(Image Credit: Tahltan Central Government/YouTube)

By Ed Hitchins, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Energeticcity.ca

Caribou Hunting

New proposals could see limited return of caribou hunting to northern B.C.

Jan 31, 2026 | 2:08 PM

FORT NELSON, B.C. — New provincial government proposals could see the caribou hunt return to the Peace region on a limited basis.

It is currently one of 60 hunting proposals tabled by the provincial government, with the public having until February 13th to submit their opinions.

Caribou hunting was suspended in the region back in 2022. The proposal will see a limited hunting season between August 15th and September 30th for five-point – or animals with five points on its antler – caribou.

It would be only limited to measuring units surrounding the Fort Nelson area.

Local MLAs have weighed in on the engagement. Peace River South MLA Larry Neufeld took to X to say public engagement such as this means “consultation needs to be real,” while pointing to other concerns such as motorized access, snowmobiling near Tumbler Ridge, online-only regulation books and proposed lead shot restrictions.

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Meanwhile, Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy wrote on X: “These regulations don’t just deal with seasons and harvest limits — they also include how motorized access on Crown land is managed under the Wildlife Act, which can affect ATVs, ORVs, snowmobiles and access to areas many people rely on.

“If you hunt, trap or spend time in the back country, I encourage you to review the proposals and share your feedback before decisions are finalized,” wrote Kealy.

The proposal reads the government said the closures four years ago “included a commitment to review these regulation changes while wildlife managers and First Nations gained a better understanding of caribou populations and demographics.”

It further states “recent efforts by the Caribou Recovery Program have provided clarity on the status of northern mountain caribou populations in the Peace region,” and “northern mountain caribou in the Peace region is “[greater than] 4,000 individuals spread among six herds with bull ratios above the provincial objective of 35 bulls per 100 cows.”

Based on “recently surveyed herds,” there seems to be a stabilizing and growing population, according to the proposal, which added the current population estimates in the measuring units proposed for opening exceed 500 animals and are restricted to northern mountain caribou populations only, with no chance of harvest on boreal caribou or southern mountain caribou populations.”

Southern mountain caribou are currently endangered, according to the province’s Species at Risk Act.

The public has until February 13th, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. to submit comments. Find out more here.

Energeticcity.ca has reached out to local First Nations for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.