The law

You don’t need a permit to scare away, capture or kill most wild animals, if the animal is causing damage to your property.

You do need to follow certain rules.

Special rules apply to:

  • Species listed as extirpated, endangered, orthreatened under the Endangered Species Act, 2007
  • moose
  • white-tailed deer
  • American elk
  • black bear (capturing)

You can also use someone else to remove the animal for you, if they meet certain criteria. This person is considered a “wildlife agent”.

Source law

This is a summary of the provincial laws. You can find a complete set of rules related to this activity in:

  • Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997
  • Ontario Regulation 665/98 (hunting)
  • Endangered Species Act, 2007

Species at risk

Special rules apply for species listed as extirpated, endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, 2007.

Species at risk in Ontario list

Who can be a wildlife agent

If you use someone else to remove the animal, they must meet at least 1 of these criteria:

  • have a valid Outdoors Card with hunter accreditation only to harass or kill wildlife but not to capture wildlife
  • have a valid trapping licence
  • be employed to control wildlife by a municipality
  • be your immediate family member
  • be a person that runs a wildlife removal business, but only to capture and release (not kill) the problem wild animals
  • be authorized by the ministry

Rules for removing animals

You or your agent must:

  • abide by all municipal by-laws and other applicable laws
  • not harass, capture or kill more wildlife than is necessary to protect your property
  • deal humanely with wildlife that is killed, captured or harassed
  • restrict activity to your property
  • not destroy the den of a furbearing mammal or a black bear without approval from the ministry. Requirement for approval does not apply to fox or skunk dens
  • release captured live wildlife within 24 hours
  • release captured live wildlife within 1 kilometre of where they were captured
  • release wildlife on private property only with the landowner’s permission

Wildlife agents can only act, if the landowner of the property asks them to. Property owners or their agents may dispatch captured wildlife if they do not cause unnecessary suffering.

Injured or orphaned wild animals

If you capture sick, injured or orphaned wildlife, take the animal to someone who is authorized to rehabilitate it.

List of authorized wildlife rehabilitators

White-tailed deer and American elk

You — or someone acting on your behalf — cannot harass, capture or kill white-tailed deer or American elk that are damaging your property, without special approval.

Contact a local ministry district office for more information.

Find an NDNDMNRF district office

Moose and woodland caribou

You — or someone acting on your behalf — cannot harass, capture or kill a moose or woodland caribou to protect your property from damage.

Black bears

If you kill a black bear — anywhere in Ontario — you need to report the dead bear to the ministry.

If you wish to capture a live black bear, special authorization is required from NDMNRF.

Wolves and coyotes

If you kill a wolf or coyote in most parts of central and northern Ontario (Wildlife Management Units 1-42, 46-50 and 53-58) you must report the dead wolf or coyote to the ministry.

Map: Wildlife Management Units in Ontario

Tips for preventing damage

You should take steps to prevent conflict:

  • remove attractants (e.g., unsecure garbage bins, bird feed/seed, fallen fruit)
  • eliminate possible denning sites (e.g., openings under decks)
  • eliminate sources of drinking water

Learn to prevent conflicts with wildlife