Every year more and more field workers, no longer trusting bear spray and other deterrents, are deciding to carry firearms in the bush. Recently there have been a number of very serious wildlife attacks involving bush workers. Many more potentially dangerous encounters go unreported and are considered routine by workers and employers alike.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada (s.217.1) and the BC Workers Compensation Act (s.115), employers have a responsibility to their employees to provide the tools and training they require to adequately protect themselves on the job. Not doing so leaves the employers open to civil litigation, as well as criminal and regulatory liability should an employee be injured or killed by a wild animal while at work.

In BC, field workers who possess a Firearms Licence may carry a rifle or shotgun for defence against dangerous and predatory wildlife such as Grizzly bear, Black bear, Polar bear, and Cougar. Those wishing to carry a handgun, must have a firearms licence with the ‘restricted’ designation and must be in possession of an Authorization to Carry (ATC) for their work and the handgun they will carry.

In order to apply for an ATC, the applicant must demonstrate proficiency in the use of their handgun in front of a qualified instructor.

Even if you’re not a field worker, if you spend time in remote areas, you are at risk of a dangerous encounter. Hunters can be at great risk from bear attack in the minutes and hours following shooting their game. The skills required in defensive shooting are different than those of hunting. We can give you the edge! Contact us to see about a course in camp/hunting bear defence.

Our Dangerous Wildlife Specialist is a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with the Association of BC Forest Professionals, has many years of field experience throughout BC, and has been involved in hundreds of dangerous and/or predatory wildlife encounters. His training in military and law enforcement firearms instruction and his knowledge of field work challenges and wildlife biology combine to give field workers the best training they can get.

Executive Firearms Training will provide you or your employees with the skills required to survive wildlife encounters. Our Dangerous Wildlife Firearms Training course covers:

• Field Safety
• Legal Issues
• Specific Firearms Characteristics and Mechanism
• Field Cleaning and Maintenance
• Field Carry Techniques and Camp/Logistics Issues
• Defensive Shooting Tactics for Wildlife Attack

We can tailor the training to your chosen or required defensive system:

• Rifle
• Shotgun
• Revolver, and/or
• Semi-Automatic Pistol

Successful students will be provided a course certificate upon completion for WorkSafeBC training requirements and employee records, and any student that is trained in the use of a handgun will also receive the Proficiency Confirmation required to apply for an ATC.

Call today to discuss our competitive and realistic rates. Prices vary with the size of the course, your work requirements, and where the training will be held.

At your request we can provide or incorporate Bear Aware training that includes wildlife avoidance techniques, the carry and deployment of Bear Spray, use of ‘bear bangers,’ and appropriate behaviour and actions during a dangerous wildlife encounter.

Three Bear Aware courses are available:

Our 2 hour Bear Aware provides an introduction to staying safe in bear country, highlighting safe work practices and hazard identification.

Our 4 hour (half day) Bear Aware provides an in depth look at working in bear country and analyzes avoidance and encounter survival techniques.  This course also introduces defensive tools to carry and use in the bush.

Our 1 day Bear Aware covers all the material of the other courses, but also integrates practical training in the deployment of defensive tools and issues around the use of defensive tools in an attack environment.

Find out what our clients think about our programs. Read Testimonials »