hunting black birds, starlings and grackles

They are open season here year round in Ontario and there are no bag limits or restrictions on them but you can only hunt them with a current valid Ontario small games license so you will need a 2011 small game license. Hope that helps....BTW that also includes crows and a host of other birds. You can find the list in the regs.

Heres pics from a buddy and I popping crows on the weekend!

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I'm surprised that a small game license is required. Not disputing it, just surprised. I lived in Ontario in another life and we used to shoot starlings and blackbirds by the bag full along lake St. Clair in late summer. we picked them up and often would have a couple burlap sacks half full, then head off to our Italian buddy's place. He would pour the wine and his wife would get on the phone calling friends. Pretty soon the yard was full of men telling lies and drinking wine and the women were plucking the blackbirds. Wrapped in bacon or proscuitto and put on the BBQ. A warm summer evening. How could it be better?
 
the spank said:
They are open season here year round in Ontario and there are no bag limits or restrictions on them but you can only hunt them with a current valid Ontario small games license so you will need a 2011 small game license. Hope that helps....BTW that also includes crows and a host of other birds. You can find the list in the regs.
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NOT TRUE. This quote is from page 13 of the 2010 Regs.

A small game licence tag also permits you to hunt American crow, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird or starlings and other animals not scheduled under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 (e.g., groundhogs)**. You may also hunt on game bird hunting preserves with this licence. This licence is not valid in northern Ontario and part of central Ontario from June 16 to August 31....
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dudley2112 said:
ok but what qualifies as northern an central ontario
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Go to page 8 in your 2010 Regs. In the upper right corner, you'll see a statement 'No small game license is valid................north of this line.

I know of this because I spoke to a CO a few years back to see if he knew the genesis of the law. I have a camp north of the French River and wanted to pop blackbirds during the summer but couldn't because of this exemption.

If you don't have a hardcopy, here is a link to the MNR:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/Publication/MNR_E001275P.html
 
bearkilr said:
I always thought blackbirds were songbirds, in other words protected. Does your season include red-winged and yellow-headed black birds as well?
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Yellow headed black birds are a no-go. Part of the reson I refrain from shooting black birds unless I am 100% sure, a female Yellow and a female Red look very similar in flight.

Shooting black birds in a marsh is an excellent way to prepare a retriever for the duck blind. Late summer is the best time as they form large flocks which you can pattern and then set up on a flyway.
 
I shot many, many blackbirds with a .22, lots of fun and good hunting practise for more serious stuff. Never tried eating them, those Italians have good ideas!
 
Also, along with the steel shot issue, could you remove the plug from your shotgun to allow more shells in the magazine as far as crows are concerned. The regs. are extremely vague in regards to this type of hunting.
 
ff33 said:
Also, along with the steel shot issue, could you remove the plug from your shotgun to allow more shells in the magazine as far as crows are concerned. The regs. are extremely vague in regards to this type of hunting.
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If you are talking about Ontario...no, you may not.

Your shotgun must be "plugged" to hold no more than 3 when hunting.
 
Fall Guy said:
NOT TRUE. This quote is from page 13 of the 2010 Regs.
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That NORTHERN line is north of the French and either Magnetewan or Mattawa Rivers, I cant recall which exactly and when I opened the mnr site to review the regs I cant find the page numbers you refer to or the description of the boundaries. They arent opening for me and I cant get to all the info?
 
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dudley2112 said:
so if im hunting in and around the GTA i would be fine? in terms at that french mattawa river line?
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Yes you are fine. Plan on hunting some crows with the 45/70 up at Nonquon? :)

Let me know next time you plan on going for a "hunt", I have my small game and a new 44 magnum looking for some experience.

P.S. Coyotes and red fox are also open all year and can be taken with just your small game card if your just looking to stay legal in Nonquon.

-CZ
 
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The best time to hunt redwing black birds and grackles is now.

Last year we shot probly close to 500 redwings in a week.

I can tell you my skeet game has improved a lot after shooting 3 flats of shells at them lol
 
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