Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 (SOR/2022-105)

Marginal note:Authorized weapons

• 37 (1) A person must not hunt migratory game birds except with

  • (a) a bow that has a minimum draw weight of 18 kg and an arrow with a broadhead that has at least two sharp blades and is a minimum of 22 mm wide;

  • (b) a crossbow that has a minimum draw weight of 45 kg and a bolt with a broadhead that has at least two sharp blades and is a minimum of 22 mm wide; or

  • (c) a shotgun not larger than number 10 gauge that either

    • (i) is designed to be capable of holding no more than three cartridges, or

    • (ii) has had its capacity reduced to three cartridges in the magazine and chamber combined, by means of the cutting off or the altering or plugging of the magazine with a one-piece metal, plastic or wood filler that cannot be removed unless the gun is disassembled.

• Marginal note:Prohibition — cartridges and detachable magazine

  (2) A person must not, while hunting migratory game birds, have in their possession in the hunting area

  • (a) a shotgun that is holding more than three cartridges; or

  • (b) a detachable magazine capable of holding more than two cartridges.

• Marginal note:Prohibition — possession of shotguns

  (3) A person must not, while hunting migratory game birds, have in their possession in the hunting area

  • (a) more than one shotgun, unless each additional shotgun is unloaded and either disassembled or kept in a closed case; or

  • (b) a shotgun other than one referred to in paragraph (1)(c).

• Marginal note:Prohibition — single projectile

  (4) A person must not hunt a migratory game bird using a shotgun loaded with a cartridge containing a single projectile.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (5) Despite subsection (1), paragraph (3)(b) and subsection (4), a person may, in the following circumstances, hunt a migratory game bird using a rifle of a calibre of not more than 0.22 inches or a shotgun loaded with a cartridge containing a single projectile and have such a rifle or shotgun in their possession in the hunting area:

  • (a) the migratory game bird is hunted in a location that is in the Northwest Territories by a resident of that territory who may hunt migratory game birds in that location without a migratory game bird hunting permit referred to in section 30; or

  • (b) the migratory game bird is hunted in a location that is in Quebec and north of 50° north latitude by a resident of that province who may hunt migratory game birds in that location without a migratory game bird hunting permit referred to in section 30.