there is strong community involvement. Poachers must feel they have to watch out for everyone, not just the conservation officer. Anyone may become aware of wildlife violations, but it is important that they pass the information on to local officers. A rumour or information that seems insignificant to you may be the missing link in an investigation or the beginning of a major operation.

It is not uncommon for officers to receive information that a person has illegal wildlife in a freezer. The action taken depends on the circumstances and the information. Officers must have legal grounds to obtain a search warrent. Even if no action is taken this time the information is recorded and it may help the officer the nest time a call is received. If you are willing to give your name and go to court to give evidence, the officer may be able to lay a charge using you as a witness.

The public can report illegal activity through the department's Report a Poacher Program or by calling 1-800-565-2224 or through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-422-8477. You do not have to give your name and you could be paid for your information. Hunters and non-hunters are asked to provide community support by reporting any information they become aware of. Poachers are not hunters, they are criminals. Only a small percentage of people are involved in this illegal activity.

Conservation officers enforce a variety of acts and regulations, including the Wildlife Act. Copies may be obtained from the provincial Government Bookstore (1-902-424-7580 or e-mail at tysonpa@gov.ns.ca). The following is an overview of some of the regulations.

  • The general open season for hunting deer is the last Friday in October until the first Sunday in December, includsive, every year. This year (1996), it runs from October 25 to December 7.
  • Anyone hunting other harvestable wildlife may possess a shotgun loaded with shot no greater than .24 inches in diameter or a bow and arrow with or without broadheads.
  • No one may hunt of discharge a firearm within 728 metres of a school, hunt with firearm loaded with a rifle cartridge, singleball or slug; or discharge a firearm within 400 metres of a dwelling, playground, golf course, athletic field, woods operation, place of business or public building; discharge a shotgun or bow within 182 metres of a dwelling, playground, golf course, athletic field, woods operation, place of business, or public building.
  • The owner or occupier of a dwelling may discharge a firearm or bow or hunt within the distances stated if the point of discharge is not within the prescribed distances from any other dwelling or a school, public building, playground, golf course, athletic field, woods operation or place of business.
  • The following wildlife may be taken without a licence or permit: coyote (anytime), red squirrel (November 1 to February 28), crow (September 1 to March 31), snapping turtle (July 15 to September 30), and bullfrog (July 15 to September 30).
  • No person shall sell the meat of white-tailed deer, moose, bullfrogs, snapping turtles or game birds unless permitted by regulation or licence.
  • With certain exceptions no person shall hunt between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise.
Questions concerning hunters trespassing are common during the fall from both hunters and non-hunters. What can be done depends upon the individual circumstances of each case. Conservation officers cannot enforce trespass laws, although police can under the Protection of Property Act. Trespassing is usually a civil matter and a landowner must charge the person and take them to court.

Everyone should do their part to help us protect our wildlife resource.