A noob needs your help! Please help me out :) (regulations shooting/hunting Ontario)

emilio613

emilio613

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This is a question directed at the experienced ONTARIO hunters:

Hi there guys, so I recently completed my hunter's education course. Now I have exprience with firearms and whatnot, but no hunting experience and cannot wait to get some under my belt!

However, I cannot help but mention that I found it odd that during the course, there was no discussion of where one can find exact regulations pertaining to firearm discharge.

What I mean:

Where can I find (like a good, definite 100% accurate source) a link/site that can tell me:

-Where I can discharge a gun in relation to: How far from a city/township, size of the property required (such as my friends cottage being near Algonquin Park, and it is on 70acres of land... if he lets me hunt there, am I ok to shoot? What if we wanted to target shoot? is that allowed on private property?), etc etc. I know I can find caliber restrictions in the regulations handbook, but I cannot find anything on areas I can shoot in.

(Obviously I would not go shooting off the balcony of my parents apartment balcony in Ottawa, but I mean, once you are out in the country....??)

I know this may be a really NOOB (durr durr retard) type of topic, but I am simply overwhelmed by these restrictions and lack of a clear guide/set of rules.

Its not like at my uncle's in Florida, where I hear gunshots each night from the neighbours, and I can go shoot a handgun in his backyard, because we know its all ok.

I have NEVER heard a gunshot coming off private property in Canada (at least in Cottage country), so.... what's the deal with this?

Help me please!! :) thank you!
 
It is tough to get local regulations. It is not exactly what you are asking, but the OFAH website contains up to date maps for where you can hunt on Sundays, but that is only one piece of the puzzle.

I suspect the reason that no comprehensive list of OK areas exists is because it would be too complicated to maintain. An option is to call the township office for the given area, ask to talk to a bylaw enforcement officer, and ask about discharge laws. It is hard to imagine that you'd have a problem on somebody's 70 acres in the vicinity of Algonquin Park, though.

One other help is to get the crown land map. These are available from most of the highway-side tourism places for $10 (as of a couple of years ago, anyhow). That helps a lot for working out hunting areas. Sorry not to be able to give you a more comprehensive answer, but I am afraid that none exists.

RG

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Ruffed Grouse said:
It is tough to get local regulations. It is not exactly what you are asking, but the OFAH website contains up to date maps for where you can hunt on Sundays, but that is only one piece of the puzzle.

I suspect the reason that no comprehensive list of OK areas exists is because it would be too complicated to maintain. An option is to call the township office for the given area, ask to talk to a bylaw enforcement officer, and ask about discharge laws. It is hard to imagine that you'd have a problem on somebody's 70 acres in the vicinity of Algonquin Park, though.

One other help is to get the crown land map. These are available from most of the highway-side tourism places for $10 (as of a couple of years ago, anyhow). That helps a lot for working out hunting areas. Sorry not to be able to give you a more comprehensive answer, but I am afraid that none exists.

RG

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Each township/municipality has it's own rules. Check with them before you shoot.

In absence of rules (and even with them present) you are responsible for determining how and where to shoot your firearms safely. Keep in mind a .22 round is going to need significantly less 'safe distance' than a 300WM.
 
Ruffed Grouse said:
It is tough to get local regulations. It is not exactly what you are asking, but the OFAH website contains up to date maps for where you can hunt on Sundays, but that is only one piece of the puzzle.

I suspect the reason that no comprehensive list of OK areas exists is because it would be too complicated to maintain. An option is to call the township office for the given area, ask to talk to a bylaw enforcement officer, and ask about discharge laws. It is hard to imagine that you'd have a problem on somebody's 70 acres in the vicinity of Algonquin Park, though.

One other help is to get the crown land map. These are available from most of the highway-side tourism places for $10 (as of a couple of years ago, anyhow). That helps a lot for working out hunting areas. Sorry not to be able to give you a more comprehensive answer, but I am afraid that none exists.

RG

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Click to expand...

that's the conclusion I came to. Either I have to ask around, or I will never know... so it's a matter of calling around and asking before I hunt there :p
 
As long as the land is outside the park you are good to go.
You can target shoot or hunt on the land as long as the season is open for the animal hunted.
 
Ahh, check the 'firearms' section of the general regs. I think that it says licensed hunters that to possess a rifle larger than .22 rimfire in an area containing game and during an open season for big game, should have a licence for that game species. It would be sensible under such circumstances to wear orange too. That would make you look like a hunter for sure, and so having a valid license and game seal, while strictly it shouldn't be necessary, seems worth while to avoid confusion. And in all honesty, if you saw a deer or bear even if your intention was to shoot targets, you'd probably kick yourself for not being prepared anyhow.

RG

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Ruffed Grouse said:
Ahh, check the 'firearms' section of the general regs. I think that it says licensed hunters that to possess a rifle larger than .22 rimfire in an area containing game and during an open season for big game, should have a licence for that game species. It would be sensible under such circumstances to wear orange too. That would make you look like a hunter for sure, and so having a valid license and game seal, while strictly it shouldn't be necessary, seems worth while to avoid confusion. And in all honesty, if you saw a deer or bear even if your intention was to shoot targets, you'd probably kick yourself for not being prepared anyhow.

RG

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hahah "My God! Look at that 10 point buck!" "where?!" "Right over there between targets 1 and 2 at 150 yards!" ;) lol

Okeedokee, I am going to look into this!

Oh, one more thing, since we're already talking ;) Regarding a buck tag, canI go and simply buy one, or is the buck tag like a lotto like the doe tag? I know you get a buck and toe tag if you are selected in the lottery, but can I go and purchaser JUST a buck tag for $30? Any idea who sells them?
 
With 70 acres you should be safe pretty much anywhere in rural ontario

Like everyone else said, check local regs.

I have friends with land
1 farmer - 1500 acres
1 farmer - 50 acres
1 home owner - 2 acres

because of where they are, we shoot at all 3 locations
drive 2 minutes, the house on 2 acres would be out of the question
drive another half hour, and the 50 acre farm would be out too
 
dannymat said:
With 70 acres you should be safe pretty much anywhere in rural ontario

Like everyone else said, check local regs.

I have friends with land
1 farmer - 1500 acres
1 farmer - 50 acres
1 home owner - 2 acres

because of where they are, we shoot at all 3 locations
drive 2 minutes, the house on 2 acres would be out of the question
drive another half hour, and the 50 acre farm would be out too
Click to expand...

Thanks for that info :)
 
emilio613 said:
hahah "My God! Look at that 10 point buck!" "where?!" "Right over there between targets 1 and 2 at 150 yards!" ;) lol

Okeedokee, I am going to look into this!

Oh, one more thing, since we're already talking ;) Regarding a buck tag, canI go and simply buy one, or is the buck tag like a lotto like the doe tag? I know you get a buck and toe tag if you are selected in the lottery, but can I go and purchaser JUST a buck tag for $30? Any idea who sells them?
Click to expand...

When you buy a deer licence you are allowed to harvest 1 antlered deer,Buck or Doe as long as the deer has ONE antler at least 3.5 inches long.
(Yes some doe deer do grow antlers)
In the lottery you apply for a antlerless deer tag and if you draw one you can then shoot antlered or antlerless deer.

Confused Yet
#16
 
If you really want some confusion start looking at the process to get a moose tag

30 mins later on the phone with the MNR and I think I just got it

Here's 2 numbers I call
MNR: 1 800 667 1940
Canadian Firearm Centre: 1 800 731 4000
 
I think I am going to scrap the gun projects I have going, go invest in a time machine, and travel back in time to hunt Buffalo with the natives back in the day, when there were no restrictions....

So.... more or less, I CAN purchase a deer tag, just not for antlerless deer... gotcha.
 
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