Hunting near Region 1 Vancouver Island Nanaimo
Hunting near Nanaimo, BC
Nanaimo is in Region 1 (Vancouver Island), inside management unit 1-5.
The town itself is a municipality (the City of Nanaimo). Most BC municipalities ban discharging firearms inside their limits, so hunting starts where the bylaw ends: check the municipality’s firearm bylaw before you hunt near town. Huntable flags municipal land at the spot you’re checking.
Management units within 40 km
MU 1-5 MU 1-1 · 4 km MU 2-16 · 19 km MU 2-4 · 30 km MU 1-4 · 30 km MU 2-5 · 31 km
Seasons in MU 1-5, 2026–2028
| Mule deer | Bucks Sep 10 – Dec 10; Antlerless Sep 10 – Dec 10 + 4 youth, bow or private-land seasons |
|---|---|
| Black bear | Apr 1 – Jun 15; Sep 10 – Dec 10 + 1 youth, bow or private-land season |
| Cougar | Apr 1 – Jun 15; Sep 10 – Mar 31 |
| Wolf | Apr 1 – Jun 15; Sep 10 – Mar 31 |
| Grouse | Sep 1 – Dec 31 + 1 youth, bow or private-land season |
Every condition (antler points, inspection, part-of-unit seasons) is on the MU 1-5 page.
Parks and protected areas within 20 km
- Saysutshun (newcastle Island Marine) Park provincial park, 1 km
- Petroglyph Park provincial park, 3 km
- Hudson Rocks Ecological Reserve ecological reserve, 6 km: no hunting
- Gabriola Sands Park provincial park, 6 km
- Morden Colliery Historic Park provincial park, 9 km
- Sandwell Park provincial park, 9 km
- Hemer Park provincial park, 10 km
- Yellow Point Bog Ecological Reserve ecological reserve, 16 km: no hunting
- Roberts Memorial Park provincial park, 16 km
- Woodley Range Ecological Reserve ecological reserve, 17 km: no hunting
- Wakes Cove Park provincial park, 17 km
- Pirates Cove Marine Park provincial park, 17 km
Hunting rules differ by park and area: some are closed to all hunting, others allow it in season. Huntable tells you which one you’re in and what it allows.
Legal hunting hours
One hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. See today’s legal hunting hours in Nanaimo.
Seasons are from the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis 2026-2028 as transcribed by Huntable. This page is a summary, not legal advice or a licence. It leaves out Limited Entry Hunting (LEH) seasons, area-specific maps and in-season changes: always read the synopsis pages listed and check gov.bc.ca/hunting before you go. Spot a mistake? Tell us.