Ordered my license and tags for (2021-2022), how about you?

[caddisguy]

I ordered 2 black bear tags and 2 mule deer tags, which is all I anticipate (and then some) for this year.

Learned a tough lesson last year that buying tags during the season can be a bad idea, as I discovered that you are de facto suspended from all hunting the second you order any tag until you receive it in the mail, even if the tag is for a deer and you just want to hunt grouse. I lost almost a month last year waiting on a tag, so I ordered them all up front this year.

I was not even planning on bear hunting this year, but after making a delicious batch of my "trophy" chilli over the weekend and in light of the efforts to ban black bear hunting, I was starting to get the urge, then caddisgirl insisted.

Curious if anyone else ordered tags today and what hunts everyone is planning for Spring/Fall 2021.

Happy New License Season everyone! :)

[Ron.C]

great reminder for everyone to buy their tags early!!!!!

[tinhorse]

I just pick mine up as I go from the shop in town. I do get my bear and 2 deer tags right away though and any Leh species I may get.

[caddisguy]

I just pick mine up as I go from the shop in town. I do get my bear and 2 deer tags right away though and any Leh species I may get.

That's a good strategy.

I wonder if anybody happens to have a current list of shops that sell licenses and tags. Would be a good list of shops to support.

[r106]

I get all mine right away, except if I get a leh

[DannyO]

Went and purchased the moment I saw your post, so thank you! It’s an exciting time of year purchasing the tags and making plans. It’ll hopefully be the year of the bear for me, that will be my main goal.

[caddisguy]

Went and purchased the moment I saw your post, so thank you! It’s an exciting time of year purchasing the tags and making plans. It’ll hopefully be the year of the bear for me, that will be my main goal.

I am confident you got this. That bear or a different bear. Are you going to get out during the Spring season? Looks like it might be an early one, especially Region 2. Maybe opening day success for some.

[DannyO]

Going to hit the spring bear season hard this year

[Arctic Lake]

Good idea Caddis ! Maybe someone can post it up .
Arctic Lake

That's a good strategy.

I wonder if anybody happens to have a current list of shops that sell licenses and tags. Would be a good list of shops to support.

[Huntingtyler123]

Yes I’ll be buying soon, great idea. Sad to say could be the last year to hunt bear if the Antis go through with there bans..

high water tackle on lonsdale sells tags. Tiger arms in Coquitlam, other then that I order online

[jamfarm]

If you buy your license at a store or Frontcounter BC do you have to agree to the waiver that you will follow the Provincial Health Officers orders?

I see they have that online again and I really don’t want to agree to those terms to buy my license & tags.

[lakelander]

I get mine from PoCo military in Langley on 64 Avenue and 201 st.

[Bubbacanuck]

Bought all my tags for the year, except any LEH species. 2 mule deer, 1 whitetail deer, cougar, lynx, bobcat & special area hunting license for waterfowl in lower mainland. Bison, elk, moose will depend on LEH draws. $155 for everything, seems like a steal!

[Redthies]

I get mine from PoCo military in Langley on 64 Avenue and 201 st.

Stillwater in Ladner also carries tags, and is a great store to support. Poco Military are great folks as well.

[boxhitch]

If you buy your license at a store or Frontcounter BC do you have to agree to the waiver that you will follow the Provincial Health Officers orders?

I see they have that online again and I really don’t want to agree to those terms to buy my license & tags.Good point. Any exercise of resistance can be good for ones mental health, if so inclined.
But the alternate is to mask up and go stand in line at Frontcounter , or wait for a friendly local vendor to buy later.

[Yuritau]

If you buy your license at a store or Frontcounter BC do you have to agree to the waiver that you will follow the Provincial Health Officers orders?

I see they have that online again and I really don’t want to agree to those terms to buy my license & tags.

Public health orders are law, so that waiver is simply "I agree to obey the law."

[IronNoggin]

Never have bought in-Province tags online, and likely never will.
Gone Fishing & Canada Tire both offer them.
Good opportunity for a quick perusal of things I might "need" and a little BS on the side.
Just the way I like it...

Cheers,
Nog

[Linksman313]

as I discovered that you are de facto suspended from all hunting the second you order any tag until you receive it in the mail, even if the tag is for a deer and you just want to hunt grouse.

Hi Caddis and good to hear from you! Can you please explain the above statement.This happened to us last year so it totally applies. My pops buys a hunting license and goes grouse hunting, a buddy of his offered him a whitetail hunt on some private land, we ordered his tag online, he then continued to grouse hunt? his tag arrived and all went well. Can you just clarify why after you purchase a deer tag your general hunting license is suspended until that tag arrives??

[lakelander]

Hi Caddis and good to hear from you! Can you please explain the above statement.This happened to us last year so it totally applies. My pops buys a hunting license and goes grouse hunting, a buddy of his offered him a whitetail hunt on some private land, we ordered his tag online, he then continued to grouse hunt? his tag arrived and all went well. Can you just clarify why after you purchase a deer tag your general hunting license is suspended until that tag arrives??

Yeah that doesn't sound right. I also went grouse hunting with my general license and then ordered my deer tags for Oct.

[Arctic Lake]

Hmmmm. Yeas I would like to know about this as well .
Arctic Lake

Hi Caddis and good to hear from you! Can you please explain the above statement.This happened to us last year so it totally applies. My pops buys a hunting license and goes grouse hunting, a buddy of his offered him a whitetail hunt on some private land, we ordered his tag online, he then continued to grouse hunt? his tag arrived and all went well. Can you just clarify why after you purchase a deer tag your general hunting license is suspended until that tag arrives??

[caddisguy]

Hi Caddis and good to hear from you! Can you please explain the above statement.This happened to us last year so it totally applies. My pops buys a hunting license and goes grouse hunting, a buddy of his offered him a whitetail hunt on some private land, we ordered his tag online, he then continued to grouse hunt? his tag arrived and all went well. Can you just clarify why after you purchase a deer tag your general hunting license is suspended until that tag arrives??

It is actually all very silly. It is the way the law is written. It obviously was not the original intent of the law at the time it is written, but our current government has decided to start interpreting it down to the very letter according to the ministry / Front Counter. Here is how they are playing it:

----
Referring to the Wildlife Act for clarification, we find the following:


11 (1)A person who hunts wildlife commits an offence unless the person holds all of the following:
(a)a hunting licence issued to the person under this Act;
(b)any limited entry hunting authorization that is required by regulation;
(c)any other licence that is required by regulation;
(d)any other permit that is required by regulation.


And then we refer to the regulation:


"You must carry all your species licences while hunting, both cancelled and uncancelled. If you buy your species licence online, it will be mailed to you subject to Canada Post delivery times. If you buy your species licences in-person, you will obtain them immediately."


And of the definition of hunting of course:


"Hunt & Hunting - includes shooting at, attracting, searching for, chasing, pursuing, following after or on the trail of, stalking, or lying in wait for wildlife or attempting to do any of those things, whether or not the wildlife is then or subsequently wounded, killed or captured:
(a) with intention to capture the wildlife, or
(b)while in possession of a firearm or other weapon."
-----

So what they are saying, is that when you purchase online, it is issued to you, but there is a period of time before you will possess it, and until then since you cannot carry it, you would be committing an offence by doing anything that falls under the definition of hunting.

It's quite ridiculous. I spent a couple weeks trying to argue about it, or push them to at least update the website if they are going to take that stance and change it from:

"Species licences bought online will be mailed. Allow approximately three weeks BEFORE your hunt."

to:

"Species licences bought online will be mailed. You will be required to wait up to three weeks BEFORE commencing participation in ANY hunting of ANY species once an online tag has been ordered"

I went as far as talking to a lawyer about it and our conclusions are about the same. Is it an offence according to the letter of the law? Yes. The definitions of "hold", "carry" and "hunting" are all quite clear. Would any Conservation Officer actually charge/fine a person for participating in a grouse hunt because he ordered a cougar tag that has been in the mail for 2 weeks? Very unlikely. Would a judge uphold said charge/fine? Also very unlikely. Combined Vegas odds on receiving a penalty that sticks? Virtually none. However, according to our current government, it is against the law.

It's all very dumb, but since it's easy enough to order tags in advance, in light of all this, I go that route so I can focus energy on hunting instead of thinking about the legal mess and how greasy our government seems to want to be towards hunters.

[boxhitch]

C, did you ask if a CO can see that you have a permit ordered or in transit and/or received?
If I'm out deer hunting while waiting for a moose tag to arrive, whose to know?

[The Hermit]

Ordered mine today too! Glad I saw the thread as a reminder! Thanks Caddis

[caddisguy]

C, did you ask if a CO can see that you have a permit ordered or in transit and/or received?
If I'm out deer hunting while waiting for a moose tag to arrive, whose to know?

I have not asked a CO, but my understanding is they have a gadget that is synched with all current data for licenses / tags / leh authorizatios.

We don't have physical licenses or leh authorizations anymore, but they have the tech to see if you have a valid license or leh in the field without reception, so pretty safe to assume species tags as well. I would wager the data is as current as the last time they were in reception.

Would be kind of cool to know for sure though. Next time I get checked out of reception if they seem chatty I might ask how often their gadgets get updated as to be useful "out here" with no reception.

Maybe they spill some beans or "caddisguy why you always such a nerd" ... who knows :)

[boxhitch]

While you're in there, ask if you can run the light and siren, that will convince them.

[caddisguy]

While you're in there, ask if you can run the light and siren, that will convince them.

Yesssss! Nailed it.

[caddisguy]

Ordered mine today too! Glad I saw the thread as a reminder! Thanks Caddis

Which tags did you get? :)

[Linksman313]

Thank you for the complete story Caddis!
Much appreciated (and the extra bit with the lawyer on all of our behalf)
Cheers
Links

[sako79]

I ordered my moose caribou whitetail deer mule deer black bear Wolverine mountain goat and sheep tags

[Salty]

Shout out to the two little shops closest to me; Hope Outdoors here and Kent Outdoors in Agassiz they both carry licenses its been one or the other the last few years for me. Last year though when I went to HO for tags I found out they had my hunter number locked and I had to get sorted out on line to reconfirm residency or whatever their problem was...anyways that cost me a few days but I'm good to go either way now probably still use a store though.

Just deer for me this year and actually I'll throw a moose tag in too I'm seeing more and more moose in our spots and even the illusive immy bull last summer! That and grouse tags. I definitely won't forget my grouse tags.

[Rob Chipman]

Caddis guy:

"I discovered that you are de facto suspended from all hunting the second you order any tag until you receive it in the mail,"

That's a great lesson to share.

"high water tackle on lonsdale sells tags."

Hutingtyler said:

Good to know. I'll head there instead of online. Buy some fishing gear while I'm at it.


And Caddisguy also said:

"my understanding is they have a gadget that is synched with all current data for licenses / tags / leh authorizatios." They absolutely do. We got checked by COs in a chopper in the Itchas, and that is well out of cell range. They knew everything that we were supposed to have and they confirmed we had them.

[Ron.C]

ordered all mine tags last Tuesday on 2 Mar, got them today.

Still, sure a hell someone will be pissing and moaning on HBC because they wait until the week before the hunt or there normal retailer is out of tags and they are in a pinch because of it. Lets not forget the ones that will complain they can't get their LEH in on time because they waited until the last day and the website is swamped.

Happens every year and it will surely happen again.

[albravo2]

Dang Caddis, you are much better at following the letter of the law than I am.

Great reminder though, thanks!

[Drillbit]

I just went in and bought them at the local hunting store. In person.

No worries that way

[finngun]

Where i can get so called handicap hunting licence..i have proof about my sicness..

[Huntingtyler123]

Just got my 2 bear tags in the mail as well renewed my hunting license. , all I ordered so far . Bear season is getting real!!! Atv running mint, trailer bearings packed and insured , picking up bear hide in may, going to be a sweet vacation / hunt coming up! Haha

[northernbrew]

Tags are in the mail, no hunting for me for a bit. First bear hunt this spring, pumped!

[ruger416]

The C.OS's have a lap top that they use for work. Before every shift they down load their data. This gives them an update on any new purchases of tags. It is easy to sit at your computer and order on line. I find it a lot easier to get in my vehicle, drive to the Access centre and purchase them. If you don't have an BC access centre then you need to rely on pony express.

[Bubbacanuck]

Bought all my tags for the year, except any LEH species. 2 mule deer, 1 whitetail deer, cougar, lynx, bobcat & special area hunting license for waterfowl in lower mainland. Bison, elk, moose will depend on LEH draws. $155 for everything, seems like a steal!

Received all mine yesterday, less than a week! No spring bear for me this year, as the freezer is too full still. Got eat more...

[sed8ed]

I'll buy mine after Wednesday... still 1.5 days of spring goose season left

[jimzuk]

Bought my license and ordered a muley and whitetail tags. Should be here long before the season opener

[andrew5]

Got all mine ordered today, even the fall tags in light of this thread. Thank god for Spring bear. I have no idea how I would cope with waiting right through until the Fall each year, especially only being two seasons in to hunting.

[Bubbacanuck]

Got all mine ordered today, even the fall tags in light of this thread. Thank god for Spring bear. I have no idea how I would cope with waiting right through until the Fall each year, especially only being two seasons in to hunting.

If you hunt waterfowl, that will take you to March 10. Add in predators too (cats & dogs), cougar can take you to end of March. Then bear & turkey into the summer. It is June/July where you should switch to fishing :) My wife hates it, as I can almost hunt/fish year round and home renos don't see much of my time anymore haha.

[caddisguy]

Tags arrived in the mail a week or so ago. I'm all set for 2021.

Hit the bush for a few nights, checked/serviced a bunch of trailcams and hung a new one.

Still a couple feet of compact snow in some areas. Found a few bear tracks though.

Not sure if we'll be doing the spring bear hunting thing or not. I say that every year around this time though and always end up getting the itch :)

[MichelD]

Had to go to Reliable for a gunsmithing job anyway so bought my hunting licence, bear and deer tags there today.

I don't get too excited abut bear hunting until May and with the current price of fuel I won't be making many "just going for a look" trips either.

[triggerhappy]

Bought my bear tags. I will wait until I get LEH results to buy the rest.

[CranePete]

Done and done

[jimzuk]

Tags came today. 7 days after ordering

[Rieber]

I bought mine at the store: 1 bear (for now), 2 Mules, 2 W/T, Elk and Moose.

Kid just got his Core done last weekend so hopefully his Hunter Number arrives in time for LEH this year.

Picked up a double door commercial stainless fridge this will become the makings of my game cooler. Also picked up one of those big single door Coke fridges - may be another option if I need or choose.