Would this be one of those areas restricted to the general public but not to outfitters that I read about in another thread?
You gotter' bud. They're all over the place, not just WMU 8 & 9.

Contact your MPP to complain about it.
"Northern Ontario Resource Alliance (NORA)”– Tom Brason recently told media "“The MNR is playing God by telling the public that they can'’t travel portioned-off areas of Crown land for the purpose of hunting, fishing, hiking and, yes even the picking of blueberries"
This is from the Public Roads Act for Ontario:
Closure of public forest roads
52. (1) The district manager of the administrative district of the Ministry in which a public forest road is situate may, from time to time in his or her discretion and for such period or periods as he or she may determine,
close the public forest road or part thereof to travel by the public generally or by any class or classes of the public or by the public generally with the exception of persons operating any class or classes of vehicles used for hauling forest products or other products designated by the regulations. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.43, s. 52 (1).
Methods of closure
(2)
A closing of a public forest road under subsection (1) may be effected by the erection of signs or barricades. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.43, s. 52 (2).
Barricades
(3) Where a district manager closes a public forest road or part of a public forest road under subsection (1) by the erection of barricades, he or she shall cause to be erected at each end of the public forest road or part so closed and at each intersection thereof with any other road a barricade upon which a red or flashing amber light visible for a distance of 150 metres shall be exposed and kept burning or operating continuously from sunset until sunrise, and at such ends and intersections shall cause to be erected a notice that the public forest road is closed. R.S.O. 1990, c. P.43, s. 52 (3).