Please School Me on Getting Hunting License Online Ontario

C

Callee

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Location
Seguin, Ontario
Hi!
I got my PAL last year, and primarily target and trap shoot. I don't plan on being a big hunter, but I have lots of friends who are and would like to go out with them occassionally.

My understanding was that to get a hunting license in ontario, I would first have to take the hunting course, then I could apply for a license.

I looked into taking the course, but it is not offered very often where I live, so i've been waiting.

I assumed that the hunting course would teach me actual hunting skills, but now several people have told me that it really doesn't, and that it is mostly a rehash of the gun safety material covered in the PAL course I just did. I don't feel like waiting and paying a bunch of money for that, so a couple of people have told me I can just take the course online much quicker and easier.

So, first off, do you agree that's a good plan - just take the course online?

And second, if so, can you recommend an online course? I've googled up a couple, but it's hard to know which one would be best.

Thanks!
 
It's been decades since I've taken the course but sometimes the course is being taught at the club where I run skeet. I can't speak for other instructors but the ones in my area have a long history in hunting and firearms and do a pretty good job explaining the very basics of hunting styles and shot placement and appropriate tools for the job and how to feild dress. So if you're entirely new it may be worth it to take the course. If your friends are experienced and successful hunters then they could teach you the ways. Once you pass the course you need to buy an outdoors card. They're either 1 year or 3 year. On that you can add your fishing and small game license. With small game you can purchase things like turkey tags and hunt small game and coyote and wolves. Some areas require tags others don't. Once you have the hunting outdoors card you can apply or buy big game tags
 
If you are going to do it online for an Ontario hunting licence, this is your only option:

https://www.huntercourse.com/canada...MI_dWchMbM_AIVURR9Ch2TkwqrEAAYASAAEgIEwvD_BwE

You can also search for any courses put on by an instructor on the OHEP website.

The reason you wont find many courses available, is that the MNR / OFAH set the online course price point so low that instructors cant compete with it. Then OFAH boned the instructors by dropping their insurance coverage, leaving each instructor scrambling to get liability insurance. Thanks to Canadian Shooting Sports Association for providing coverage for an additional $5.00 over their membership fee.

If you want to LEARN about hunting, pay the money and go with an instructor. If you just want to meet the requirements to get a license, go online and do it there. You get what you pay for!
 
I did it online when it was first offered at the beginning of covid. Be prepared to sit at your computer for about 5 hours. There was no way to skip ahead on the teaching segments either so expect to be very bored for a good chunk of it.
 
Great decision to get into the shooting sports and to begin hunting! Your lifestyle will benefit!

It has been several decades since I took my hunter's safety/education course way back in the last century. But I remember that it taught knowledge that was not covered in the FAC and PAL courses back in the day.

To see what's new I went to the OMNR's "Hunter Education" website, link:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/hunter-education

It states: "Ontario residents must take the course through the Ontario Hunter Education Course and pass the exam to:
- buy hunting licenses and tags
- participate in the Ontario Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program"

The word "must" is there, which appears to indicate you must take the course (?), unless you qualify for the "Exemptions", which has a link on that same website page that explains the exemption criteria.

On this OMNR website it provides a web link on the "Ontario Hunter Education Course" that links to a private partner website that offers an in-person course registration or an online course. Clicking on the start button for the online course, it states the fee is $60 for the online course. I think that is cheap for the benefits it provides in the long run, so if you go the online route that is a bargain.

If you can find an instructor-led course that meets your schedule, I would recommend it for the cultural nuances that you are going to learn about, which an online course could never provide. They will likely have several speakers/instructors from different backgrounds, and you will be in a classroom of people who may be from a different background than you. You will hear anecdotes that you would never hear in an online course. By just being there you will absorb information that will enhance the training. Some of what you learn about culture and attitudes may be quite different from your experience (some may not be to your liking), but its all part of the world you will be in when out in the bush or on the water hunting.

I don't know if these days in the instructor-led course they bring in a dead critter to demonstrate gutting and skinning and quartering, or plucking a duck/goose, but if so that is value-added that you cannot get in an online course. (However if you have these animal processing skills already, it may not be value-added).

But you cannot wait forever for an instructor course to be available, so if the online course is what is feasible, go for it.

In whatever route you choose, good luck, and best wishes for a happy hunting life!
 
I did my course back in early 80s , just north of Jane and Steele.
It was a two week course and basically covered everything in the book.
It’s more geared towards safety rather than actual hunting.


It’s now a one day course in NL .
Also it’s transferable between provinces.

I’d recommend the online course, remember, safety / common sense trumps everything.
 
I took the course about 18 years back. I didn’t learn anything of value from the instructors. Everyone I asked around my age group had the same opinion.

My wife took the online test this past fall. It was long and painful. Think it was just over 4.5hours, every page is timed and you can’t speed it up, but then it’s done and over with. She doesn’t have a PAL yet. We’re hoping to find an instructor so she can challenge that part. Until then I’ll be mentoring her and at arms reach. Probably a much better way of learning. She’s actually awake and paying attention. What’s it now? 3 full days for both courses? Ridiculous
 
Last edited:
Biologist said:
It states: "Ontario residents must take the course through the Ontario Hunter Education Course and pass the exam to:
- buy hunting licenses and tags
- participate in the Ontario Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program"

The word "must" is there, which appears to indicate you must take the course (?), unless you qualify for the "Exemptions", which has a link on that same website page that explains the exemption criteria.
!
Click to expand...

My wife only did the online hunter course and had no issues buying her first game license and printing her first tag in past fall.
 
YouTube has tons of videos on field dressing , skinning and butchering for deer,turkey and other game.
It’s nothing like real life experience but can point you in the right direction.

Many different options, for deer hang head up or down. Skin right away or hang for a few days.
Just watch and pick what is right for you. Go out and do it. Then afterwards your opinion might change on how you hunted.
Remember we are always learning.

Best of luck
 
handofzeus said:
There was no way to skip ahead on the teaching segments either so expect to be very bored for a good chunk of it.
Click to expand...

Just multitask. I did it while watching a movie, at a dinner party, etc etc. I would read the page in about 20 seconds then just wait for the 3 minute minimum to count down. I got 95% on the test.
 
My wife did the online course, it was actually pretty good. However, at the end of the course, you are given a series of questions by an actual live instructor, you have to arrange a call in interview.
 
Thanks for the responses everybody, very helpful!
I don't intend to be a huge hunter, but it sounds like i'll be better off learning hands-on from my friends while we're out there. They are all older and have been hunting a long time.
So I think i'll just do the online course linked above, get that license, then i'll be free to go learn from my friends.
Thanks for your help!
 
I did my rpal, pal and hunting over 2 weekends, yes it is primarily a rehash. I didn't plan on being a hunter and haven't gone yet, it was a rainy day thing. Easier to get it now compared to later. Government only restricts

I did the turkey ticket too and had to buy and write another test on the side after previewing a separate curriculum.
 
memaquay said:
My wife did the online course, it was actually pretty good. However, at the end of the course, you are given a series of questions by an actual live instructor, you have to arrange a call in interview.
Click to expand...

That was the case at one time when the online course was first implemented (they actually used the Saskatchewan course until the Ontario course was developed) but is no longer the case. The exam for the online course is done online, with absolutely no verification of who is actually writing the exam. The current course is not in any way similar to the hunter education course that folks took 10 years ago ,,,,
 
Chas said:
That was the case at one time when the online course was first implemented (they actually used the Saskatchewan course until the Ontario course was developed) but is no longer the case. The exam for the online course is done online, with absolutely no verification of who is actually writing the exam. The current course is not in any way similar to the hunter education course that folks took 10 years ago ,,,,
Click to expand...

Interesting, thanks for the update. Sounds like it is has become even easier than when it first came out.
 
I did the Ontario hunter course on my phone in one evening. Then you print the result take it into service Ontario to get your outdoors card.
 
I very much appreciate this thread. I have had my PAL for almost 20 years and now wished that I had gotten my hunting license sooner.

I generally prefer the in person experience but at three times the cost of online for the same outcome I was wondering if there is any value in paying extra for the instructor led training. Assume I will get printed book. I see on the available in person courses there is a lot of space available. I know nothing beats hands on experience and wanted to know for anyone who has recently taken the course in person whether there were any hands on practical aspect in the course or was it pretty much discussing the subject matter in the manual exclusively? If it was just going over the printed book I may as well do it online and perhaps order a printed manual if it is available separately.

I also already have an outdoors card for fishing. Do I get issued another one upon bringing the certificate to service ontario?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.
 
thegazelle said:
I very much appreciate this thread. I have had my PAL for almost 20 years and now wished that I had gotten my hunting license sooner.

I generally prefer the in person experience but at three times the cost of online for the same outcome I was wondering if there is any value in paying extra for the instructor led training. Assume I will get printed book. I see on the available in person courses there is a lot of space available. I know nothing beats hands on experience and wanted to know for anyone who has recently taken the course in person whether there were any hands on practical aspect in the course or was it pretty much discussing the subject matter in the manual exclusively? If it was just going over the printed book I may as well do it online and perhaps order a printed manual if it is available separately.

I also already have an outdoors card for fishing. Do I get issued another one upon bringing the certificate to service ontario?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Click to expand...

My course circa 2012-ish had more stories and videos than anything else. I remember very little practical
 
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