Magazine capacities for small game hunting.

[XX Moosehead XX]

I'm sorry guys, I've been searching for hours for the answers to these questions. Can't find a straight answer. The hunting regs aren't even perfectly clear. So, my understanding is this:

For upland birds, the capacity for any shotgun is 3.
Does that change for small game, such as Coyote? If I'm hunting Coyote, can I have 5 in my semi auto shotgun?

So what about small game hunting with a 9mm carbine, which uses pistol mags with a capacity of 10? Am I legally aloud to hunt small game with a full magazine? Assume I'm obeying all other regional regulations. I'm in southern Ontario for reference. Specifically Guelph area.

If this is covered somewhere, please point me in the right direction. I've asked firearms instructors, and even Hunter safety instructors. No clear answers.

 

[tharkhold]

Uh, isn't it three rounds total in the gun in Ontario for hunting anything?

In any case, if there is a maximum, whatever it is, you can't just load say 3 rounds in a 5/10 round magazine and call it ok... You have to plug the excess space in the magazine (like a shotgun plug) so you can't physically load more than the prescribed limit.

And before someone rings in with the whole 'ghost/carrier' load a 4th round in a shotgun, you can only have 3 rounds loaded in the firearm, regardless of "where" they sit!

 

[Scamaniac]

You should be able to find your answers in the provincial hunting regs. Your shotgun capacity will be 3 rounds. Your capacity for the 9mm will be 0. As in leave it at home.

 

[XX Moosehead XX]

Uh, isn't it three rounds total in the gun in Ontario for hunting anything?

In any case, if there is a maximum, whatever it is, you can't just load say 3 rounds in a 5/10 round magazine and call it ok... You have to plug the excess space in the magazine (like a shotgun plug) so you can't physically load more than the prescribed limit.

And before someone rings in with the whole 'ghost/carrier' load a 4th round in a shotgun, you can only have 3 rounds loaded in the firearm, regardless of "where" they sit!

I understand that the firearm needs to be plugged, or rendered incapable of holding more than 3. But I've been told that rule is only for birds, and that hunting small game, coyote for instance, a capacity of 5 is ok in a semi. I've also heard that 3 is the max for any game.

 

[RyPal]

I kept 10 in my .22 when I hunted down there.

Don’t mean to keep raining on your parade, but isn’t there a caliber restriction in that area too?

.270 or something, though not sure if that applies to PCCs.

Just a thought, might be way off.

Ryan

 

[XX Moosehead XX]

You should be able to find your answers in the provincial hunting regs. Your shotgun capacity will be 3 rounds. Your capacity for the 9mm will be 0. As in leave it at home.

Yea, I just realized the 9mm was a bad example.....

 

[canadian hunter312]

I understand that the firearm needs to be plugged, or rendered incapable of holding more than 3. But I've been told that rule is only for birds, and that hunting small game, coyote for instance, a capacity of 5 is ok in a semi. I've also heard that 3 is the max for any game.

Shotgun capacity is 3 for hunting anything in Ontario. There is a caliber restriction for most of Southern Ontario.

Just review the regulations a few times, it's all there in black and white.

 

[wce323078]

It is my understanding that the 3 rounds in a shotgun pertains to migratory birds IE. ducks and geese. However it also depends on the province you are hunting in if it applies to other birds. Most provinces it is 5 rounds in any rifle. Some places allows up to 10 say in a lee-infield. as there is or was no examples of a mag. holding 5 rounds for it. Same applied to the M1 at one time, it may have changed depending on the province.

 

[XX Moosehead XX]

Shotgun capacity is 3 for hunting anything in Ontario. There is a caliber restriction for most of Southern Ontario.

Just review the regulations a few times, it's all there in black and white.

I can't find anything in the printed version pertaining to mag capacities. Calibre restrictions, shot sizes, and when a particular firearm is allowed is all there plain to see. I did find on the website ontario.ca/hunting that shotguns need to be limited to 3 for everything. So that's clear. Still no clear idea of semi auto, centre-fire rifle mag capacity for a given hunt.

I've seen pics of a person taking a deer with a Bushmaster ACR that had a 10 round magazine. Is this legal in Ontario?

 

[Butcherbill]

It is my understanding that the 3 rounds in a shotgun pertains to migratory birds IE. ducks and geese. However it also depends on the province you are hunting in if it applies to other birds. Most provinces it is 5 rounds in any rifle. Some places allows up to 10 say in a lee-infield. as there is or was no examples of a mag. holding 5 rounds for it. Same applied to the M1 at one time, it may have changed depending on the province.

I see you're in BC as well, when hunting in BC the only limit on ammo capacity outside of federal capacity (semi auto vs bolt or pump) is when shooting any type of shot in a shotgun. You are allowed 2 in the magazine and one in the chamber regardless of what you're hunting, migratory or upland birds or anything else you might be hunting with a shotgun and birdshot or buckshot. There is no restriction on single projectiles aka slugs or center fire or rimefire ammo. If shooting single projectiles you can load the mag or mag tube to its legal capacity depending on the type of action.

Pg.17 of the bc hunting synopsis covers it under Legal Hunting Methods.

 

[TheTooner]

It is my understanding that the 3 rounds in a shotgun pertains to migratory birds IE. ducks and geese. However it also depends on the province you are hunting in if it applies to other birds. Most provinces it is 5 rounds in any rifle. Some places allows up to 10 say in a lee-infield. as there is or was no examples of a mag. holding 5 rounds for it. Same applied to the M1 at one time, it may have changed depending on the province.

Hunting regulations are provincial jurisdiction but three rounds maximum when hunting migratory birds is a federal regulation imposed because it's in an agreement with the U.S.A. and international agreements are federal. A provincial law or regulation cannot contradict or overrule a federal one so a province can't allow you to have more than the federal regulation allows for migratory birds. (But a provincial regulation can restrict you to fewer than three because the federal rule doesn't say you can have three rounds, it says you can't have more than three.) The provinces can also decide to whether to have the same limit or a different limit to hunting other game.

Check your provincial regulations. "But some guy on the interweb said ..." is no excuse to a game warden and no defence in court.

 

[verminaard]

Shotgun... 3 rounds.
Centerfire... 5 if it is semi, however many you can hold if it is bolt.
Rimfire... As many as you can hold.

 

[Spcamno]

Shotgun... 3 rounds.
Centerfire... 5 if it is semi, however many you can hold if it is bolt.
Rimfire... As many as you can hold.

Partially correct.

In Ontario Shotgun is 3 rounds in total (one in chamber 2 in magazine) regardless of hunting small game, big game, upland game or waterfowl.

Centerfire regardless of hunting small game or big game magazine capacity has to be comply with the criminal code of the firearm act capacity examples: M1 Garand has eight rounds or if you hunt with a rifle that accept a pistol mag then it will be 10 rounds.

There is also a caliber restriction on not greater than .275 in Southern Ontario when hunt "small" game only but no restrictions on big game so you can hunt deer with a 50 bmg if you are macho enough to carry one around the bush.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

The only spot you can use a shotgun without a plug in Ontario, is at the range.
Even if you deer hunt with one it has to be plugged.
Damned stupid IMO, but that's the law.

 

[hoytcanon]

The only spot you can use a shotgun without a plug in Ontario, is at the range.
Even if you deer hunt with one it has to be plugged.
Damned stupid IMO, but that's the law.

Except that every Trap, Skeet and Clays range I know of have rules limiting capacity to three total. Perhaps, plinking at a rifle range you can get away with more?

 

[Foxer2373]

The only spot you can use a shotgun without a plug in Ontario, is at the range.
Even if you deer hunt with one it has to be plugged.
Damned stupid IMO, but that's the law.

Partial right, you can’t be “hunting” in anyway with more than 3. If I’m clay shooting in my back yard or out building a camp in the woods I can have it loaded up. But yes true you cannot carry a loaded up shotgun for defense while hunting.

It still amazes me how some people passed their Pal’s and Hunting courses. These questions come up atleast weekly.

 

[FLHTCUI]

I understand that the firearm needs to be plugged, or rendered incapable of holding more than 3. But I've been told that rule is only for birds, and that hunting small game, coyote for instance, a capacity of 5 is ok in a semi. I've also heard that 3 is the max for any game.

Well, have you confirmed your information via the Ontario Provincial Hunting Regs ?
Seems a couple of guys have already chimed in from Ontario with local information.
What is the source of your information you refer to?
Rob

 

[XX Moosehead XX]

Partial right, you can’t be “hunting” in anyway with more than 3. If I’m clay shooting in my back yard or out building a camp in the woods I can have it loaded up. But yes true you cannot carry a loaded up shotgun for defense while hunting.

It still amazes me how some people passed their Pal’s and Hunting courses. These questions come up atleast weekly.

Not covered in the PAL/RPAL courses. Didn't come up in my hunter safety course either.

Instead of being sarcastic, you could be helpful. Takes the same amount of key strokes....

 

[XX Moosehead XX]

Well, have you confirmed your information via the Ontario Provincial Hunting Regs ?
Seems a couple of guys have already chimed in from Ontario with local information.
What is the source of your information you refer to?
Rob

I've read the regs from stem to stern. Nothing on magazine limits that I could find. I did confirm the 3 round max for any shotgun while hunting. That I had to dig out of ontario.ca/hunting Wasn't particularly easy to find.

Still unclear of the centre-fire semi-auto rifle limit.

 

[9.3mauser]

Still unclear of the centre-fire semi-auto rifle limit.

There are no restrictions except for the federally mandated ones.