Hunting elk in the Yukon

You must have a permit to hunt elk. There are 3 types of elk permits.

• Permit Hunt Authorizations
• Elk exclusion area permits
• Wildlife Act adaptive elk permits

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.

Wildlife Act adaptive elk permits

There are 8 Wildlife Act adaptive elk permits available in the Takhini Valley for elk that are:

• bulls; and
• have 5 point antlers or less.

Hunters must apply on these through the PHA lottery process under the new hunt code EL24.

The Game Management Subzones in hunt code EL24 are the same as 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, 2023, and closes March 31, 2024.

Permits with antler restrictions were introduced during the 2022-2023 hunting season as 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.

In January 2023, the Elk Agriculture Focus Group recommended the establishment of a Steering Committee to oversee the implementation and communication of the Wildlife Act adaptive elk permit pilot project. Should the Steering Committee recommend a change to the available elk permit amounts during the season, additional permits could be issued.

Effect on permit hunt weighting

• If you are drawn for hunt code EL24 and awarded 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 2024–25 hunting season.

• Successful EL24 applicants will have 14 days from the date of notification to return the permit if they do not wish to hunt.  Returned permits will be treated as if the individual had never applied. Their weighing will neither increase nor decrease for that year. 

• Permits cannot be returned after the 14 day deadline communicated in the success email. Instructions to return an Elk Adaptive Wildlife Act Permit are detailed in the success email.

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.