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
- Carry your licence and concession document with you when trapping and be ready to produce them if a conservation officer asks to see them.
- Follow the Yukon Trapping Regulations.
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:
- Complete Form A and Form B.
- 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.
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
- Complete Form A.
- Sign and submit it at a Department of Environment office.
- Pay the appropriate fee.
If you held a licence last year
- Visit a Department of Environment office.
- 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 visit 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 each year.
Requirements
You must:
- have written consent from the trapping concession holder for the area in which 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
- Complete Form A.
- Sign and submit it at a Department of Environment office.
- Pay the appropriate fee.
If you had an assistant trapper licence or trapping licence last year
- Visit a Department of Environment office
- Pay the appropriate fee.
Your licence is valid from July 1 to June 30.
Licence fees
- Assistant trapper licence: $10
- Senior citizens (65+): Free
You must replace lost or destroyed licences or concession documents.
You can replace these documents at a Department of Environment office for free.
For questions about trapping licences and concessions, email [email protected] or phone: 867-667-8403 or toll free in the Yukon: 1-800-661-0408, ext. 8403.