Ahunting license orhunting permit is aregulatory orlegal mechanism to controlhunting, both commercial and recreational. A license specifically made forrecreational hunting is sometimes called agame license orhunting permit.
Hunting may be regulated informally by unwritten law, self-restraint, amoral code, or by governmental laws.[1] The purposes for requiring hunting licenses include the protection ofnatural treasures,[2] and raising tax revenue (often, but not always, to dedicated funds).[3][4][5]
Hunting licenses are millennia old. Amongst the first hunting laws in theCommon law tradition was from the time ofWilliam the Conqueror (reign in England starting 1066). In thePeterborough Chronicle entry of 1087,The Rime of King William reported in verse that:
This was because "William the Conqueror's moral life lives in the landscape. His control of the forest mirrors his control of the people, and his establishment of hunting laws reveals the dissonance between his love for animals and his contempt for the populace: ...[7]".
A whole distinct field of law was created outside of the Common Law, called theForest Law, in the Middle Ages, although there were some restrictions in theMagna Carta.
Hunting licenses have several purposes. These reasons include:public safety (especially of children, both as hunters and bystanders), regulation and conservation of wild animals, revenue for the sovereign state, and containing the transmission ofanimal-borne diseases (such asLyme disease andrabies). The safety issues are especially highlighted in urban areas and shopping districts. For example, after in an incident in November 2012 whereby a man allegedly shot at a deer in aWalmart parking lot inPennsylvania, he was charged with "reckless endangerment, ... hunting without a license, shooting on or across highways and unlawful killing or taking of big game."[8]
All gun owners inAustralia must have afirearms licence (seegun laws in Australia), but normally do not require a licence to huntferal orinvasivepest species (e.g.rabbits,foxes andferal pigs). Mostintroduced species that can be hunted recreationally duringopen seasons (mostlydeers) do still require a hunting licence, whether with firearms orusing bows, and almost all native animals (except someduck,quail andkangaroo species) are protected. Landowners may obtain a "Destruction Permit" to kill or remove native species when their numbers impact agriculture. Hunting inNew South Walesnational parks requires a R-licence issued by theGame Council, but (as of mid-2013) this situation has been suspended pending review.
Professional hunters are issued what is sometimes referred to as a D-licence, but rather than being a hunting licence this is a category of firearms licence that includes semi-automatics and large-capacity magazines.
Hunting regulation and licensing falls under both provincial/territorial and federal jurisdiction. The federal government is responsible for protectingmigratory birds and nationally significant wildlife habitat, the regulation forendangered species and the international wildlife issues and treaties (i.e.CITES) for Canada.[9] For example, Migratory Game Bird Hunting licence is issued by theCanadian Wildlife Service,[10] an agency ofEnvironment Canada. All other matters fall under the provincial/territorial jurisdiction.
The use offirearms in hunting is also separated into provincial/territorial and federal jurisdiction. Whereas theCanadian Firearms Program will determine who is eligible for aPossession and Acquisition Licence and issuance of firearm registration certificates, it is the provincial/territorial government's responsibility to regulate when and how the firearms can be used in hunting animals.
In Quebec hunter education and licensing is managed by the Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs (FédéCP). Sécurité Nature, a program managed by the FédéCP, offers a variety of hunting education courses that allow residents to hunt legally after obtaining their licence and a permit at designated outlets (most hunting & fishing stores, Canadian Tires, etc.) for a fee.
InChile hunting licenses are issued by the Servicio Agricola Ganadero (SAG) of theMinistry of Agriculture. Small game licenses (defined as animals under 40kg adult weight, such as birds, and mammals like rabbits, and beaver, among others) and large game licenses (animals such as deer and wild hogs) are issued, which require passing a written test with a percentage of correct answers of 70% for small-game and 85% large-game, and are valid for two calendar years. A gun permit is not needed asair gun andarchery are popular methods for hunting, but those with firearms registered for hunting are able to obtain a transport permit for such weapons having a valid hunting license.[citation needed]
A German hunting license is a certificate that grants its holder the exercise of hunting within legal ordinances. It is also the precondition to own hunting arms and ammunition (unlimited number of rifles/shotguns and up to two handguns). The actual right to exercise hunting in a specific area is entitled to the respective landowners (if they own an area of more than 0.75 square kilometres (190 acres), otherwise all landowners of a municipality are integrated into an association) who may use their right for themselves or lease it. Depending on size and value of a hunting area a typical leasing rate may vary from about US$10–100 per acre per year. Additionally the lesse has to pay the landowner any damage by deers, wild hogs etc. The right to hunt is connected to the duty to care for all kind of animals listed by the hunting laws. For several species such as deers plans have to be developed by hunters and authorities, how many animals of a specified class and age may (or have to) be killed within a certain period of time. The purpose of the hunting license is to ensure that only well trained persons may exercise hunting. Applicants must fulfill the following requirements:
The hunting exam is a test of expertise with a high failure rate. To pass it, each applicant has to participate in a comprehensive, difficult instruction course which consists largely of the areas shooting (shotgun andrifle), theory (esp.weaponry, localwildlife andhabitat) and practice.
In practice the German system of examination for deer hunters (stalkers) is very much in line with the English DMQ level DSC2. Over the last ten years or so European countries in general have made efforts to harmonise the previously fragmented rules and regulations with parallels being taken from the more difficult UK system.
In the United States, regulation of hunting is primarily performed by state law; additional regulations are imposed through Federalenvironmental law regardingmigratory birds (such as ducks and geese) andendangered species.
Like many licenses, a hunting license is considered aprivilege granted by thegovernment, rather than aconstitutional right under theSecond Amendment.[11][12]
As a general rule, unprotectedpest species arenot subject to a hunting license.Vermin may be hunted without a license, or may even be the subject of abounty paid to the hunter.[13]
A Federal law, theAirborne Hunting Act (AHA), was passed in 1971 with the goal of eliminatingaerial hunting, that is, shooting wildlife from planes or helicopters.[14]
Each state has different standards andpaperwork requirements for getting a hunting license. These include the areas, time periods,harvesting techniques, distinctions between species, and a huntingsafety course.
Licenses to hunt typically go on sale once a year.[15] Some states, such asNew York, allow only during a defined single season,[16] or for a lifetime during such seasons for residents of the state, upon payment of the appropriate fees.[17] As a general rule, hunting licenses are non-transferable, are a privilege (not a right), and does not allowtrespass on private land.[18]
Huntingbig game typically requires atag for each animal harvested. Tags must be purchased in addition to the hunting license, and the number of tags issued to an individual is typically limited. In cases where there are more prospective hunters than the quota for that species, tags are usually assigned by lottery. Tags may be further restricted to a specific area orwildlife management unit.
In Florida, a "permit" for a "regulated hunt" was approved effective September 1, 2025, for the firstBlack bear hunt season since 2015.[19] The first season will be from December 6 through 28, 2025, which "will allow up to 187 bears to be 'harvested'."[20]
States with these "tags" include Alaska,[21] California,[22] Florida,[23] Georgia,[24] Illinois,[25] Louisiana,[26] New York,[27] Ohio,[28] Tennessee,[29] Texas,[30] and Virginia.[31]
49 of the 50 states require a prospective big game hunter take a several-hour course about safety, often termedsportsman education or "hunter's safety course" in the case of California.[32][33]
Suchjurisdictions also may limit getting a hunting license to adults or may grant a "junior" license for persons as young as twelve years of age.[34]
Several United States and Canadian provinces have joined in anInterstate Wildlife Violator Compact (IWVC) to controlinterstate hunting and to punish violators of differing laws.
Federal law requires the purchase of aduck stamp in order to shoot migratory waterfowl. They are regulated by the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service.[35]
United States law also mandates strict limits on the hunting ("taking") ofendangered species.[36][37][38] The U.S. is a signatory to theConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).[39] TheBush Administration proposed lifting some restrictions in 2005 (forantelopes), as did theNorwegian Government (forwolves) in the same year.[40]
Both Federal and state laws exempt the following:
TheEagle feather law, (Title 50 Part 22 of theCode of Federal Regulations), stipulates that only individuals of certifiableAmerican Indian ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtaineagle feathers forreligious orspiritual use. American Indians and non-American Indians frequently contest the value and validity of the Eagle feather law, charging that the law is laden with discriminatory racial preferences and infringes ontribal sovereignty. Their arguments include that the law does not allow American Indians to give eagle feathers to non-American Indians, a common modern and traditional practice. (Many non-American Indians have been adopted into American Indian families, made tribal members, and given eagle feathers.)
Some hunters have challenged hunting licenses, as being in violation of theright to keep and bear arms as guaranteed bySecond Amendment to theUnited States Constitution; theSupreme Court of the US in February 2008, heard arguments on the properstandard of review for gun laws or regulations.[43] However, inDistrict of Columbia v. Heller,[44] the Court declined to examine the broader issues, leaving state hunting licenses valid and in force.
The current law is unclear as to what standard of review would apply, but therational basis orarbitrary and capricious tests are the most likely standards. Under either standard, most hunting license regimes in the United States would likely pass muster, due to the need to conserve natural resources, to enforce the police power, and to raise revenue, all valid purposes of such laws.
Most major conservation organizations in the US favor the continued legality and regulation of hunting, includingDucks Unlimited, theNational Wildlife Federation, andThe Wilderness Society.[45] TheDefenders of Wildlife,[14]National Audubon Society, and theWorld Wildlife Fund[46] also support licenses for regulated hunting of wildlife.
TheSierra Club supports hunting licenses, but there has been tension in the group for two decades between those who want to ally with hunters and to regulate them, and those opposed to hunting altogether.[47][48][49][50]
TheAmerican Humane Association and thePeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals are opposed to hunting, and would ban the practice rather than regulating it.
In order to obtain a Hunting License in Argentina, an exam about the local hunting laws, wildlife conservation, safety and hunting rules must be approved. The hunter must also have a gun permit provided by RENAR, and a fee must be paid.[51]
In order to hunt in Peru, the sport hunter requires a hunting license provided by the Agriculture Ministry through SERFOR.[52] As requirement for obtaining the Hunting License, a Hunter Education Course must be passed, according to the Ley Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre 29763. Wildlife management plan for game species is focused on conservation principles and is detailed through the hunting calendars for different regions of the country, in which hunting seasons, fees and quotas per game species are determined. Additionally, to the Hunting License, a hunting authorization is required for each particular region.[53] If firearms are used for sport hunting, a gun license is also a requirement.
