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Ontario set to expand areas where dogs can learn to hunt live coyotes in penned areas Ontario wants to expand a licensing regime that allows residents to unleash dogs in an enclosed area to teach them how to hunt captive coyotes, foxes and rabbits. Hunters say there is a growing demand for the dog sport, which is often referred to as training and trialing, while animal advocates call it a cruel practice for the captive prey. The province’s natural resources and forestry minister said the government wants to allow more of the hunting facilities to prevent the sport from moving underground. “These facilities are going to become less and less over time unless we take some level of intervention,” Graydon Smith said in an interview. “The one thing that we also wouldn’t want to see is in the absence of these facilities that dog owners and their handlers are out doing this on other private land or Crown land where there could be unwanted interactions with both people and wildlife.” In 1997, then-premier Mike Harris’s Progressive Conservative government began phasing out the practice by ceasing the issuance of licenses required to operate dog trial areas in the province. It also made it illegal to sell or transfer those licenses. At that time there were upwards of 60 such areas across Ontario. They are all on private property and must be completely enclosed. There are now only 24 licensed train and trial areas across the province. The province has proposed to grant new licenses through a one-time 90-day application period and allow licenses to be transferred to new owners, a summary of proposed changes on the Environmental Registry of Ontario shows. The prey that will be hunted, usually coyotes, must be caught legally, often through traplines, the registry says. “This isn’t about active hunting or anything like that,” Smith said. “This is about animals that are bred for this purpose.” The government’s proposals were sent out for public comment in early April and close on May 18. The proposed changes are part of an omnibus bill tabled in early April called the Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act. John Bell, the president of the Ontario Sporting Dog Association, said Wednesday at a legislative committee studying the bill that the closure of dedicated training and trialing areas have forced hunters to “run their dogs” in the wild. Christine Hogarth, the parliamentary assistant for the solicitor general, who is in charge of animal welfare in the province, pressed Bell on the safety of all animals in the training and trialing pens. Bell, who owns a large pen for the sport and trains his dogs to hunt coyotes, said there are rules in place for animal safety. “The regulations call for us to have brush piles, dens, or man-made escape units, we call them pods,” Bell said. He has built pods on his own 225-acre pen that includes concrete culverts leading to buried 45-gallon drums that are vented above, he said. The pods are baited with food so the coyotes learn where to hide. “If they are in danger, they’re in the ground,” he said. “And I can assure you there’s not very many dogs going to go in a 10-inch culvert when there’s an alligator at the other end.” There are now 33,000 members in the Ontario Sporting Dog Association, which lobbied the government over the past year on the training and trialing licenses. The dog sport also has competitions. Judges stand throughout the enclosures — some are hundreds of acres in size — to score how well dogs are tracking and hunting down coyotes. The first dog trialing competition in Ontario took place in 1887, Bell said. The dog trial proposal also has the support of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. “This has been a priority for us for since the beginning of the changes in 1997,” said Kristen Snoek, a wildlife biologist with the federation. But Camille Labchuk, the executive director of advocacy group Animal Justice, argued the entire practice is inhumane. “They do some of these contests where dogs chase terrified coyotes around an enclosed pen, and they also train the dogs to kill the coyotes so that they can later use those dogs for hunting,” she said. She said the current Doug Ford Progressive Conservative government could learn from the Harris government in the late 1990s. “The Harris government did a number of things to protect wild animals from some of the worst hunting lobbyists by ending the spring bear hunt and phasing out penned coyote hunting,” Labchuk said. The Liberal government reintroduced the spring bear hunt in Ontario as a pilot program in 2014, which Ford’s government made permanent in 2021.

Post: 27 November 2023

Linda Smith

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Post: 17 April 2024

Vladislav Berinchik

HUNTING SEASONS IN ONTARIO, CANADA 2025–26: Big Game and Small Game, Licenses, and Regulations Guide Plan your 2025–26 Ontario hunt with our province‑by‑province guide—season dates, bag limits, licenses, bow & rifle rules, and key game species: Whitetail Deer, Moose, Ducks and more. Ontario’s mix of temperate forests, Great Lakes shorelines and northern boreal zones provides premier hunting terrain. The province’s vast whitetail deer and moose populations, combined with world‑class waterfowl staging areas, attract hunters across 49 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). Popular pursuits include archery and rifle deer seasons, moose draw tag hunts in the north, spring and fall duck excursions and black bear harvesting—under Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry regulations and WMU‑specific rules. What Is There to Hunt in Ontario? Big Game: Whitetail deer, moose, black bear Small Game & Upland Birds: Ruffed grouse, spruce grouse, snowshoe hare, wild turkey Waterfowl & Migratory Birds: Ducks, geese, swans, dove (federal permit required) Furbearers & Predators: Coyote, fox, beaver, marten, muskrat Ontario’s varied ecosystems deliver year‑round opportunity—from early‑season spring bear to late‑fall waterfowl wingshooting. What Animals Can You Hunt Year‑Round in Ontario? Unprotected species (coyote, fox) may be harvested year‑round on private land with landowner consent. Public‑land predator control outside open seasons requires a Fur‑Harvest Licence and must follow WMU restrictions. Ontario Big Game Hunting Seasons 2025–26 Whitetail Deer Archery: Sep 19 – Oct 23 Rifle/Muzzleloader: Oct 16 – Dec 7 Tags: One tag per licence; antler‑point restrictions in select WMUs Moose Rifle: Sep 15 – Sep 30 (northern WMUs) Draw only; applications Feb 1 – Mar 1, 2025 Black Bear Spring: May 1 – Jun 30 Fall: Sep 2 – Oct 15 Tags: One tag per hunter; cub harvest prohibited; hound restrictions in some WMUs Note: Detailed WMU calendars, quotas and weapon‑type restrictions are published annually by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Ontario Small Game & Waterfowl Seasons 2025–26 Upland Birds & Small Game: Ruffed/Spruce Grouse: Sep 1 – Dec 31 (daily limit 5) Snowshoe Hare: Sep 1 – Mar 31 (daily limit 3) Wild Turkey: Apr 1 – May 15; Sep 1 – Dec 31 (daily limit 1; spring draw) Waterfowl & Migratory Birds: Ducks & Geese: Sep 1 – Dec 15; Jan 1 – Jan 15 (daily limit 5 ducks; 5 geese) Mourning Dove: Sep 1 – Nov 30 (daily limit 15) Requirements: Federal Migratory Game Bird Permit & Habitat Conservation Stamp Bag Limits by Species Whitetail Deer: 1 antlered or antlerless per season Moose: 1 per draw tag Black Bear: 1 per season (no cubs) Wild Turkey: 1 per licence period Grouse (all spp.): 5 daily; possession 10 Snowshoe Hare: 3 daily; possession 6 Ducks/Geese: 5 daily; possession 15 Mourning Dove: 15 daily; possession 45 Coyote/Fox: no limit private; Fur‑Harvest Licence required public License & Tags Information for Ontario Hunters (2025–26) Resident Outdoors Card: $35 (annual); includes one deer tag; big‑game tags $15/species Non‑Resident Licence: $150 (annual); tags $45/species; moose draw fee $25 Additional Permits: Fur‑Harvest Licence (free; required) Spring Turkey draw (applications Mar 1 – 15, 2025) Hunter Education: Mandatory Ontario Hunter Education Certificate or equivalent. Hunting Methods: Bow, Rifle, Muzzleloader Bow: Compound, recurve, longbow; crossbows allowed only under special permit; broadhead cut ≥ 7/8″. Rifle: Centrefire ≥ .24 cal; straight‑wall handguns prohibited; shotguns with slugs permitted. Muzzleloader: .40 cal+ patched ball or conical bullet; approved ignition systems only; single‑projectile conversions. Regulations & Resources Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset WMU Maps & Calendars: Available from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Harvest Reporting: Mandatory within 24 hours via online portal or phone Special Areas: Provincial parks and conservation reserves require separate access permits Before you head out, always verify season dates, bag limits, and licence requirements on the official Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry website to stay compliant and ensure a legal, ethical hunt. This guide was created based on information from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-hunting-regulations-summary With clear season dates, zone‑specific bag limits and complete licence details, you’re ready to plan your 2025–26 Ontario hunt. Prepare thoroughly and immerse yourself in Ontario’s diverse wildlife heritage.

Post: 30 July 14:08

Canada Hunting Seasons 2025–26: Deer, Elk, Moose & Ducks Guide

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