Moose Hunting in BC: A Step by Step Guide

Hunting wild game such as White-Tailed-Deer, Grouse, Elk, and Moose is a popular pastime for many residents of Canada, especially those in British Columbia. James Zeleznik is one of those people. The Province’s high population of wildlife marks BC as one of the premier hotspots for hunting. For those of you who are new to the sport, James offers a step by step guide on how to take your first steps into hunting, with a specific focus on Moose. The open season for Moose hunting in BC is very slim (November 1st – November 15th), so it can be one of the most thrilling times of the year for any avid hunter.

Licenses

To hunt legally in British Columbia, you’re going to have to acquire two licenses by successfully completing two different programs. The first is the Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL).  This licence is obtained by passing the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. This link to the RCMP webpage will offer a broader overview on PAL training. However, many local companies offer the program, so I suggest researching further to see what’s provided in your area.

The second licence is The Conservation Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE), which is obtained by completing a course by the same name. The BC Wildlife Foundation offers a great overview of the safety program, and you can find a link to their page here.

You’re not done yet – once you have those two licenses, you then need to purchase a BC Hunting Licence, and additional animal tags for whatever species you wish to hunt. Tags are how the Government controls the number of animals are hunted each year. For a complete list of licence types and prices, go to the BC government website here.

Rifles

If you want to effectively take down a Moose, then you need to be using the right caliber of rifle in order to do so. As a hunter, one should strive to have the animal put down in the most humane way possible. Now, there are many different rifles available, but I believe the most popular and effective rifle for hunting Moose is a .30-06 Springfield. This is a great, high energy caliber with accurate long range capabilities. However, I highly recommend looking into other options. Firstly, there are many out there, and secondly, the hunting community doesn’t always agree on which is the best. I personally have found success with a .30-06 rifle, and believe it to be one of the most liked calibers for Moose.

Locations for Moose Hunting in BC

So now you have your licenses and your rifle, but where do you go? I understand Moose to live away from the coastal regions, and that they tend to settle more in the mountains and valleys. They do not like in the dry, southern regions of the Province. I would say most of the Moose population is found in Northern BC. Any of the wide number of small lakes south of Prince George is a good place to begin searching. If you don’t know anyone who has a cabin, or home in this area, there are a wide number of guided tours available to the public.

If you’re not new to the hunting world, then a lot of this information you already know. My hope is that this guide will encourage others to delve more into the sport of hunting. If someone had no knowledge of hunting, and was looking for a good start, then this guide has hopefully given a foundation that one can build off of. I have always enjoyed Moose hunting in BC, and now I wish for you to enjoy is as well, happy hunting!