Both a youth licensed hunter and an
initiation licensed hunter are required to be
accompanied by an adult licensed hunter. An
accompanying hunter must be a BC resident
hunter 18 years of age or older who meets
certain qualifications. Persons hunting under
the youth licence or initiation licence will not
have their own bag limit. Any wildlife killed
by a youth hunter or initiation hunter will be
included in the bag limit of the accompanying
hunter. A maximum number may be set for
either youth or initiation hunters, or both, that
may be accompanied at the same time by one
mentor hunter. These proposed requirements
for an accompanying hunter will be slightly
more stringent than previously, however
they aim to improve safety, facilitate an ideal
learning environment, improve the chances of
a successful hunt, and attract more seasoned
hunters to mentor the new hunters. They are
not intended to create barriers for participants.
Numerous studies have shown that it takes
a hunter to make a hunter. Most people that
become hunters do so under the tutelage of
an older relative, usually their father or mother,
grandfather or grandmother, or uncle or aunt.
Those that come to hunting outside of a family
setting usually do so in a manner that simulates
the same path, such as befriending a hunter
and becoming their protégé. People that are
new to hunting need mentors and advice on
how to safely pursue their new interest. Simply
going hunting does not make an individual see
themselves as a hunter. Becoming a hunter is a
protracted learning and social process.
Advice on where to hunt and how to hunt
can be difficult to obtain. New hunters need
advice on where to hunt both in a general
geographic sense and in the sense of being
shown what type of habitat and terrain they
should investigate for the species they seek.
The actual techniques of hunting must also be
learned. Fundamentals of firearms care and use,
wilderness survival and orienteering, hunting
ethics, basic equipment, first aid and care of
game meat must be understood in addition
to the various techniques for stalking game.
These matters are covered in mandatory hunter
education courses (e.g. CORE), but further study,
especially under field conditions, is necessary in
order to truly become a hunter. Generally, the
acquisition of such skills requires a mentor.
The new initiative related to the licensing of
youth and new hunters, including requirements
for the accompanying hunter, are still being
finalized. The changes aim to increase
recreational opportunities for you and others
to hunt in BC, to keep hunting affordable for
families and to increase hunter recruitment and
retention.
The new licences are expected to be available
by April 1, 2013.
