BC hunting licenses online soon

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Hunting licences now easier to get
By Steve Hubrecht
Pioneer Staff

The B.C. hunting licence program is set for some major upgrades, starting in about three years.

The key part of the upgrades is creating an online service, which the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations hopes will make the whole process of getting a licence simpler, more flexible and faster.

“The new electronic licensing program will make it easier than ever for British Columbians to go hunting,” said Minster of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson in a press release.

Hunters will be able to purchase their hunting licences and apply for Limited Entry Hunting (or LEH) opportunities 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Currently hunters can buy licences and LEH applications only from Service B.C. offices, which are usually closed on the weekends and evenings.

“The new electric licensing system is a fundamental step in improving access to hunting,” said B.C. Wildlife Federation president Bill Bosch in the same press release.

The new electronic system will also create a single point of reference for data collection, including compulsory inspection information, guide outfitter hunter reports and resident hunter harvest information. Compiling all of this information electronically will help the ministry make timely and more informed choices about wildlife management.

“It will help ensure sound wildlife management decisions and will support the ministry’s conservation goals,” said Mr. Thomson in the release.

The ministry hopes to have the electronic service in place for the 2015-16 hunting season. B.C. introduced a similar electronic licensing system for freshwater fishing the fall of 2007.

“The electronic hunting licence system will support sustainable wildlife populations by creating a reliable system to collect hunter participation and harvest information. The wildlife federation commends the provincial government for moving forward with this important initiative,” said Mr. Bosch.

Hunting generates $9.2 million in licensing revenue for the provincial government and some $500 million to $700 million in broader economic activity, much of it it remote and rural areas of the province.

B.C. Service offices sold more than 100,000 licences for the 2012-2013 hunting season.

The provincial government is inviting bids to design the upgrades. Those interested in submitting a proposal can do so by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20th at www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca.
http://www.columbiavalleypioneer.com/?p=9814
 
I spoke with Cathy McLeod's office here in Kamloops and inquired about the recent supreme court ruling and how it might affect both hunting and fishing in BC. I was told that as this is all so new it's anyone's guess but that they were going to check into it get back to me.
I'm glad that BC's Ministry is getting on board with the online services.

Tb
 
Quote ''Hunters will be able to purchase their hunting licences and apply for Limited Entry Hunting (or LEH) opportunities 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Currently hunters can buy licences and LEH applications only from Service B.C. offices, which are usually closed on the weekends and evenings.''

Since when has every gun store and sporting goods store been a Service BC Office?
They must be smoking some Cow Patties in those offices to come up with such a bull#### statement such as that.
Just another step at getting dis-personal service when one goes to the shop of choice to see who is putting in for what and where and maybe a lead or two on a new area for hunting.
Oh well, it will not be long before we are paying the aboes to hunt on their land with their guides....
Rob
 
I strongly welcome the move, those of us spending a lot of time in remote areas will no longer have to drive five hours return (been there, several times!) to buy a tag when something good shows up unexpectedly. I for one do not enjoy the service and experience of having to go to a retailer when I could do it from my computer. Maybe in Vancouver or urban areas no boon, but here a godsend. Overall it's a step towards making it easier and that's shear brilliance. Nice to see an article recognize the economic importance of hunting as well.
 
Ardent said:
I strongly welcome the move, those of us spending a lot of time in remote areas will no longer have to drive five hours return (been there, several times!) to buy a tag when something good shows up unexpectedly. I for one do not enjoy the service and experience of having to go to a retailer when I could do it from my computer. Maybe in Vancouver or urban areas no boon, but here a godsend. Overall it's a step towards making it easier and that's shear brilliance. Nice to see an article recognize the economic importance of hunting as well.
Click to expand...

Here's some food for thought there Angus.

Species Licence FeesSpecies licences are required for the hunting of the following animals and are required in addition to the basic hunting licences.fees include hctf surcharge, but not g.s.t.BiG GaMeBC RESIDENTNon-BC ResidentBison$70.00$700.00Black Bear$20.00$180.00Bobcat ✱$8.00$40.00Caribou ✱$20.00$230.00Cougar ✱$30.00$230.00Deer ▼(mule and white-tailed )$15.00$125.00Elk$25.00$250.00Grizzly Bear ✱$80.00$1,030.00Lynx ✱$8.00$40.00Moose$25.00$250.00Mountain Goat ✱$40.00$350.00Mountain Sheep ✱$60.00$620.00WolfNo Species licence required$50.00Wolverine$8.00$40.00SMall GaMeSmall GameNo Species licence requiredNo Species licence required ★Upland Game BirdsNo Species licence required$50.00✱ Species licences for these species are not valid until 2 days after the date of issue.
 
…and the problem is? :confused:

I spend weeks at a time out here, two days is just a comfortable break to get your gear together after you're done work. Or, more common, see the bull you want, drive out for the tag, return and finish your week of work and go hunting at the end of your shift. More than enough time.
 
FLHTCUI said:
Quote ''Hunters will be able to purchase their hunting licences and apply for Limited Entry Hunting (or LEH) opportunities 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Currently hunters can buy licences and LEH applications only from Service B.C. offices, which are usually closed on the weekends and evenings.''

Since when has every gun store and sporting goods store been a Service BC Office?
They must be smoking some Cow Patties in those offices to come up with such a bull#### statement such as that.
Just another step at getting dis-personal service when one goes to the shop of choice to see who is putting in for what and where and maybe a lead or two on a new area for hunting.
Oh well, it will not be long before we are paying the aboes to hunt on their land with their guides....
Rob
Click to expand...

I hear ya Rob and wondered the same thing...... I've never bought a licence from service BC LOL , got my prospectors card and a few other permits there..... and my original hunter number card. In fact, I've personally retailed several thousand , at least, BC resident and non-resident licences, tags and LEH cards, along with both tidal and non tidal fishing licences and species tags........

as for an electronic system , great idea...... for those with internet access and credit cards.
If they go this route, it is a good thing AS LONG AS there still exists a way for folks to buy said licences and tags in person

as for the paying the "aboes" LOL , I dunno about everyone else but I always just ask...... over the years I've written and phone called 3 of BC's First Nations band offices to verify access to hunting areas...... I was not denied in any case. got my moose last year pretty much on the edge of the reserve hehehe
 
Ardent said:
…and the problem is? :confused:

I spend weeks at a time out here, two days is just a comfortable break to get your gear together after you're done work. Or, more common, see the bull you want, drive out for the tag, return and finish your week of work and go hunting at the end of your shift. More than enough time.
Click to expand...

yer right Angus , for the reasons you stated and the explanations you gave...... I agree from that point of view....

but here's the rub everyone.....
it will be another hurdle for many in rural areas if they go with a digital licence system to "replace" the current system altogether.
I get the doing away with a paper licence but how does one report their kill at the time of the kill.... immediately following the killing of a big game animal you must cut your tag....... how do we do that with a plastic card??
I suppose they will send us a animal tag in the mail??? or you will need to download and print another piece of paper for each species.......?

so here is what is gonna happen..... this will all get dumped onto the retailers who currently offer licence and tag sales
if we go the plastic card route ....... an outdoors card, fair enough BUT , vendors like tackle shops and hunting shops will need to update their point of sale systems to be compatable with the reader system required for the vendor to update the outdoors card.

fine for the govt...... but crappy for those who supply us our gear for our outdoors pursuits.
right now I think it's a whole shiny dollar per licence sold in compensation to the vendor in BC.

will be interesting to see how they structure this

the BC nontidal fishing licences have been online for a while now and when you buy a licence they just print it off on a paper, add a conservation tag for salmon or steelhead and they have to print you off a whole new paper...... or you do the same at home..... not perfect but works
however , there is no card that has your "ID number" on it that is used for identifying you in their system so it is an incomplete service......

the current way of doing things works pretty damn good as it is and keeps people visiting their local small business hunting and fishing store so I say leave it be :D
 
I've been hearing of this for a few years. Guess we have to wait a few more.

It's long overdue. When the sal####er lic went online I was very pleased, the system works great.

The present system of driving into town during business hours , and getting the clerk at the store to fill out the paperwork and out the stickers on your tags..etc etc. is just so outdated now.

Nothing is worse than killing a buck later in the day, getting back to town after the store closes and you can't buy another tag until 9 am the next morning. Hopefully they will also have some sort of app that you can access your HL via Itelephone, too.
 
Gatehouse said:
I've been hearing of this for a few years. Guess we have to wait a few more.

It's long overdue. When the sal####er lic went online I was very pleased, the system works great
Click to expand...

I gotta disagree there. The new system for that isn't truly even completed, it still has holes they haven't addressed on how to issue replacement lisence. Plus they put the cost of providing lisences completely on the vendor. For individuals every single lisence has to have a unique email address, they doing the families lisence and needing to create some random email so the toddler can get a free license. After 4 months of being in place it's still not really complete.

That being said sal####er is federal and hunting is provincial so likely this will follow the freshwater systems model. Perhaps something similar to the Alberta win card system?
 
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