Hunting elk in the Yukon

You must have a permit to hunt elk. There are 2 types of elk permits.

• Permit Hunt Authorizations
• Elk exclusion area permits

See a map of areas where you can hunt elk.

Permit Hunt Authorizations

The hunting season for elk in Permit Hunt Authorization areas opens September 1 and closes March 31.

• There are 2 permits available for the Braeburn elk herd, hunt code (EL15).
• There are 4 permits available for the Takhini elk herd, hunt code (EL23).

See more about the Permit Hunt Authorization lottery.

Elk exclusion area permits

The elk exclusion area includes all the Game Management Zones except:

• Game Management Zone 10;
• Game Management Zone 11;
• the elk core range in the Takhini and Braeburn areas;
• GMS 4–03; and
• GMS 4–51.

Any Yukon resident hunter can get a permit to hunt elk in the elk exclusion area. The season opens April 1 and closes March 31.

Elk seals are available exclusively from Department of Environment offices. You'll get this permit for free when you purchase an elk seal.

See more about seals.

New for the 2022–23 hunting season

• We'll award 8 Wildlife Act permits in the Takhini hunt code area (EL23) for the 2022–2023 season for elk that are:
  • bulls; and
  • have 5 point antlers or less.
• These permits are in addition to the 4 existing Permit Hunt Authorizations, making total of 12 elk permits in EL23 for the 2022–23 hunting season.
• We offered 4 of the new Wildlife Act permits to the Yukon First Nations that have traditional territory overlapping the Takhini and the Braeburn herd ranges.
• We awarded 6 of the new Wildlife Act permits to the next drawn hunters in this year’s elk Permit Hunt Authorization (PHA) lottery.
• These Game Management Subzones are in hunt code EL23:
  • 5–47;
  • part of 5–50;
  • part of 7–02;
  • part of 7–04;
  • part of 7–05;
  • 7–13; part of 7–14;
  • 7–15;
  • 7–18; and
  • part of 8–04.
• The season opens September 1, 2022, and closes March 31, 2023.

This program is a 2-year pilot project to reduce interactions between elk and agricultural landowners in the Takhini Valley. It replaces the elk and agriculture conflict hunt.

New for the 2023–24 hunting season

We'll offer a new hunt code for this opportunity in the 2023–24 Permit Hunt Authorization application period.

We'll evaluate the elk hunt based on the number of successful harvests.

Effect on permit hunt weighting

• If you accept a Wildlife Act permit for elk, your weighting for elk in the Permit Hunt Authorization lottery will reset to zero. You will not be eligible for an elk PHA in the 2023–24 hunting season.
• If you decline a Wildlife Act permit for elk, you're considered unsuccessful in this year’s lottery. Your weighting in the next draw will increase accordingly.

Permissions

You must get permission to hunt within 1 kilometre (1.6 miles) of any permanent residence, even if the residence is unoccupied. Try to get written permission if at all possible.

You must get written permission from First Nations to hunt for elk on Category A and B Settlement Lands. Contact the appropriate First Nation office.

• Champagne and Aishihik First Nations: 867-634-4200
• Kwanlin Dün First Nation: 867-633-7800
• Ta’an Kwäch’än Council: 867-668-3613

Reporting requirements

You must report your elk harvest within 72 hours of killing the animal.

You must bring in the hide and complete skull to a Department of Environment office when you report your successful hunt. We will return them to you if you request them.

See more about reporting your harvest.