Yukon moving to lottery system for hunters' special guide licences

The Yukon government is moving to a lottery system for its special guiding licences, which means hunters in the territory will no longer have to stand in line for hours to get one of the popular permits.

The territorial government offers 100 special guiding licences each year for resident Yukon hunters to act as guides for non-residents, such as visiting friends, on a moose or caribou hunt.

"They are special. They're sort of a unique opportunity to bring a friend or family member up to the Yukon to harvest an animal," says Rob Florkiewicz, the Yukon government's harvest co-ordinator.

Florkiewicz says over the past few years the permits have become so popular that hunters lined up for hours to get their hands on one.

"Last year they were all gone within two and a half hours."

Starting April 1, resident Yukoners will have three weeks to apply for the licences. The winners will be named after a lottery draw the last week of April.

Gord Zealand, the executive director of the Yukon Fish and Game Association, says hunters will welcome the draw.

"This past year, where the whole process shut down almost in less than a day, it got ridiculous," Zealand says.

"So obviously we need to be able to give everyone an opportunity, as opposed to those that happen to be first in line."

In addition to the lottery, for the first time in Yukon an additional 25 guiding licences will be available for bison hunting. In the past, bison have been one of the big game animals restricted under the special guide licence.

Florkiewicz says they'll reassess that plan after next winter's bison season.