Prince Edward Island Canada: A Duck Hunters Paradise

iSportsman Staff

Earlier this week, Duck’s Unlimited shared a video recap of their recent waterfowl hunting excursion to Prince Edward Island Canada. Many hunters from the United States have a bucket list trip — or two — up in the land of our northern neighbors, but usually this encompasses taking advantage of Saskatchewan’s exceedingly great hunting and fishing opportunities or heading to the west coast for bear hunting in Vancouver.  Often overlooked, and frequently confused for Prince of Wales Island (which is in Alaksa), is Prince Edward Island.  

If your mom, wife, or yourself (we don’t judge), was a fan of Anne of Green Gables then you’re probably familiar with Prince Edward Island as described by character Anne Shirley as the “prettiest place in the world.” And if you’re planning a trip to PEI for any reason, we highly recommend bringing that Green Gables fan with you — because it is absolutely true. (And there is a great museum!) 

The Wilds of Prince Edward Island 

As a result of years of Indigenous Mi’kmaq, Arcadian, and Canadian culture PEI is a postcard worthy seaside town, covered with sprawling acres of farmland and grasses. Even the fellas from Ducks Unlimited were smitten with the island’s beauty and hospitality. But, more importantly, they were impressed with its hunting opportunities.  

Black ducks and Canada geese treat PEI like a rest stop in flights over to Nova Scotia; the island’s abundant fields of crops and grasses make it as appealing to waterfowl as it is to hunters. The guys from Ducks Unlimited spent their trip scouting up to twice a day, with dogs in the front seat of their pick-up trucks listening for that whimper which indicated a good place to set up shop. Though shooting opportunities were fulfilling, nothing could recreate the experience of mingling with their hosts and locals in this small Canadian community.  

“We shot pintails, mallards, black ducks, Canada geese… The fishing opportunities here on the Atlantic coast are incredible…. It’s just a really unique place to be, it’s a really cool part of the Earth.” Said Jim Ronquest, vice president of development for Drake Waterfowl.  

Getting to Prince Edward Island Canada 

If you’re ready to say, “Bienvenue au Canada!” Getting to PEI is fairly simple to do. East coast adventurers can even road trip it across the border, get a scenic view of The Maritimes, and catch a ferry to the island from Nova Scotia. If you’re short of time, or less fond of long car rides, you can book a flight directly to the island’s airport in Charlottetown, or nearby in Halifax.  

Canada, Prince Edward Island, French River. Small fishing harbor.

Fishing on Prince Edward Island 

Non-residents can fish on PEI by purchasing a fishing license for $10 CAD and a Wildlife Conservation Fund License for $20 CAD, which is roughly $23 USD. Licenses can be purchased online or from local license vendors across the island. All angling seasons for freshwater species open on April 15th of each year, and though many fishing spots are privately owned, there are many public access spots to take advantage of.  

Hunting on Prince Edward Island Canada 

Hunting on PEI is a little more complicated. Firstly, non-residents must be accompanied by a licensed PEI resident hunter or a registered hunting guide. This may sound like a hassle, but it can be extremely helpful when locating hunting spots as only 7.9% of PEI’s 1.4 million acres is public land. A local outfitter will be your best bet for setting up in a good spot for the trip, though if you’re committed to finding your own honey hole you can review the public land atlas here.   

Once you find a local to show you around, you should be sure to understand Canada’s firearm laws and firearm transportation regulations thoroughly. For PEI specifically, you must submit an authorization form for transport to the Chief Firearms Officer.  

With that out of the way, you then have to consider meat transfer. If you plan on bringing any of your harvest back with you over the border, then you should get familiar with the US Customs and Border Protection wild game bird meat/carcass regulation. In short, it’s another pile of paperwork and to be frank — our advice would be to cook nightly during your stay.

Planning Your Trip to Prince Edward Island Canada

PEI already has outfitters with accommodations listed for you to begin your search and their tourism site has an extended directory of hotels, cottages, houseboats, and campgrounds that are available.  As someone who has travelled to Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, my best advice for planning a trip up north would be to call any of these fine folks up and let them know exactly what you’re looking for. It’s not a rumor; Canadians are really nice. If you’re unsure that any of your accommodations or preparation steps aren’t in place, I can almost guarantee that anyone you get in touch with would be happy to help set you straight.  

In fact, I hope you keep that advice in mind when visiting. You can have a great duck hunt anywhere if you’re lucky enough, but only on Prince Edward Island can you have a fantastic hunt with great people.

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