Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charges in Ontario:

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Last Updated: September 16 2026

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Question:I was ticketed for hunting small game or possessing a pelt in Ontario; what should I do first to fight the charge and avoid losing hunting or trapping privileges?

Answer:In Ontario, bird, small game, and furbearer hunting charges can turn on the exact species, date, Wildlife Management Unit, licence or tag/permit conditions, season, and possession or pelt transaction rules, so the fastest next step is to review the ticket wording and the evidence listed, then preserve documents and promptly get legal help.   DefendCharges.ca™ helps people facing these offence categories by reviewing licence or trapping authority issues, closed season or bag limit allegations, unlawful possession or transportation concerns, and any pelt buying or selling allegations, then mapping the best response for court.   DefendCharges.ca™ can also help you understand what the charge likely affects and how to reduce the risk of additional wildlife privilege consequences; call (647) 559-3377 today to discuss your Ontario facts.

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Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charges in Ontario

Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charges in Ontario brings together Hunting.Legal's charge categories involving wild turkey, small game, furbearing mammals, waterfowl, and other migratory game birds.  These matters can involve licences, tags, permits, closed seasons, bag and possession limits, hunting methods, trapping, possession, transportation, and wildlife transactions.  A charge can lead to a ticket or summons, court proceedings, seizure of wildlife or other property, and consequences affecting hunting, trapping, or other wildlife privileges.

Note: Please contact DefendCharges.ca™ by phone at: (647) 559-3377 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

The important distinction is that these species and activities are not governed by one universal set of hunting rules.  Wild turkey, small game, and furbearing mammals are subject to Ontario requirements, while waterfowl and other migratory game birds can involve both Ontario hunting requirements and federal migratory bird law.  Do not panic.  Being charged does not automatically mean you will be convicted.

This page organizes Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charges into three main sections: Wild Turkey Hunting Charges, Small Game & Furbearer Charges, and Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges.  Each section below explains what it covers and identifies the more specific offence pages within it.

What Are Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charges in Ontario?

Ontario wildlife law does not treat bird, small game, and furbearer as one single legal classification.  Instead, different species fall within different legal categories and can be subject to different licence, tag, permit, season, possession, hunting method, trapping, and transportation requirements.  Hunting.Legal groups these related charges together so you can move from the type of wildlife involved to the more specific charge category that applies.

Small game is a legal category used in Ontario's hunting regulations.  For the small game provisions, Ontario includes game birds, including wild turkeys, game mammals other than big game, and specified furbearing mammals.  The exact species matters because not every animal classified as small game is governed by identical seasons, licence requirements, hunting methods, limits, or possession rules.

A furbearing mammal is a mammal belonging to a species that Ontario law classifies as a furbearing mammal.  Furbearing mammals can be subject to hunting, trapping, possession, pelt, licensing, season, and commercial transaction rules that differ from those applying to other small game.  This is why Hunting.Legal separates charges involving trapping, possession of furbearing mammals, and buying or selling pelts within the Small Game & Furbearer Charges section.

The bird portion of this Hunting.Legal category brings together Wild Turkey Hunting Charges and Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges, but those birds are not all governed by the same laws.  Ontario law classifies wild turkey as a game bird, and Ontario's small game provisions expressly include wild turkey.  Migratory game birds such as ducks and geese are also subject to federal migratory bird law, which can impose separate permit, season, bag and possession limit, hunting method, identification, possession, and transportation requirements.

Because these legal categories overlap, the species named on the ticket or summons is important.  A wild turkey charge will generally lead to the Wild Turkey Hunting Charges section; rabbit, hare, grouse, trapping, furbearing mammal, or pelt issues will generally lead to Small Game & Furbearer Charges; and ducks, Canada geese, or other federally regulated migratory game birds will generally lead to Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges.

What Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charge Sections Are Included?

Select the section below that most closely matches the species or activity involved in your charge.  If you received a ticket, summons, seizure notice, or other documents, start with the exact wording and section number shown on those documents.

Wild Turkey Hunting Charges

This category is for charges involving wild turkey hunting, including Small Game Licence and Wild Turkey Tag requirements, closed seasons, bag limits, possession, vehicle use, and transportation.  The applicable rules can depend on the season, Wildlife Management Unit, hunting method, tag held, number and type of turkeys involved, and what happened to the bird after the hunt.

Pages in this category include:

• Hunting Without a Wild Turkey Licence – hunting wild turkey without the provincial licence authority required for that activity.
• Hunting Turkey Without a Tag – hunting wild turkey without an applicable Wild Turkey Tag or with a tag that did not authorize the hunt involved.
• Hunting Turkey During a Closed Season – hunting wild turkey when no applicable open season authorized the activity.
• Exceeding Turkey Bag Limit – hunting, killing, or possessing more wild turkeys than the applicable limit allowed.
• Illegal Possession of Wild Turkey – possessing wild turkey, turkey meat, feathers, or other parts contrary to applicable legal requirements.
• Hunting Turkey From a Vehicle – unlawfully using a vehicle for the purpose of hunting, pursuing, chasing, capturing, harassing, injuring, or killing wild turkey.
• Illegal Transportation of Turkey – transporting wild turkey or turkey parts contrary to applicable tagging, identification, lawful source, container, shipping, import, export, or transportation requirements.

Small Game & Furbearer Charges

This category is for charges involving Small Game Licence authority, rabbit, hare, grouse, trapping, furbearing mammals, and pelts.  The applicable rules can depend on the species, date, Wildlife Management Unit, hunting or trapping authority, season, hunting method, trapping activity, possession circumstances, and any transaction involving a pelt.

Pages in this category include:

• Hunting Without a Small Game Licence – hunting wildlife that required Small Game Licence authority without holding the required licence or qualifying for an applicable exception.
• Hunting Rabbit During Closed Season – hunting cottontail when no applicable open season authorized the activity.
• Hunting Hare During Closed Season – hunting hare when no applicable open season authorized the activity.
• Hunting Grouse During Closed Season – hunting grouse when no applicable open season authorized the activity for the species, location, date, and hunting method involved.
• Illegal Trapping – trapping contrary to applicable licence, season, area, quota, trap, method, inspection, or other trapping requirements.
• Possession of Furbearing Mammals – possessing furbearing mammal carcasses, carcass parts, or untanned pelts contrary to applicable possession, licence, notice, season, or other requirements.
• Illegal Buying or Selling of Pelts – buying, selling, offering, bartering, trading, or otherwise dealing with pelts contrary to Ontario wildlife law.

Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges

This category is for charges involving ducks, Canada geese, and other migratory game birds regulated under federal migratory bird law.  These cases can involve federal permit requirements, Ontario hunting authority, closed seasons, bag and possession limits, shotgun requirements, nighttime hunting, possession, and transportation.  The species, federal hunting district, season, permit, firearm, number of birds, and condition or movement of harvested birds can all be important.

Pages in this category include:

• Hunting Without a Migratory Game Bird Permit – hunting migratory game birds without the required federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit.
• Hunting Ducks Without a Federal Permit – hunting ducks without the required federal permit or without satisfying another applicable hunting authorization requirement.
• Hunting Canada Geese Without a Permit – hunting Canada geese without the required federal permit or contrary to conditions applying to that authority.
• Hunting Waterfowl & Migratory Birds During Closed Season – hunting a covered migratory game bird before the applicable season opened, after it closed, or outside the legal season for the species, district, and date involved.
• Hunting Over the Bag Limit – hunting, harvesting, or possessing more migratory game birds than the applicable daily or possession limit allowed.
• Hunting with an Unplugged Shotgun – hunting migratory game birds with a shotgun capable of holding more shells than permitted under the applicable rules.
• Illegal Possession of Migratory Birds – possessing migratory birds, meat, feathers, or other bird parts contrary to applicable hunting, possession, acquisition, or identification requirements.
• Hunting Migratory Birds at Night – hunting migratory game birds outside the legal hunting hours that applied to the species, date, and location.
• Migratory Bird Transportation Offences – transporting migratory birds contrary to applicable identification, packaging, labelling, documentation, possession, shipping, or transportation requirements.

How Do I Choose the Right Charge Category?

Start with the species, activity, and document named in the charge.  A Wild Turkey Tag, turkey bag limit, or turkey specific season points toward Wild Turkey Hunting Charges.  Rabbit, hare, grouse, trapping, furbearing mammal, or pelt wording points toward Small Game & Furbearer Charges.  Ducks, Canada geese, a Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit, federal hunting district, migratory bird limit, or migratory bird transportation issue points toward Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges.

Do not choose the category only from the everyday meaning of terms such as bird or small game.  Wild turkey has its own provincial tag, season, and hunting requirements, while federally regulated migratory game birds are subject to a separate federal regulatory system in addition to applicable Ontario requirements.

I Received a Bird, Small Game or Furbearer Hunting Ticket or Summons.  What Should I Do?

Read every document carefully and do not miss the response deadline or required court date.  Start with the exact offence wording and section number rather than assuming the charge from the species or what happened during the hunt, trapping activity, possession, transportation, or transaction.

Keep your ticket, summons, seizure documents, Outdoors Card information, Licence Summary, licences, tags, federal permits, hunting records, maps, photographs, videos, messages, receipts, GPS information, pelt records, transportation documents, and other material connected with the incident.  Also record the species, date, location, Wildlife Management Unit or federal hunting district, hunting or trapping method, number of animals or birds involved, and whether wildlife or other property was seized.

Paying a ticket will generally be treated as pleading guilty and will result in a conviction without a trial.  A summons must be answered in the manner stated and may require a court appearance.  If several charges were laid, identify and review each charge separately.

Can One Bird, Small Game or Furbearer Incident Lead to Multiple Charges?

Yes.  One hunting, trapping, possession, or transportation incident can result in several separate charges.  A wild turkey investigation may involve a licence, tag, closed season, bag limit, vehicle, possession, or transportation issue.  A small game or furbearer investigation may involve licence authority, a closed season, trapping activity, possession of wildlife or pelts, or a pelt transaction.

A waterfowl or migratory bird investigation may involve an Ontario Small Game Licence, a federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit, a closed season, bag or possession limit, shotgun requirement, nighttime hunting, possession, or transportation.  Provincial and federal charges can therefore arise from the same outing.

Different hunters involved in the same incident may also face different charges.  Each charge has its own legal requirements, and evidence relevant to one charge does not automatically establish every other charge arising from the same incident.

Can You Be Charged if No Animal or Bird Was Shot or Killed?

Yes.  Some hunting charges can arise even where no animal or bird was successfully shot or killed.  Under Ontario wildlife law, hunting extends beyond successfully harvesting wildlife and includes conduct such as lying in wait for, searching for, being on the trail of, pursuing, chasing, capturing, harassing, or shooting at wildlife, subject to the statutory definition and its exclusions.

A licence, tag, closed season, vehicle, nighttime, firearm, or other hunting method charge may therefore arise before wildlife is harvested.  Possession, bag limit, pelt, sale, or transportation charges are different because they generally depend on wildlife, birds, animals, pelts, meat, feathers, or other identifiable wildlife items being involved.

Trapping and federal migratory bird offences can be governed by different statutory wording.  The exact provincial or federal offence shown on the ticket or summons therefore matters when determining what conduct the charge concerns.

What Penalties Can Follow?

There is no single fine or penalty that applies to every Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charge.  The possible consequences depend on the particular offence, whether provincial or federal law applies, how the case proceeds, the number of charges, the circumstances of the incident, and any court orders that may be available.

Depending on the charge and circumstances, consequences following conviction may include:

• A set fine or another fine imposed by the court;
• A victim fine surcharge and applicable court costs where provided by law;
• Restrictions affecting a hunting licence, trapping licence, permit, authorization, tag, or hunting activity;
• Forfeiture of wildlife or other seized property where authorized by law;
• Other court orders available for the particular offence; and
• Imprisonment where it is legally available.

Provincial and federal offences do not necessarily have the same fine ranges, procedures, or additional consequences.  The amount shown on a ticket does not necessarily describe every possible consequence of a conviction, so the exact offence should be identified before the potential result is assessed.

Could Wildlife or Other Property Be Seized?

Yes, where the legal requirements for seizure are met.  Depending on the investigation, wildlife or other property believed to be connected with or provide evidence of an offence may be seized.

Property involved may include wild turkey, ducks, geese, other migratory birds, rabbit, hare, grouse, furbearing mammals, meat, feathers, pelts, firearms, ammunition, bows, traps, snares, calls, decoys, hunting equipment, vehicles, boats, trailers, tags, licences, permits, phones, cameras, GPS devices, documents, containers, packaging, or other property connected with the investigation.

Seizure means property has been taken into official custody or otherwise placed under enforcement control.  It does not itself establish guilt or automatically mean the property will be permanently lost.  Forfeiture is a separate legal consequence involving permanent loss of ownership.

When Should You Get Legal Advice?

Legal advice may be especially important in circumstances involving:

• A summons requiring a court appearance;
• Several provincial or federal charges arising from the same incident;
• A dispute about whether you were hunting, trapping, possessing, transporting, buying, or selling wildlife;
• A licence, tag, federal permit, season, Wildlife Management Unit, federal hunting district, bag limit, possession limit, or species issue;
• A trapping method, firearm, shotgun capacity, nighttime hunting, possession, pelt, or transportation issue;
• A bird, animal, pelt, firearm, vehicle, boat, electronic device, or other property being seized;
• Possible consequences affecting hunting, trapping, or permit privileges; or
• A significant fine, forfeiture request, or another court order.

Understanding the precise charge before entering a plea or paying a ticket can help identify whether Ontario law, federal law, or both apply and which factual and legal issues need to be addressed.

How Can DefendCharges.ca™ Help?

DefendCharges.ca™ can review the wording on your ticket, summons, seizure notice, or other documents and compare it with the wildlife, records, and activity involved.  This can help identify the exact charge, the legal requirements that apply, and the factual issues that may be important to your case.

If the matter proceeds through court, DefendCharges.ca™ can explain the court process, review the available evidence and legal issues, discuss possible penalties or other consequences, and help you understand your options for responding to the charge.

Have Questions About Hunting Charges?

Whether you have been charged with one hunting offence or several, understanding your legal options is important.  DefendCharges.ca™ can review your case, explain the charges you are facing, and help you understand your legal options and the best course of action.  Contact us today to discuss your situation.

Key Takeaways

• Bird, Small Game & Furbearer Hunting Charges is organized into Wild Turkey Hunting Charges, Small Game & Furbearer Charges, and Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges;
• Bird, small game, and furbearer are not one single legal wildlife classification;
• Ontario's small game provisions include game birds, including wild turkeys, game mammals other than big game, and specified furbearing mammals;
• Furbearing mammals are a distinct legal wildlife category and can be subject to hunting, trapping, possession, pelt, and transaction requirements;
• The bird portion of this Hunting.Legal category includes Wild Turkey Hunting Charges and Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges, but those birds are not all regulated in the same way;
• The three child categories currently contain 23 individual offence pages;
• Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges can involve both Ontario requirements and federal migratory bird law;
• One incident can result in several separate provincial or federal charges involving different legal requirements and evidence;
• Some hunting charges can arise even where no animal or bird was shot or killed; and
• Wildlife, firearms, vehicles, boats, electronic devices, traps, hunting equipment, and other property may be seized where the legal requirements are met.

Conclusion

Start by identifying whether your documents involve Wild Turkey Hunting Charges, Small Game & Furbearer Charges, or Waterfowl & Migratory Bird Charges.  Then compare the exact wording and section number on your ticket, summons, seizure notice, or other documents with the individual offence pages listed within that category.

Each child category provides the next level of information and helps you identify the particular offence that applies to your case.  Once the correct charge page is identified, you can review the more specific information about the law, current fine, evidence, possible defences, consequences, and options that may need to be considered.