The provincial government has lowered the minimum age to purchase a bear or deer hunting licence to 12 from 16, the Department of Natural Resources and Energy recently announced.

It's one of several changes to regulations under the Fish and Wildlife Act.

"We encourage more New Brunswickers to take part in outdoor activities, such as hunting, while making it easier for them to participate," Minister Mike Holland said in a statement.

The objective of the age change is to help create new hunting mentorship opportunities for young people, according to a news release from the department, which noted youth aged 12 to 15 must be accompanied by an adult while hunting.

Wildlife federation hopes to see more youth outdoors

The New Brunswick Wildlife Federation advocated for and supports the move, said president Nathalie Michaud.

"We need to get more kids outside," like it was decades ago, instead of them being connected to their computers and other "gadgets," she said.

The New Brunswick Wildlife Federation thinks the changes, including the decreased minimum age to be eligible for a licence, are 'fantastic,' said president Nathalie Michaud. (Submitted by Nathalie Michaud)

"I mean there's so many kids nowadays with mental health issues. Well, nature's one of the best medications for that.  You're outside, you connect with nature, you relax, you're less anxious. So just that is a huge plus for the community and for the kids."

A lot of families also wanted to bring their younger children hunting with them, and this change will permit them to do that, said Michaud.

"To have your 12, 13, 14, 15-year-old child with you to harvest their first deer — that's amazing memories right there."

Not too young

Michaud acknowledges "a lot of people had concerns" about 12-year-olds being too young to hunt for big game like bear and deer.

"But I mean, at 12 years old, you can get your firearm safety, you can get your hunter safety. So when the kids get out of there, they are certified to handle the firearm and they know what to do and to use it safely," she said.

"And they still have to go hunt with an adult 18 years and up until they're 16."

The new minimum age also brings New Brunswick in line with most other provinces, Michaud added.

1-week muzzle-loading deer hunt

Among some of the other changes, the province has added a one-week period at the end of the regular deer hunting season during which licence holders can hunt using only a muzzle-loading firearm.

"It's a black powder gun, so it's completely different hunt" and "different challenge" than using a regular high-powered rifle, said Michaud.

"It's a heritage sport that people love to do," she said, drawing a comparison to bow hunting.

The season extension, which Michaud described as a one-year pilot project, is limited to the wildlife management zones where antlerless deer hunting is permitted, largely in the southern part of the province, where the deer population is larger, she said.

Other changes

The province will also allow for the harvest of up to two bears by a resident licence holder, instead of requiring the purchase of a second licence after the harvest of one bear, which is more convenient, said Michaud.

Successful hunters will now have to pay $4 to register their deer with registration agents, instead of the province paying the store owners to register each deer.

"This fee is consistent with other jurisdictions and is intended to address the reduction of registration agents in recent years," according to the news release from the province.

Online deer harvest registration remains free.

In addition, successful deer hunters must now register their harvested deer within 24 hours of the close of hunting season.