Visitor safety information

The forests of Gros Morne National Park are failing, largely as a result of moose over-browsing. In an effort to restore forest health, a multi-year moose management program was initiated in 2011. Qualified hunters are once again assisting Parks Canada maintain the moose populations in Gros Morne National Park at an ecologically sustainable level in 2023-24.

Visitors planning to come to Gros Morne this fall and winter are encouraged to read the following safety information, and call Gros Morne National Park at (709) 458-2417 prior to your visit if you have any questions. Maps of the Moose Management Area, as well as of the hiking trails that are excluded from it. Please pay particular attention to signage indicating areas where hunting is taking place once you arrive.

Know when the hunting season is: Visitors should take note that an active moose hunt will be underway in Gros Morne National Park from September 23, 2023 to January 28, 2024. Four zones have been identified within the larger Moose Management Area, each with a different start date (See map). During this time, hunting can take place starting one half hour before sunrise until one half hour after sunset. Note that for the first month, the hunt occurs only in remote backcountry areas and no trails or park infrastructure is affected. Beginning on October 14, 2023, some trails will be in the hunting area. Different trails will be impacted at different times.

Find out the extent of the hunting area: Gros Morne’s Moose Management Area encompasses 1,730 km2, or 95 % of the park. It includes much of the national park’s lowland areas (See map).

Be visible: It’s important to be easily seen in the woods. Therefore, avoid wearing blacks, browns, earth-toned greens and animal-colored clothing. It is recommended that hunters and hikers alike wear a blaze-orange hat and jacket. Inexpensive vinyl orange vests are easy to come by in outdoors shops or department stores.