Fall 2015 – Spring 2016 2015 Hunting Regulations Summary Draw Deadlines Moose Draw: June 1 Elk Draw: June 10 Antlerless Deer Draw: June 30 Controlled Deer Draw: August 31 New Moose Season Information - Page 4 Report Resource Abuse Please call 1-877-847-7667 ontario.ca/hunting IT’S IN YOUR IT’S IN YOUR NATURE.® Let’s face it, hunting isn’t just something you do. It’s who you are. At Cabela’s, we feel the same way. That’s why it’s in our nature to support you with thousands of experts, more than 50 years of experience and every last bit of expertise, so you can treasure this passion for the rest of your days. CABELAS.CA • 800.265.6245 HUNTING SEASON is fast approaching If you are hunting big game in Ontario, you can use the following draw application methods: n Online n ServiceOntario* ontario.ca/outdoorscard BIG GAME DRAWS n Licence Issuers* n Telephone 1-800-288-1155 Contact the Outdoors Card Centre with any questions at 1-800-387-7011. *For a list of participating ServiceOntario centres and local licence issuers, visit ontario.ca The elk draw is only available at participating ServiceOntario locations. ontario.ca/outdoorscard Has your Outdoors Card expired? More than 400,000 Ontario-resident fishing and hunting Outdoors Cards expired on December 31, 2014 If your Outdoors Card has expired, renew it today: n Online: ontario.ca/outdoorscard n By phone: 1-800-288-1155 n In person: at a licence issuer ontario.ca/outdoorscard BLEED Table of Contents Table Table of Contents Important Messages for Hunters ......................................................4-6 Maps Map 1 – Southwestern (includes WMUs 79 to 95) ................ 8-9 Map 2 – Southeastern (includes WMUs 46 to 78) ............. 10-11 Map 3 – Northern (includes WMUs 1 to 45) ......................12-13 • How to Use this Summary 2015 Hunting Licence Information .............................................14-21 The Ontario Hunter Education Program .........................................22 How to Use General Regulations ..................................................................... 23-30 this Summary Firearms, Methods of Hunting, Crown Lands, Hunting in Provincial Parks, Conservation Officers, Fish and This is a summary of information Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 dealing with hunting licences and Wild Turkey Regulations ...............................................................31-33 hunting laws. This summary is neither Moose Regulations ....................................................................... 34-52 a legal document nor a complete collection of the current regulations. Elk Regulations ............................................................................. 53-59 It is meant to be a convenient reference Deer Regulations .......................................................................... 60-74 only. For complete details, see: Black Bear Regulations ................................................................ 75-78 a) the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, and the regulations made Small Game Regulations ...................................................................79 under this Act; Game Birds ............................................................................79-80 b) the Migratory Birds Convention Act, Falconry and Small Mammals...................................................81 1994 (Canada) and the Migratory Furbearing Mammals .................................................................82 Birds Regulations; Wolf and Coyote ...................................................................83-84 c) the Endangered Species Act, 2007, and Game Amphibians and Reptiles ................................................84 the regulations made under this Act; d) the Species at Risk Act (Canada), Field Dressing, Transporting and Preparing Wild Game ................85 with regard to federally listed Definitions ....................................................................................86-87 species that are threatened, endangered or extirpated and their MNRF and ServiceOntario centres ...................................................88 critical habitat; and e) the Trespass to Property Act. All proceeds from the sale of advertisements appearing in this publication will be applied in Each game wildlife species or group support of fish and wildlife management programs in Ontario. The Province of Ontario and of game species has a section in this the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry neither endorse products or services offered in summary. Each section deals with basic the advertisements nor accept any liability arising from the use of such products or services. regulations on hunting the species, including open season tables (showing Photo Credits: when and where you can hunt that © Mark Raycroft Photography: cover and page 2 Rick Rosatte: page 62 (elk) species). The maps that show Wildlife J.D. Taylor: pages 62 (moose), 84 Management Unit (WMU) boundaries © Mark Raycroft Photography: pages 1, 31, 34, Norma Tegien: page 62 (white-tailed deer) 38, 47, 53, 59, 60, 75, 83 Tim Timmerman: page 62 (woodland caribou) appear on pages 8 to 13 of this summary. See the Definitions on pages 86 to 87 for an explanation of terms found 5612 throughout this summary. You Printed on recycled paper 175 k.P.R., 20 04 15 can obtain specific details of the ISSN 0822-1936 (Print) regulations, including more accurate ISSN 1925-3516 (PDF) descriptions of Wildlife Management Cette publication est également disponible en français. Pour en obtenir un exemplaire, veuillez Unit boundaries, at ontario.ca/hunting composer le 1 800 667-1940 ou aller à ontario.ca/chasse. On peut aussi en obtenir un exemplaire au bureau ServiceOntario le plus proche. This publication is available at ontario.ca/hunting Hunting Regulations 2015 • 2016 1 MESSAGE from the Government of Ontario Few outdoor activities can compare with the time-honoured tradition make the province a national leader in invasive species prevention of hunting. It is a popular pursuit for thousands of residents and and management. Ontario would be the only jurisdiction in visitors alike. Ontario’s game species include bear, deer, moose, wild Canada with stand-alone invasive species legislation. turkey, waterfowl and more. This means that there are a range of Fish and wildlife management in the province is funded in part outdoor experiences available in the province that will appeal to every by the Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Account. A new $2 service hunter. Through sustainable management of wildlife, we ensure that fee for hunting and fishing products has been introduced to offset Ontarians can enjoy these heritage activities in the future. administrative fees to the account associated with issuing licences. Hunting can also be a great opportunity to spend time together with This new service fee will be applied to the purchase of Outdoor Cards, family members. It gives experienced hunters the chance to share hunting and fishing licence tags, and draws for which a fee is charged. skills and knowledge with young people and new hunters, and to just The service fee will apply to all such transactions, whether carried enjoy being outdoors. out on the Internet, by phone or in person at a ServiceOntario Ontario launched the Moose Project in response to emerging pressures counter or with a private licence issuer. The new $2 fee will continue on moose populations. The goal of the project is to explore management our commitment to ensure that all money collected through the actions to address or mitigate these pressures, and includes a review of sale of licences goes directly to fish and wildlife management. the wide range of factors affecting moose across the province. As a first Updates to this summary are occasionally made throughout the year. Be step in the implementation of this project, we have made changes to the sure to visit www.ontario.ca/hunting to find out about any changes. moose hunting season beginning in 2015 to limit the hunting of moose Your support for Ontario’s wildlife management is helping to make calves to two weeks in northern Ontario. We are also delaying the start of a difference. Together, we can conserve the province’s wildlife for the moose season by one week across much of northern Ontario starting the benefit and enjoyment of future generations. in 2016. In addition to these changes, the Ministry is looking at further actions to respond to other pressures on moose populations such as More About Our Cover parasites, changing climate and habitat, and predators. Ontario has worked successfully in the past to address declining moose populations, and will continue to collaborate with the hunting community to ensure Each winter, when the rut is over, Ontario’s that the province’s moose populations remain healthy. white-tailed bucks shed their antlers. Once on the ground, antlers make a nutritious addition The government has responded to the concerns of northern Ontario to the diet of mice and other rodents who municipalities about public safety related to human-bear conflicts. gnaw them for the calcium and protein. If you A two-year black bear management pilot program was put in place are watchful on winter walks, you may find in eight Wildlife Management Units where municipalities have high some of these impressive souvenirs yourself. reported levels of problem bear activity. These management units encompass areas in and around Timmins, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Shed hunting is a good family outing. Focus Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay. The pilot