Although winter is the best time to hunt rabbits and hares, the open season for snowshoe hares on Vancouver Island is during August.
Is it legal to hunt rabbits in BC?
Anyone may be able to kill wild rabbits (Eastern cottontails and feral European pet rabbits) without a permit. Municipalities and other organizations may no longer need permits to carry out culls, removing an important oversight mechanism for accountability and transparency.
What kind of animals can you hunt on Vancouver Island?
Small game animals you can hunt on Vancouver Island are duck, goose, grouse, pheasant, snowshoe hare, and raccoon. Sometimes hunting big game is far more manageable than small game. Snowshoe hare hunting is one of the most challenging small game hunts.
Is hunting allowed on Vancouver Island?
Hunting on Vancouver island, BC, Canada includes world-class big game trophy hunting for Boone & Crockett Roosevelt Elk, Black Bears (Island Bears) and Blacktail Deer.
Are there wild rabbits on Vancouver Island?
Eastern cottontail rabbits are native to Eastern and Central North America from the Great Lakes down to Central America and Northern South America. They were introduced to the Sooke in 1964 and have since spread throughout Eastern Vancouver Island from Victoria to Campbell River.
Can I shoot a rabbit in my yard?
Be aware that the use of firearms is prohibited in urban and suburban locations. That said, legislative clarification from the California Attorney General (Opinion 06-109, 2007) makes it lawful to kill cottontail rabbits that are harming landscaping, ornamental plants, or gardens.
Do you need a license to hunt rabbits in BC?
In areas that area open to hunting and the discharge of firearms or bows, rabbits can be harvested by hunters possessing a valid BC hunting licence. Municipal bylaws may prohibit the use of traps, firearms and bows. Contact the local bylaw department.
What is the top predator on Vancouver Island?
Cougars
Cougars are at the top of the food chain, and fierce predators. Although they will normally avoid confrontation with humans, unfortunately, their actions are often unpredictable. There is also little understanding of what might trigger an attack. Children and pets are most likely to be the victim of a cougar attack.
Are there grizzlies on Vancouver Island?
Grizzly bears do not live year round on Vancouver Island however you can go on one of the bear watching trips to view the mainland Grizzlies. There are almost 14000 Grizzly Bears in British Columbia and many coastal Grizzlies feed along the shorelines for shellfish as well as during salmon season.
Can you hunt squirrels on Vancouver Island?
Eastern Grey Squirrels are under Schedule C of the Wildlife Act, which states that they can be captured or killed anywhere, at any time, in B.C. You do not need a permit or Provincial hunting license to kill Eastern Grey Squirrels.
Can you hunt black bears on Vancouver Island?
It is no secret that Vancouver Island can offer the world’s best black bear hunting. This fact has been acknowledged for years, as the island’s hunting districts are absolutely teeming with bears. On springtime hunts, which are best during April – May you can expect to see between 5-10 bears on an average day hunting.
Are there any deer on Vancouver Island?
Range and Habitat
The Columbia Black-Tailed Deer, however, is found throughout Vancouver Island and the western slopes of the coastal mountain range from the United States border to Rivers Inlet.
Can you hunt wolves on Vancouver Island?
Yes, they are endangered, but no prohibitions are made against wolf hunting on Vancouver Island. According to BC regulations, every hunter can hunt up to three wolves per year.
Why are there so many rabbits on Vancouver Island?
These rabbits are often pets that have been released into the wild and once they’re out, they mate like rabbits. This has led to an abundance of bunnies in B.C. and the province has now enacted regulation changes to control the feral rabbit population.
Are there alligators on Vancouver Island?
They aren’t very common. And you won’t see them out and about until mid to late spring when the weather heats up. They stay in a cool, dry hibernaculum underground.
Are there feral pigs on Vancouver Island?
Within B.C., feral pigs have been reported in low numbers in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Thompson-Okanagan, Peace, Chilcotin and Kootenay Regions. Many of these pigs were released or escaped from farms and were recaptured. Feral pigs have not yet established large populations in the province.
Where can I shoot rabbits in Victoria?
Lake Albacutya Park: The hunting of pest animals (rabbits, foxes or cats) is allowed, as is the hunting of game duck during the open season.
What caliber do you shoot a rabbit with?
A 20-gauge shotgun with an improved-cylinder choke is one of the best choices, but almost any shotgun, regardless of gauge, action or choke, is adequate to hunt rabbits. As far as shot sizes, 6s and 7-1/2s are both good choices for cottontails.
When should you not hunt rabbits?
It’s unsafe to eat wild rabbits or hares before the first hard frost of the year. If you eat a wild rabbit sooner, the meat will have parasites.
Can you hunt in BC without a pal?
As a resident of B.C., you need a federal firearms licence (PAL or POL) in order to legally possess firearms here.
Can a non resident hunt in BC?
Non-residents have the opportunity to hunt both big and small game in British Columbia.