MU 5-3 hunting seasons · Cariboo, BC

Management Unit 5-3 is in Region 5 (Cariboo), about 3,672 km², around Gang Ranch and Big Creek.

17 general open seasons in the synopsis cover MU 5-3: Mule deer, White-tailed deer, Black bear, Cougar, Wolf, Grouse.

Parks inside the unit include Big Basin Park and Big Creek Park. Hunting rules in parks differ; Huntable shows each park’s rules where you stand.

General open seasons, 2026–2028

Species	What	Season	Who	Also check
Mule deer	Bucks	Sep 1 – Sep 9	Bow only
	4 Point Bucks	Sep 10 – Sep 30	Any licensed hunter	See Definitions section: Mule (Black-tailed) deer. The antlers must accompany the species licence. Buck meets the 4-point definition Antlers must accompany the species licence
	Bucks	Oct 1 – Oct 31	Any licensed hunter
	4 Point Bucks	Nov 1 – Nov 10	Any licensed hunter	See Definitions section: Mule (Black-tailed) deer. The antlers must accompany the species licence. Buck meets the 4-point definition Antlers must accompany the species licence
	4 Point Bucks	Nov 21 – Nov 30	Any licensed hunter	See Definitions section: Mule (Black-tailed) deer. The antlers must accompany the species licence. Buck meets the 4-point definition Antlers must accompany the species licence
	Bucks	Dec 1 – Dec 10	Bow only
White-tailed deer	Bucks	Sep 1 – Sep 9	Youth hunters only
	Bucks	Sep 1 – Sep 9	Bow only
	Bucks	Sep 10 – Nov 30	Any licensed hunter
	Antlerless	Oct 10 – Oct 31	Any licensed hunter
	Either Sex	Nov 1 – Nov 30	Youth hunters only
Black bear	Any	Apr 1 – Jun 30	Any licensed hunter
	Any	Sep 1 – Nov 30	Any licensed hunter
Cougar	Any	Sep 10 – Apr 30	Any licensed hunter	Hunters are asked not to harvest a cougar wearing a radio collar in the Cariboo region until the study concludes in winter 2026/27 (p. 42). Not a kitten or a cougar in a kitten's company Compulsory inspection required
Wolf	Any	Jan 1 – Dec 31	Any licensed hunter	No closed season; no bag limit.
Grouse (sooty/dusky, ruffed, spruce)	Any	Sep 1 – Sep 9	Youth hunters only	Sooty/Dusky (Blue) grouse bag 5 (15); Spruce & Ruffed 10 (30); daily aggregate 10, possession aggregate 30.
	Any	Sep 10 – Nov 30	Any licensed hunter	Sooty/Dusky (Blue) grouse bag 5 (15); Spruce & Ruffed 10 (30); daily aggregate 10, possession aggregate 30.

Synopsis p. 44

Bag limits in Region 5

Deer: mule (black-tailed) deer 2, only one may be a buck (antlerless mule deer by LEH only). White-tailed deer 2, only one may be a buck. See also the Deer Bag Limits article on p. 14. Bighorn sheep 1, mountain goat 1, black bear 2, cougar 2 (p. 44). Wolf 3, except no bag limit in MUs 5-1 to 5-6, 5-12 to 5-15. Grouse: Sooty/Dusky (Blue) 5 daily (15 possession); Spruce & Ruffed 10 (30); daily aggregate 10, possession aggregate 30 (p. 44). Synopsis p. 43

Region 5 notices

Tsilhqot'in Nation declared Aboriginal Title area (hatched on the region map, MUs 5-4/5-5): treat as private land; hunters are advised not to enter and to contact the Xeni Gwet'in band office (p. 42). Hunting is prohibited within 400 m of the portions of Chilko-Newton Road and Elkin Creek-Lord River FSR within the title area (Maps E10, E11).
No black bear season in the Mussel Inlet Special Management Area (MU 5-9); portions of MU 5-9 are Black Bear No Hunting Areas (Map F14, p. 52).
No Shooting Areas (firearm discharge prohibited): 100 Mile House (MU 5-2, Map E1); Rose Lake (MU 5-2, Map E2); Gibraltar Mines (MU 5-2, Map E4); Williams Lake and Williams Lake River (MU 5-2, Map E3); Snootli Creek Park (MU 5-8); Ocean Falls (MU 5-9, Map E8); Wells (MU 5-15, Map E23).
Reidemann Wildlife Sanctuary (Alkali Lake, MU 5-2): no hunting, trapping or discharge of firearms (Map E5).
Nekite River Spawning Channel (MU 5-7): hunting and firearm discharge prohibited within 100 m of the DFO spawning channel.
Stum (Pelican) Lake Park (MU 5-13): hunting, trapping and firearm discharge prohibited Mar 1 - Aug 31, including all of Stum Lake below the high water mark and its islands.
Tweedsmuir Park No Hunting Areas in MUs 5-10, 5-11 (Map E16).
Quarter-mile single-projectile closed areas (no single-projectile firearm within 400 m either side of the road; shot permitted): Robertson Road and side roads (MU 5-2); Tatlayoko Road south from Eagle Lake Road (MU 5-5); Horn-Bluff Lakes Road (MU 5-5, Map E12); West Fraser Road (MUs 5-2, 5-13, 5-14, Map E18); Soda Creek Rd / Williams Lake Cutoff Rd along Buckskin Road; Tibbles Road (MU 5-13, Map E19).
Highway No Shooting Areas and No Hunting/No Shooting Areas on page 10 apply.
Motor vehicle closures: all motor vehicles (except snowmobiles) prohibited above 1700 m except on existing roads and trails; ATVs/snowmobiles for hunting closed 4:00-10:00 a.m. Sept 1 - Nov 30 in MUs 5-3 to 5-6 and 5-14, and all of MUs 5-12 and 5-13 Sept 1 - Nov 30; plus mapped road/area closures (see www.gov.bc.ca/caribooaccess).
Access to the Mount Polley mine site (MU 5-2) is prohibited.
It is unlawful to intentionally feed or bait ungulates within 200 m of a dwelling, school yard or playground.

Synopsis p. 43

Next to MU 5-3

MU 3-31 MU 3-32 MU 5-2 MU 5-4 MU 5-14

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.