Trapping in Québec
Main regulations - Season 2011-2012
Main regulations - Season 2011-2012
Trappers must correctly choose the area where they intend to trap. For more details on the boundaries of trapping areas, please contact the Department's Customer Services at
Under a professional trapping licence for resident, a person may trap on private lands and on lands of the domain of the State that are not beaver reserves intended for the exclusive use of the Indians and the Inuit. It is important to recall the importance for trappers to respect private property and to obtain the owner’s permission to have access to this property .
In the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Chaudière-Appalaches, Estrie, and Montérégie regions, landowners or their representatives and the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune have signed a memorandum of agreement on wildlife management and access. Under this agreement, it is prohibited to trap on these lands without first obtaining permission from the owner or his representative. On these lands, the Department prosecutes those persons who trap without the owner’s authorization. The same is now true in the case of trapping on a land contemplated by an agreement reached between an owner and an association or agency whose vocation is to promote access by trappers to private lands and recognized to this end by the Department, for wildlife accessibility purposes. To find out more about these territories, contact the Department's Customer Services at
Moreover, when practicing trapping in areas close to urban centres trappers must respect the presence of other citizens. To that end, trappers should consult the brochure La Chasse à l'aube du XXIe siècle, offered at the offices of the Department, and to promote its application. This document is also available on the web site at: www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/publications/faune/chasse_xx1_siecle.pdf.
Some outfitting operations with exclusive rights also have exclusive trapping rights on their territory. Under a professional trapping licence, a person may trap on these territories but as in the case of a trapline, he must also have in his possession a document attesting to the authorization to trap obtained from the outfitter (see form page 18) and, as the case may be, present it upon request to a wildlife protection officer, a wildlife protection assistant or an area warden. To find out which outfitting operations hold exclusive trapping rights, contact the Department's Customer Services at
A holder of a professional trapping licence for residents may hold a trapline under lease with exclusive trapping rights. The Department attributes available traplines by an annual random draw. To register for this draw, contact the Société d’établissement de plein air du Québec (see www.sepaq.com). To obtain such a trapline, a person must be a resident, must hold a trapper’s certificate and be at least 18 years of age. Special trapping conditions are also enforced on these lands. For details, consult the publication under the section Specific Regulations on a trapline (see page 8).
These traplines are located on lands in the State domain reserved for trapping as well as in wildlife sanctuaries or ZECs outside UGAFs 6, 7, 29, 31, 32, 50, 56 (beaver reserves) and 87 to 96 (territories subject to the agreements). To find out more about where these traplines are located or about the regulations applicable to a given wildlife sanctuary or ZEC, contact the Department's Customer Services at
Persons who practice a trapping activity in a wildlife sanctuary are free to come and go during limited access moose and white-tailed deer hunting periods.
Under a professional trapping licence, a person may trap on these territories but he must also have in his possession a document attesting to the authorization to trap obtained from the leaseholder (see form Authorization to trap on a territory where exclusive trapping rights have been granted (PDF Format, 17 Kb)page 18) and, as the case may be, present it upon request to a wildlife protection officer, a wildlife protection assistant or an area warden.
The conditions applying to the use of resources in wildlife preserves are set with a view to ensuring the conservation of a wildlife habitat or a wildlife species. In these areas, special restrictions may apply to trapping.
For more information about these preserves, contact the Department's Customer Services at 1 877 346-6763.
A natural reserve is a private property protected by way of a conservation agreement reached between an owner and the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs du Québec. Its recognition seeks to guarantee the preservation of the natural characteristics warranting the interest in the conservation of this property. It is governed by the provisions of the Natural Heritage Conservation Act.
In a natural reserve, wildlife harvesting activities may be subject to more restrictive measures than those stipulated in the provincial regulations. Before accessing this private property, you must obtain the owner’s authorization and inquire about the special measures in effect. For more information, get in touch with the Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs at 1 800 561-1616 or visit the web site www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca.
Environnement Canada's wildlife conservation section is responsible for these territories. Trapping may be permitted in these areas under certain conditions. For more information, contact this organization at 1 800 668-6767.
Special regulations apply to fish and game reserves and may differ from one reserve to the next. In some, special authorization may be required to enter and carry on any activity whatsoever, whereas in others the possession of firearms or hunting devices is prohibited. Before trapping in a fish and game reserve, be sure to contact the Department's Customer Services at
These territories cover most of Northern Québec north of the 49th parallel, and certain parts of the Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Outaouais, Haute-Mauricie, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and Côte-Nord regions. In UGAFs 6, 7 (except for the wildlife sanctuary), 29, 31, 32, 50, 56 and 87 to 96, trapping is reserved exclusively for the persons (Aboriginals) referred to in the Regulation respecting beaver reserves and An Act respecting hunting and fishing rights in the Baie James and Nouveau-Québec territories.
No person may trap in a provincial or federal national park, a forest station or an ecological reserve, as well as in UGAF 67. Trapping is also banned in the following areas where trapping is prohibited : Lac-la-Blanche (UGAF 8), Les Laurentides (Centre touristique et éducatif des Laurentides in Saint-Faustin) (UGAF 23), Bois-de-Belle-Rivière (Municipality of Mirabel) (UGAF 24), Massif de la Petite-Rivière-Saint-François (UGAF 40), Les Palissades (UGAF 41), Centre d’études et de recherches Manicouagan (UGAF 57), Réserve écologique de la Matamec (UGAF 61), Charles-B.-Banville (UGAF 76), Drummondville ( located in Saint-Majorique and Drummondville) (UGAF 82) and, from September 19th to December 26th, on a portion of Canal Beauharnois and the adjacent lands (UGAF 84) and on the territory of Chute-à-Michel (Cégep de Saint-Félicien) (UGAF 47). To obtain more information, please contact the Department’s Customer Services at 1 877 346-6763.
Finally, National Capital Commission (UGAF 9) regulations prohibit trapping on its lands. The Parc de la Gatineau hunting reserve is located on NCC lands. For more information, contact the Commission at
