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First Nations Hunting and Fishing

Recognizing a special relationship
First Nation people have a special relationship with fish and wildlife -- a relationship based on subsistence needs and values extending back thousands of years. Recent land claim agreements acknowledge that relationship and confirm the right of First Nation people to hunt and fish primarily for food. This document explains that right and the responsibilities that go along with it.

This is not a legal document. It is a summary prepared by the Yukon government to help you understand the basic rules. For legal details consult the Umbrella Final Agreement, First Nation Final Agreements, Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement and the Yukon Wildlife Act.

Your hunting and fishing rights and responsibilities
To figure out your hunting and fishing rights and responsibilities you need to know:

To look at a map of traditional territories, or to find out which First Nations have Final Agreements, contact your First Nation, the Council of Yukon First Nations or the Department of Environment.

Salmon

The fishing information in this document applies to freshwater fish only. For information about salmon, which are dealt with separately under the Final Agreements, contact your First Nation or the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

If you are a beneficiary of a Yukon First Nation WITH a Final Agreement...

Your right to hunt and fish for food
You have a right to hunt and fish for food inside the Traditional Territory of your First Nation. In this area you can harvest any species, male or female, at any time of year, with no bag limits or catch limits, subject to regulation by your First Nation . You do not need a Yukon hunting or fishing licence to exercise your right at this time.

Your responsibilities

If you want to hunt or fish outside your Traditional Territory:

Your First Nation may require you to report any animals killed under your right to hunt for food. Contact your First Nation for more detail.

If you are a beneficiary of a Yukon First Nation WITHOUT a Final Agreement...

Your right to hunt and fish for food

You have a right to hunt and fish for food outside the Traditional Territories of First Nations with Final Agreements, without a Yukon hunting or fishing licence. In these areas you can harvest any species, male or female, at any time of year, with no bag limits or catch limits.

Your responsibilities

If you want to hunt or fish inside the Traditional Territory of a First Nation with a Final Agreement:

If you are an aboriginal member of a NON-YUKON First Nation...

Your right to hunt and fish for food

You have a right to hunt and fish for food outside the Traditional Territories of First Nations with Final Agreements without a Yukon hunting or fishing licence. In these areas you can harvest any species, male or female, at any time of year, with no bag limits or catch limits.

If you are a beneficiary of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement or the Gwich'in Comprehensive Claim, you have additional rights which are laid out in your agreement. If you are a beneficiary of the Kaska Dene Council, Tahltan Tribal Council or Taku River Tlingits, future transboundary agreements may your additional rights.

Your responsibilities

There may be limits on your right to hunt and fish for food

Your right to hunt and fish for food may be limited by laws set in consultation with First Nations for the purpose of conservation, public health or public safety. Some examples of conservation laws are listed below. It's also a good idea to check with your First Nation office once in a while to see if any additional laws have been put in place.


Conservation laws: bison, elk, deer and muskox
It is unlawful to:

  • hunt bison or elk anywhere in the Yukon,
  • hunt deer inside the Traditional Territories of First Nations without Final Agreements,
  • hunt muskox on the Yukon North Slope.

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    Public safety concerns
    Firearm safety is an important part of hunting. So please follow these basic rules. Avoid:

  • hunting in a way that is dangerous to people,
  • hunting in a way that is likely to cause damage to personal property, and
  • having a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle ("vehicle" does not include a boat).


    • Laws of General Application
    Laws of General Application are laws that apply to everyone. You must follow all Laws of General Application when hunting or fishing for food with a licence. Most of these laws are summarized in three annual publications:

    Inuvialuit Final Agreement and Gwich'in Comprehensive Claim

    This document does not address harvesting on the Yukon North Slope and in the Peel River area north of Mayo, as affected by the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and the and the Gwich'in Comprehensive Claim . For more information consult these agreements, or contact a Department of Environment office, the Inuvialuit Game Council Secretariat in Inuvik, NWT (403-979-2828), or the Tetlit Gwichin First Nation office in Fort McPherson (403-952-2417).

    You should also know about...

    Fishing with a gill net, fish trap or set box
    Please mark your name and the name of your First Nation on this type of fishing gear so Conservation Officers will know it is legal.

    Guiding non-residents
    You cannot act as a guide for non-resident hunters ANYWHERE in the Yukon unless you are authorized to do so under the Wildlife Act .

    Hunting or fishing for food
    Hunting or fishing for food includes harvesting food for yourself, your family and for ceremonial purposes such as potlaches.

    Hunting or fishing for a purpose other than obtaining food
    You must follow all Laws of General Application when you are hunting or fishing for a purpose other than obtaining food. If you want to kill a bear for the hide, for example, you must first get a hunting licence. And after the kill, you must provide biological submissions as required under the Wildlife Act.

    Selling meat and other wildlife parts
    When you kill an animal for food you can use the non-edible parts to make traditional handicrafts for sale. However, you cannot kill an animal for the sole purpose of making items for sale.

    You can trade, barter or sell meat obtained through your right to hunt for food, to other First Nation people for traditional sharing purposes, but not for commercial purposes. You cannot trade or sell meat to non-First Nation people. Generally, you can give small amounts of meat, such as a roast or two, to non-First Nation people.

    You cannot trade or sell meat obtained through licensed harvesting to anyone.

    Showing proof of your rights
    When you exercise your right to hunt and fish for food, a fish and wildlife enforcement officer may ask you to show proof of enrollment in a First Nation Final Agreement, proof of consent to hunt or fish, or other proof. Your First Nation can provide you with proof of enrollment.

    If you are a Yukon Indian Person over 55 years of age on the effective date of your Final Agreement, you do not have to show proof of enrollment. However, you may be asked to produce other identification.

    Wasting meat or fur
    It is unlawful to waste:

    Hunting the Porcupine Caribou Herd

    If you are a First Nation person who IS recognized by one of the Native User Communities listed in the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement , you have a right to hunt the Porcupine Caribou Herd for food and do not require a hunting licence. Native User Communities are Old Crow, Dawson, Mayo, Fort Macpherson, Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik, Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk.

    If you are a First Nation person who IS NOT recognized by one of the Native User Communities, and you DO NOT have a Final Agreement , you have an ability to hunt Porcupine caribou for food without a licence ONLY in areas where there is no Final Agreement in place. In areas where there are Final Agreements in place, you must have consent from the First Nation. If you do not have consent, you must hunt with a Yukon hunting licence under the Laws of General Application. (Please check with your First Nation or a Department of Environment office to find out which areas are not covered by Final Agreements.)

    If you are a First Nation person who IS NOT recognized by one of the Native User Communities, and you DO have a Final Agreement , you must have consent to hunt Porcupine caribou within the Traditional Territory of a First Nation with a Final Agreement. If you do not have consent, or if you wish to hunt within the Traditional Territory of a First Nation without a Final Agreement, you must hunt with a Yukon hunting licence under the Laws of General Application.

    For more information

    For more information contact a Conservation Officer in your community

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