Hunting fees

All products with a fee are subject to 13% HST.

Outdoors Card

  • Ontario Outdoors Card (a valid Outdoors Card is required for all resident and non-resident hunters who wish to purchase hunting licences): $8.57

White-tailed deer

  • Resident deer licence: $43.86
  • Farmer’s deer licence: $25.14
  • Resident additional deer tag: $43.86
  • Non-resident deer licence: $240.81
  • Non-resident additional deer tag: $240.81

Moose

  • Application fee: $15.00
  • Resident moose licence: $35.29
  • Calf tag: $30.00
  • Cow/calf tag: $150.00
  • Bull tag: $200.00
  • Non-resident moose licence: $479.86

Elk

  • Resident elk draw application: $15.00
  • Resident elk licence: $48.25

Black bear

  • Resident bear licence: $43.86
  • Resident second bear tag: $43.86
  • Non-resident bear licence: $240.81
  • Licence to provide bear hunting services: $35.00

Note: Contact your local ministry work centre to purchase.

Wild turkey

  • Resident turkey tag (spring): $26.33
  • Resident turkey tag (fall): $26.33
  • Non-resident turkey tag (spring): $30.33
  • Non-resident turkey tag (fall): $30.33

Wolf/coyote

  • Resident wolf/coyote tag: $10.05
  • Non-resident wolf/coyote tag: $255.57

Note: A wolf/coyote tag is required in some Wildlife Management Units.

Small game

  • Resident small game licence: $22.76
  • Resident small game licence (3-year): $68.28
  • Non-resident small game licence: $121.52
  • Non-resident small game licence (3-year): $364.56

Falconry

  • Apprentice falconry licence: $19.81
  • General falconry licence: $19.81
  • Commercial falconry licence: $198.13

Note: Contact your local ministry work centre to apply.

Hunting dogs

  • Resident hunting dog licence $12.21
  • Non-resident dog licence $15.21

Note: Required where dogs are permitted for hunting deer, moose, bear or raccoon.

Guides

  • Guide licence: $7.68

Note: Required for guiding non-resident hunters in the territorial district of Rainy River and for guiding migratory bird hunters on Lake St. Clair. Only Ontario residents or Canadian citizens are eligible for a guide licence. Contact your local ministry work centre to purchase.

Other permits

Migratory game birds

To hunt migratory game birds (for example, waterfowl, common snipe, woodcock and mourning dove) in Ontario, you must have:

  • a federal migratory game bird hunting permit
  • a wildlife habitat conservation stamp
  • an Outdoors Card
  • small game licence

This includes hunting these species with falconry birds or non-indigenous falconry birds (falconry licence required). Migratory game bird hunting permits and wildlife habitat conservation stamps are available at any post office or online at purchase of a Migratory game bird hunting permit.

Export permits

  • Non-resident export permit – $35. Required for exporting moose, deer, elk and bear out of Ontario.
  • The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) permit is:

Go to the general regulations section for more information on exporting requirements.

Possession of furbearing mammals or pelts

  • Notice of possession – No charge. Required if you acquire a furbearing mammal and/or pelt for personal use in some circumstances, for example, roadkill.
  • Licence to possess a pelt – No charge. Required if you acquire a furbearing mammal and/or pelt in some circumstances.

Go to the small game and furbearing mammal section or visit the keep a dead wild animal page for more information.

Important licence information

How to buy licences or buy or renew Outdoors Card

Note: Online and phone services accept Visa, Mastercard, Visa Debit, and Debit Mastercard.

An Outdoors Card will be automatically mailed to you after you have completed your card purchase. You will still be able to hunt while you wait for your Outdoors Card to arrive in the mail by using your licence summary, which will list your valid Outdoors Card.

Outdoors Card information

An Outdoors Card is a plastic, wallet-sized card issued by the ministry which you are required to carry while hunting. A valid Outdoors Card is required for all resident and non-resident hunters who wish to purchase hunting licences.

Outdoors Cards are valid for 3 calendar years, with the expiry date listed on the card. If you purchase a 3-year small game licence or a 3-year fishing licence (or both) when you buy or renew your Outdoors Card, these 3-year licences will be printed on the back of your card and will expire with the card.

It is illegal for a hunter to hold more than one Outdoors Card with different numbers. It is also illegal to provide false information on an application to obtain an Outdoors Card or any other licence product.

Hunter accreditation requirements

You must have successfully completed Ontario’s Hunter Education Course or an Ontario-recognized equivalent requirement (for example, existing accreditation on record or documentation from a recognized jurisdiction) to be eligible to purchase hunting licences and hunt in Ontario.

Parental or guardian consent is required to obtain an Outdoors Card for any resident under 16 years old. Parental/guardian consent is provided by completing an attestation on the website or by attesting to the parental/guardian consent statement that a participating ServiceOntario or licence issuer representative will read aloud to you and enter into the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service. Go to the Ontario Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program section for more information on apprentice hunters (12-14-year-old residents).

Non-residents who are hunting in Ontario for the first time must be at least 16 years of age and must provide proof of accreditation from their home jurisdiction, provided that it has hunter education requirements that are equivalent to Ontario’s requirements. A list of jurisdictions with recognized equivalent education requirements can be found at hunting licence (non-residents).

Plan ahead: Non-residents must submit an original or certified copy of acceptable hunting accreditation by:

  • contacting the Natural Resources Information and Support Centre at 1-800-387-7011 (accreditation processed within 15 business days of receipt, allowing non-residents to buy products online before arriving in Ontario)
  • visiting a participating ServiceOntario or licence issuer (allows non-residents to buy hunting products immediately)

Non-resident accreditation must be translated in writing into either English or French. Both the original and translated copy must be provided. Translations must be provided by certified translator (confirmed by a seal or stamp showing the translator’s membership number of a professional translation association in Canada or abroad). Go to hunting licence (non-residents of Ontario) for more information.

Residency

An Ontario resident is a person whose primary residence is in Ontario and who has lived in Ontario for a period of at least six consecutive months during the 12 months immediately before applying for a licence. All other individuals are considered non-residents (some exceptions apply to active military and RCMP personnel who have been stationed in Ontario for a period of at least one month with appropriate documentation).

Licence summary

Your licence summary is a document that lists all your valid hunting and fishing licence products. An updated licence summary will be issued to you each time you purchase a new licence product. It may be carried as a paper copy or as a download on a mobile device (or both). Your licence summary must remain intact and readable at all times.

licence summary

Paper Copy: You can print a copy of your licence summary as many times as needed for free (from any device that can access your online account and print documents). Alternatively, you can visit a participating ServiceOntario or licence issuer to have your licence summary printed free-of-charge for first-time prints. Note: An administration fee will apply for replacements at ServiceOntario and licence issuers.

Digital Copy: You can carry your licence summary in a digital format, such as on a mobile device. You can have a copy of your licence summary sent to your email address by accessing your account using the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service. If you choose to carry your licence summary on your mobile device, it must be in the PDF format provided to you from the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service (a photograph or screenshot of your licence summary is not valid). You are responsible for ensuring that your device has battery power and is protected from the elements to be able to display it when and where requested by a conservation officer (unless you are also carrying a paper copy with you).

You must carry your Outdoors Card, your hunting licence (either listed on your paper or electronic licence summary or printed on the back of your Outdoors Card), and any relevant tag(s) with you while hunting.

Note: If you are hunting wild turkey or wolf/coyote (in a WMU where a tag is required) and your small game licence is printed on the back of your Outdoors Card, you can simply carry your Outdoors Card and your relevant tag.

All hunting licences are valid for the year specified and expire on December 31 in the year in which they were issued unless otherwise noted. Licences are restricted to the relevant open season for hunting.

Firearms licence requirement

The Firearms Act (Canada) sets out the requirements for firearm possession. Hunters should be aware of these requirements if hunting with a gun in Ontario.

If you are in possession of a gun (includes air and pellet guns) for the purpose of hunting in Ontario, you are required to carry proof of your firearms accreditation — this includes apprentice hunters (12-14-year-old residents). You are not required to carry proof of firearms accreditation if you are hunting with a bow or crossbow in Ontario. Every gun hunter must carry one of the following:

  • valid possession and acquisition licence
  • valid minor’s licence (restrictions on possessing a firearm and/or requirements for supervision may apply under federal law)
  • stamped copy of a Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) (restrictions on possessing a firearm and/or requirements for supervision may apply under federal law) student report as official documentation showing successful completion of the CFSC

For non-residents, this could also include a valid non-resident firearms declaration form confirmed by a Canadian customs officer, or a valid temporary firearms borrowing licence for non-residents issued under the Firearms Act (Canada).

You are required to produce this documentation to a conservation officer upon request.

Note: You may submit an application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) up to six months before you turn 18 years old. Please ensure you plan ahead to avoid any delays.

Contact the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 (or RCMP Firearms) for information about the requirements for firearm ownership, licensing, storage and transportation.

Transfer of licences or tags

It is illegal to transfer an Outdoors Card, licence, tag, or any component of a licence to another person, unless authorized to do so by the ministry (for example, an approved moose tag transfer). It is also illegal to use or possess an Outdoors Card, licence, tag, or any component of a licence that was issued to someone else. Only the person who was issued the tag may possess the tag unless it has been invalidated (notched) and affixed to an animal.

Requirements for Indigenous persons

Many Indigenous communities in Ontario hold Aboriginal or treaty rights to hunt. NDMNRF is committed to respecting these constitutionally-protected rights. After conservation goals are met, Aboriginal and treaty rights to hunt take priority before allocation and management of the resource for other purposes.

Aboriginal rights to hunt stem from customs, practices or traditions that are integral to the distinctive culture of an Indigenous community. Treaty rights to hunt are reserved through treaties between the Crown and Indigenous peoples. Aboriginal and treaty rights are collectively held and are associated with an Indigenous community’s traditional or treaty territory. These rights are not generic and different communities may hold different rights. Aboriginal and treaty rights to hunt can be exercised using modern means.

Members of Indigenous communities exercising an Aboriginal or treaty right generally do not require an Outdoors Card, Ontario hunting licence(s) and tag(s) when hunting for food, social or ceremonial purposes within their traditional or treaty territory. Indigenous individuals should be prepared to provide identification showing their community membership if requested by conservation officers. Members of Indigenous communities hunting outside of their traditional or treaty area must hold a valid hunting licence(s) and tag(s) and follow the corresponding regulations, or have written permission from a First Nation to hunt within their traditional or treaty territory (R. v. Shipman et al., 2007).

Non-Indigenous people may accompany Indigenous people who are hunting, but may not help them to exercise their hunting rights. For example, a non-Indigenous person may not assist an Indigenous hunter by shooting their game, carrying a gun, searching for or flushing game. They can assist in the retrieval of game or transporting of lawfully harvested game while accompanying an Indigenous person.