Ontario: Taking a 13 year old hunting

CompBoy

CompBoy

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My cousin ask me if I would be willing to take her 13 year old son small game hunting some time. I'm fine with it just a few things to get in place. I still need the hunter safety course for Ontario and to find some land I can hunt in Ontario and some range time (should be good end of August for that). The kids into WWII shooters so last night we did a run through with safely loading unloading, safe muzzle control. He's pretty good about it better then other kids his age. Can't take him to Manitoba since he can't leave province without the other half agreeing. Useless piece of ... anyway. Grandpa on the other side was taking him fishing but his health is getting bad so he's not able to do it any more and the kid wants to try hunting.

I had a few questions in regards to Ontario regulations and I've never took anyone before so this is new territory for me. I plan on taking him for a while to a range to get him shooting before going to the field so I have some time here and where I live I can't just take him to the hunting place and let him shoot targets till he's good besides I need the land first :(

But what does he need to go with for small game. I think he needs the Hunter safety course, at least the Non-Restricted firearms course and the H1 hunter apprenticeship card with a small game lic tag. I'm suggesting they get him the restricted at the same time since I think it's pretty much the same cost.

However I thought I'd check first since money is a bit of an issue for them and they won't let me pay for any of it. Manitoba has the provision if I remember to just take a kid with and it counts against your limit. You only have to get a lic. if they want their own limit of game. Working on memory here I moved to Ontario 5 years ago should I could be wrong on that one. I'm more then willing to give him whatever we do get so I'm not really worried about the limits. Just want to make sure I'm legal for the other half.
 
i would just take him with you a time or two just to let him watch before spending all the money on coureses and stuff .as far as restricted goes you have to be 18 years old and 21 to buy one i think .he will nopt be able to shot untill he has a hunting licenc ebut he can sit with you well hunting .he can shot at a range under supervision .i am sure there are guys on here that can help more then i .i do take my 10 and 13 year old girls hunting with me DUITCH
 
"...get him the restricted..." No RPAL for a 13 year old. Minor's PAL only. He cannot own or acquire a firearm. The Minor's licence lets him buy ammo, but he doesn't need it to go hunting with you.
Neither has anything to do with the hunting regs though. He has to pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course exam and Hunter's Safety course.
Read the regs pertaining to Class A1 Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Cards. Particularly the Other Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program Requirements.
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/239841.pdf
 
"...to hunt in Ontario............no?..." Right.
"...Must be an Ontario thing..." 18 in Ontario too. 18 and 21 is a U.S. thing. Depends on the State, but U.S. Federal law says no buying handguns from an FFL holder/dealer under 21. Some States allow an 18 year old to buy privately. It's no wonder our Southern cousins are confused at times.
 
Did some digging around figured out that the License was only if they wanted to borrow a firearm there is no minimum age to take the courses.

I will admit I wanted to get the two courses in the hopes he'd catch not just the hunting bug but also the gun bug. The more gun owners the better including the dangerous range only firearms. I live in Bantario so we need ever owner we can get. The age for the RPAL Lic. is 18.

I did come by the fact that he needs the course to borrow a firearm or buy ammo.

Don't know really how much that would help he moves between Belleville and Oakville and I'm not letting him take my guns back to Belleville not a problem with him just who he lives with there. Beyond that it would get no use at all no one to take him. I did find a place that offered the Non-Restricted course by it's self which is what I'll recommend now. Since it does nothing till he hits 18.

My understanding was the CO might have an issue with him going with me if we only brought a single gun and only filled my limits. As long as I'm with in direct control range he wouldn't actually need the card would he?
I haven't talked with any CO's in Ontario need land to hunt for that :(
Manitoba they tend to let people go with a hunter as long as you aren't above the limit and your carrying one gun.
 
I would suggest taking him to the range and letting him shoot under your supervision for a bit first, reactive targets, all the fun stuff so he really catches the bug. If someone needed a bit of a push to get in to firearms I doubt the PAL course is the way to go, especially for a 13 year old. Imagine sitting through all the classroom junk and still not being sure you want what comes at the end anyways? Don't get me wrong he should take it, but I would let him have a little bit of safe fun with guns first so he really has the drive to do the course.
 
Bottom line, as far as what I understand, if he is going to be an active participant in the hunt, he needs a hunting license, be it the apprenticeship hunter, or full on licence. If he is just an observer, you can bring him along. Any one that is pulling a trigger, calling for game, actively looking for game, is NOT an observer.

Here is a good break down of what he needs in Ontario, to hunt as his age:

http://www.ohep.net/Programs.cfm?ID=1
 
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