Summary of Migratory Birds Hunting Regulations: Saskatchewan, August 2024 to July 2025

Notice

Avian influenza virus (AIV) is a contagious viral infection that can affect domestic and wild birds throughout the world. Guidelines have been developed to prevent or mitigate the spread of this virus, and for precautionary measures to take when handling wild game. For more information, please refer to the Avian influenza in wild birds web page and the Wildlife and Avian Influenza – Handling Guidelines to Protect Your Health web page on the Government of Canada website.

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Summary

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

These two documents are issued by the federal government and are valid in all provinces and territories.

The 2023 federal permit is also valid for the 2024 spring special conservation harvest for Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese.

Hunting districts

Saskatchewan Hunting zone, see long description
Hunting districts
Long description

District No. 1 (North) Provincial Wildlife Management Zones (WMZ) 43 and 47 to 76 inclusive.

District No. 2 (South) Provincial WMZ 1 to 42 and 44 to 46, and the Saskatoon and Regina–Moose Jaw Provincial WMZ.

Refer to the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 for restrictions and requirements for items such as baiting, hunting methods and equipment.

Most provinces and territories have additional licence requirements for hunting migratory birds and/or to carry firearms. To know what you require, and if there are further restrictions for hunting migratory birds, please verify the applicable regulations for the province/territory and municipality where you will be hunting. Restrictions such as minimum required distances from residences and businesses for the discharge of firearms may be applicable.

Buy permit online

You can purchase and print your Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit by visiting the Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit web page.

Hunters may carry their Migratory Game Bird Hunting (MGBH) permit either in physical (paper) or electronic formats (such as on a mobile device). Electronic MGBH permits must be in the PDF format provided by the e-permitting system (a photograph or screenshot of your permit is not valid). It is the hunter’s responsibility to be able to show all required permits to a game officer immediately upon request.

Consultation process and migratory birds regulatory reports

A national consultation process has been developed which includes a report on the population status of migratory game birds and a consultation document that provide an opportunity to participate in developing the hunting regulations. For more information, consult the Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Series web page on the Government of Canada website.

Youth Migratory Game Bird Hunting (MGBH) Permit

Hunters who are minors (less than 18 years old) have the option to hunt with a Youth MGBH permit. The Youth MGBH permit, as well as the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation stamp, can only be obtained through our online permitting system, free of charge. The Youth MGBH permit is not available for purchase from independent vendors or Canada Post.

The Youth MGBH permit provides young hunters with the opportunity to practice their skills under the supervision of an adult mentor (in possession of a MGBH Permit) throughout the full open season and the special conservation season, and provides Youth MGBH Permit holders with their own daily bag and possession limits.

Mentors must possess their own MGBH permit, must have held such a permit in a previous year, and may accompany no more than two youth hunters. Mentors may carry a firearm, and may hunt. For more information on the new rules pertaining to hunting migratory game birds in the modernized Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022, please consult the Government of Canada Migratory Game Bird Hunting website.

Important updates to the hunting regulations for Saskatchewan

The half-day hunting restriction for Canada Geese, Cackling Geese and White-fronted Geese in Saskatchewan is removed. Now, all migratory game birds for which there is an open season may be hunted from one half-hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset, for the entire season.

Enforcement

Federal game officers enforce the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA) and its associated regulations throughout Canada. This law regulates human activities, such as hunting, that could adversely affect wildlife conservation. Game officers may use warnings, administrative monetary penalties, tickets or prosecutions to enforce the provisions of the MBCA and its regulations. The fines and penalties that may be imposed reflect the seriousness of the offence(s). Individuals may be subject to a fine range for a first offence associated to sections of the MBR, 2022 designated for the purposes of paragraph 13(1)(c) of the MBCA, 1994 on summary conviction of not less than $5,000 and not more than $300,000, or imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or both.

Shot

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

Cranes

Where the Regional Director of the Prairie Region of the Canadian Wildlife Service or the Chief Provincial Wildlife Officer of Saskatchewan is of the opinion that Whooping Cranes may be in an area of the province during the open season for Sandhill Cranes, either may prohibit the hunting of Sandhill Cranes in that area for the remainder of that calendar year.

Crime stoppers

Anyone wishing to report illegal hunting activities, illegal selling of birds or other offences related to migratory birds is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Your call is anonymous, and you may be eligible for a cash reward.

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

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

Area

Species

Open season

Daily bag limit

Possession limit

District No. 1 (North) and District No. 2 (South)

All ducks, combined

September 1 to December 16

8

24

Canada Geese, Cackling Geese and White-fronted Geese, combined

September 1 to December 16

8

24

Sandhill Cranes

September 1 to December 16

5

15

Coots

September 1 to December 16

10

30

Snipe

September 1 to December 16

10

30

Special measures for overabundant species in Saskatchewan

Special measures for overabundant species in Saskatchewan

Area

Species

Open season

Daily bag limit

Possession limit

Additional hunting method or equipment

District No. 1 (North) and District No. 2 (South)

Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese

September 1 to December 16

20

No limit

Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used. While hunting those species with those calls, any other species of migratory bird for which it is the open season may be hunted.

March 15 to June 15

Electronic bird calls of Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be used.

For more information

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

For more information, consult:

You may also direct your questions to:

Environment and Climate Change Canada
Canadian Wildlife Service
Regional office
115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 0X4

Tel: 1-800-668-6767
enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

Report your migratory bird bands

Call 1-800-327-BAND (2263) to leave a message or go to the Report a bird with a federal band or color marker website.

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