Hunting moose with a tourist outfitter
How Ontario residents and non-residents can hunt moose using an authorized tourist outfitter.
Overview
Tourist outfitters must be authorized by the ministry to offer moose hunting services to hunters under the Ontario Moose-Bear Tourism Industry Program.
Non-residents of Ontario are required to use the services of a licensed tourist outfitter, unless you hunt with an immediate relative (grandparent, parent, spouse, child, sibling or grandchild) who is an Ontario resident and holds a valid moose tag.
A non-resident can only hunt in a Wildlife Management Unit that has an open season for non-residents.
Ontario residents can choose to use an authorized tourist outfitter’s services if they wish.
Regardless of residency, you must be a registered guest of an outfitter to receive and use a moose tag or to party hunt with another hunter issued a moose tag by an outfitter.
A registered guest is a hunter who contracts for accommodation with the outfitter and stays in those accommodations for the duration of the hunt. A hunter can only acquire a tag from an outfitter if they have not already been issued a tag for that year.
For more information on non-resident exemptions, see the Ontario hunting regulations summary.
Hunting moose with a tourist outfitter
Residents and non-residents of Ontario hunting with a tourist outfitter must:
- be at least 16 years old (or if you are an Ontario resident at least 15 years old with parental consent)
- have completed the Ontario Hunter Education Program or have hunting accreditation from an Ontario-recognized jurisdiction
- have completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course or have appropriate firearms accreditation if you are hunting with a gun (non-residents must follow all federal firearm regulations around declaring and transporting non-restricted firearms)
- have a valid Outdoors Card
- have a valid moose licence and tag, or just a moose licence if party hunting with another tag holder
- be a registered guest of the outfitter and carry a completed registered guest form provided by the outfitter
- complete all mandatory hunter reporting requirements at the conclusion of the hunt with the outfitter
For hunters that will receive a tag from a tourist outfitter as part of a hunting package, the outfitter will provide you with the tag:
- after you have purchased the tag
- when you arrive at the outfitter and produce your valid Outdoors Card and licence summary listing the tag information as proof of purchase
Outfitters will provide further instructions to their clients on this process.
Hunter reporting
All hunters who hold a moose licence are required to report on their hunting activity and harvest. Hunters must submit a report or reports even if they did not hunt or harvest a moose. Failure to submit the required reports may result in penalties including being prevented from purchasing a future licence or licences.
Resident hunters
If you are provided a moose tag by a tourist outfitter, you must complete two moose hunter reports every year:
- Your regular resident moose hunter report by December 29, through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service, either online or by calling
1-800-288-1155 . In this report, you should only describe your moose hunting activities while not using the tag provided by the outfitter. - Your mandatory tourist outfitter moose hunter report to the tourist outfitter by December 22. In this report, you should only describe your moose hunting activities while using the tag provided by the outfitter.
Resident moose hunters who party hunt with another hunter who has a moose tag from a tourist outfitter are only required to complete a regular moose hunter report by December 29.
Non-resident hunters
All non-resident moose hunters who hunt with a tourist outfitter must complete and return their mandatory tourist outfitter moose hunter report to the tourist outfitter by November 22.
Tourist outfitters are required to return all completed moose hunter reports to the ministry by December 29.