Get a Yukon trapping concession or licence

  • How to trap in the Yukon
  • Trapping concessions
  • Trapping licences
  • ​Assistant trapper licences
  • ​Replace your trapping documents

  1. How to trap in the Yukon

    To trap commercially in the Yukon, you need:

    • A trapping concession. A concession gives you the exclusive opportunity to commercially trap in a specific area. Trapping concession areas are also called TCAs or traplines.
    • A trapping licence. You can also gain access to trapping opportunities by getting an assistant trapper licence.

    Your responsibilities


  2. Trapping concessions

    Requirements

    Individuals, partnerships, or a group of people can hold a Yukon trapping concession. No one can hold more than one. You must:

    • be 16 years old or older;
    • be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
    • be a Yukon resident or live within 150 kilometres of the Concession Area that you are applying for. Yukon residents must have lived in the territory for 1+ years and are here for 185 days or more during that year;
    • have no convictions for significant wildlife offences;
    • have graduated from a recognized trapper education program; and
    • have graduated from a recognized hunter education program if you were born after April 1, 1987.

    You can apply to have your concession reissued by completing Form A and Form C and signing and submitting them at a Department of Environment office.

    Get a trapping concession

    You can get a concession through a transfer or by applying for one.

    Transfer

    You can arrange with the concession holder(s) to transfer their concession to you. This arrangement may or may not include payment and sale of goods and improvements that are in the concession area.

    Apply for an unassigned trapping concession area

    You can apply for an unassigned concession area that a Renewable Resources Council has advertised as available.

    Once you have found an available concession area:

    1. Complete Form A and Form B.
    2. Sign and submit them at a Department of Environment office.

    Trapping concession fees

    • 1 year probationary concession, or renewal: $10
    • 5 year full term concession, or renewal: $20
    • Group area concession: $100

    Apply to get your concession reissued

    You are responsible for applying for reissuance of your concession. You will receive a letter in the mail advising you of this responsibility in December of the year before it expires. All concessions expire on March 31.

    Probationary concessions

    You must apply for a reissuance within 30 days of your concession's expiry. The application period is from March 1 to April 30.

    Full term concessions

    You must apply for reissuance within 90 days of your concession expiry. The application period is from January 1 to June 30.

    Find out how trapping concessions are administered. 

    See maps of registered trapping concessions.


  3. Trapping licences

    Do I need a trapping licence?

    Everyone needs a licence to commercially trap.

    Members of a Yukon First Nation with a Final Agreement may trap for food within their Traditional Territory. Members of a Yukon First Nation with a Final Agreement who have written permission to trap for food in the non-overlapping Traditional Territory of another First Nation may do so.

    Requirements

    You must have a trapping concession to get a trapping licence.

    Get a trapping licence

    If you did not have a trapping licence last year

    1. Complete Form A.
    2. Sign and submit it at a Department of Environment office.
    3. Pay the appropriate fee.

    If you held a licence last year

    1. Come to a Department of Environment office
    2. Pay the appropriate fee.

    Your licence is valid from July 1 to June 30.

    Licence fees

    • Trapping licence: $10
    • Senior citizens (65+): Free
    • Members of a group trapping area: Free

    Electronic licensing

    We issue trapping licences electronically. However, you will still need to come in-person to a Department of Environment office to get your licence. 

    Bring these documents with you when you come in: 

    • a Yukon driver’s licence; or 
    • a general identification card.

    If you had a hunting licence or fishing licence in the last few years, you already have an Environment Client ID number and eServices account. If you did not, we’ll create an account for you. 

    The Environment Client ID number is issued once. You will use the same number it each year.


  4. ​Assistant trapper licences

    Requirements

    You must:

    • have written consent from the trapping concession holder for the area you want to trap;
    • be 16 years old or older;
    • be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
    • be a Yukon resident. Yukon residents have lived in the territory for 1+ years and are here for 185 days or more during that year.
    • Have graduated from a recognized trapper education program.

    The Government of Yukon can issue and revoke assistant trapper licences at the request of concession holders.

    Get an assistant trapper licence

    If you did not have an assistant trapper licence or trapping licence last year

    1. Complete Form A.
    2. Sign and submit it at a Department of Environment office.
    3. Pay the appropriate fee.

    If you had an assistant trapper licence or trapping licence last year

    1. Come to a Department of Environment office
    2. Pay the appropriate fee.

    Your licence is valid from July 1 to June 30.

    Licence fees

    • Assistant trapper licence: $10
    • Senior citizens (65+): Free

  5. ​Replace your trapping documents

    You must replace lost or destroyed licences or concession documents.

    You can replace these documents at a Department of Environment office for free.


Contact 

For questions about trapping licences and concessions, email coservices@yukon.ca or phone: 867-667-8403 or toll free in the Yukon: 1-800-661-0408, ext. 8403.