Guide
Hunting as a non-resident: the law
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Book an outfitter first. A non-resident cannot hunt big game here without a licensed guide, and non-resident big game licences are sold only through licensed outfitters, so the licence, the guide and usually the camp come as one decision.
The rule, quoted, is below. This page points to the rules; it is not the rules. The Wild Life Regulations and the province’s Hunting & Trapping Guide govern. Where they disagree with this page, they win, and tell us.
The sentence to plan around
From the Wild Life Regulations, in the consolidation published by the King’s Printer:
“A non-resident shall not hunt, take or kill big game in any part of the province without employing and being accompanied by a licensed guide.”
One guide may serve at most two non-resident hunters at a time. The province’s plain-language page says the same and adds that guides come through licensed outfitting companies, and non-resident big game licences are sold only through those outfitters. There is no draw to enter.
What that means for a trip through these airports
Outfitted hunters usually fly in through Gander or Deer Lake; your outfitter will say which. The province sets fees yearly (as stated when we checked, September 2026: moose $502, caribou $675, black bear $150, each outfitter-only; the fee page is the authority). Outfitter package prices are separate. Licence and tags stay on your person; proof of your home jurisdiction’s hunter education stands in for the province’s own card and must be shown on demand.
The border, briefly
Firearms enter Canada through the RCMP’s declaration process: a form signed only in front of a border officer that serves as a temporary licence for the firearms listed on it. Details, costs and the rules on restricted and prohibited classes are on the RCMP’s non-resident page. The province’s guide tells arriving hunters to declare all firearms at customs. Read the federal pages before you pack; no outfitter can fix a border problem.
Before you go
The Hunting & Trapping Guide — current cycleNew edition each licence year
Seasons, zones, quotas and the fine print are here and change every cycle. This guide governs.
gov.nl.ca →Licence feesSet per licence year
The province sets the fee schedule. Check it the year you hunt.
gov.nl.ca →Bringing a firearm into CanadaStanding federal rules
The RCMP sets the declaration process, costs and limits. Read this before you pack, not at the border.
rcmp.ca →
Questions
Can I hunt moose here on my own as a visitor?＋
No. The Wild Life Regulations state it directly: "A non-resident shall not hunt, take or kill big game in any part of the province without employing and being accompanied by a licensed guide." One guide may accompany at most two non-residents. The outfitter is not optional.
How do I even get a big game licence, then?＋
Only through a licensed outfitter. Non-resident big game licences for moose, caribou and black bear are sold via outfitters, and non-residents cannot enter the resident licence draw. Choose the outfitter first; the licence comes with the hunt.
Does the guide rule apply to small game too?＋
No. The guide requirement is big game only. Small game, coyote and wolf licences are sold at ordinary vendors, and migratory bird hunting needs the separate federal Migratory Game Bird permit. Proof of hunter education from your home jurisdiction travels with you and must be produced on demand.
What about bringing my rifle across the border?＋
Use the RCMP's Non-Resident Firearms Declaration. Signed only in front of a border officer, it acts as a temporary licence for a set period and covers only the firearms listed on it. Restricted firearms need advance authorization and prohibited ones cannot enter at all. Forms, costs and limits are on the RCMP's page, linked above.
Can I take the meat and hide home?＋
Leaving the province with game requires a free game export permit, available at forestry and wildlife offices and through outfitters. Black bear parts may also need CITES documentation to leave Canada. The official pages disagree on this, so confirm with the Wildlife Division before your hunt. Hunters bound for the US declare game at US customs.
Every figure on this page was checked against its source on September 1, 2026.