Summary of the Migratory Game Birds Hunting Regulations: Nova Scotia, August 2026 to July 2027

Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit

To hunt migratory game birds in Canada, you must possess:

• a valid Migratory Game Bird Hunting (MGBH) Permit
• a Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation (CWHC) Stamp on the permit 

The MGBH Permit is valid anywhere in Canada where and when there is an open season to hunt migratory game birds.

Hunting zones

Zone No. 1: the counties of Antigonish, Pictou, Colchester, Cumberland, Hants, Kings and Annapolis.

Zone No. 2: the counties of Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Queens, Lunenburg, Halifax, Guysborough, Cape Breton, Victoria, Inverness and Richmond.

Species at risk

• Barrow’s Goldeneye is listed in the Species at Risk Act as a species of special concern. The daily bag and possession limit is 1 bird.

• Harlequin Duck is listed in the Species at Risk Act as a species of special concern. There is no open season for this species.

Open season and daily bag and possession limits for migratory game birds in Nova Scotia

Hunting hours

No person shall hunt earlier than half an hour before sunrise or later than half an hour after sunset. 

Hunting restrictions and requirements

For more information on restrictions and requirements to hunt migratory game birds, please refer to the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 and/or consult the Migratory game bird hunting web page, which includes a frequently asked questions page. 

The Canadian Firearms Act outlines the requirements for the licensing, possession, storage and transportation of firearms. Learn more at the RCMP page on Firearms. 

Most provinces and territories have additional requirements to hunt and/or carry firearms. Check the provincial/territorial and municipal regulations where you will be hunting. Restrictions such as Sunday hunting closures and minimum required distances from residences and businesses for the discharge of firearms may apply.

Buy your MGBH Permit online

You can purchase an electronic MGBH Permit through the Regulatory Services Platform. 

Hunters must carry their MGBH Permit with them at all times when hunting or when in possession of unpreserved migratory game birds. Permits obtained online may be presented as an electronic PDF or as a printed copy. A provincial or territorial licence may also be required. It is the hunter’s responsibility to be able to show all required permits to a game officer immediately upon request. 

As of the 2027–2028 hunting season, Environment and Climate Change Canada will no longer print physical (paper) copies of the hunting regulation summaries. They will continue to be available online at Hunting regulations for migratory birds: provincial and territorial summaries. 

The physical MGBH Permits may be phased out as early as the 2027-2028 hunting season. Hunters will be invited to obtain their MGBH Permit through the Regulatory Services Platform. 

Youth Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit

The Youth MGBH Permit is an option available to hunters who are minors (under 18 years old on the day the permit is issued). The Youth MGBH Permit and electronic CWHC Stamp are free of charge and can only be obtained through the Regulatory Services Platform. 

The Youth MGBH Permit provides young hunters with the opportunity to practice their skills under the supervision of an adult hunter (known as a mentor) and allows them to have their own daily bag and possession limits. 

Mentors must possess their own MGBH Permit, must have held a MGBH Permit in a previous year, and may accompany no more than two Youth MGBH Permit holders at a time. Mentors may carry a firearm and may hunt. 

Many provinces and territories have additional requirements and restrictions for hunters who are minors and/or for their mentors.  

Enforcement

Federal game officers enforce the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and its associated regulations. This law regulates human activities, such as hunting, that could adversely affect the conservation of migratory birds. Game officers may use warnings, administrative monetary penalties, tickets or prosecutions. Fines and penalties vary depending on the severity of the offence. Individuals found guilty of a summary conviction for a first offence are liable to a fine between $5,000 and $300,000, a maximum imprisonment term of six months, or both. 

Crime Stoppers

Shot

• Lead shot is toxic to wildlife and the environment
• In Nova Scotia, the use and possession of shot other than non-toxic shot is prohibited while hunting migratory game birds, other than woodcock 
• Within National Wildlife Areas (NWA) that allow hunting, the possession of lead shot is prohibited for all hunting, including the hunting of migratory and upland game birds. Refer to Schedule I.1 of the Wildlife Area Regulations to know which NWAs allow hunting and what restrictions or requirements apply

To reduce your exposure to contaminants in meat, make sure, before cooking it, to: 

• remove the shot from birds hunted with lead shot;
• remove the skin and fat from fish-eating birds

Consultation process and migratory birds regulatory reports

There is a national consultation process which includes a report on the population status of migratory game birds and a proposal report that provides an opportunity to participate in developing the hunting regulations. To learn more, visit Migratory birds regulatory report series.  

Report your migratory bird bands

Report a bird with a federal band or color marker online or call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) to leave a message. 

Contact us

Environment and Climate Change Canada 
Canadian Wildlife Service 
Regional office 
17 Waterfowl Lane 
P.O. Box 6227 
Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1G6 
Tel.: 1-800-668-6767
enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

The information presented here is a summary of the law. If there is a discrepancy between the law and this summary, the law prevails.