Hunting From a Boat in Ontario:

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Last Updated: September 06 2026

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Question:What should I do after getting a hunting from a boat provincial offence ticket in Ontario?

Answer:If you received a provincial offence notice or summons for hunting from a boat in Ontario, read every document for the exact charge wording and section number, note response deadlines or your court date, and preserve evidence like photos, videos, GPS tracks, marine charts, and any seizure documents while avoiding deleting or altering files or equipment  Then consult DefendCharges.ca™ (paralegal service in Ontario) to review whether the boat was used as a direct instrument to kill, injure, capture, harass, pursue, or chase wildlife versus a lawful transportation use under the Ontario Regulation 665/98 exception, because paying early is often treated like a guilty plea  Call (647) 559-3377 to get started on next steps that can help you understand possible outcomes, defences, and what may happen after your response.

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Hunting From a Boat in Ontario

Using a boat as a direct instrument to kill, injure, capture, harass, pursue, or chase wildlife may lead to a provincial offence charge under Ontario law rather than a criminal charge, as well as a fine, court proceedings, seizure of property, and possible consequences for your hunting privileges.

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

Do not panic.  A hunting from a boat charge is not established simply because a person hunted or fired a shot from a boat.  Ontario Regulation 665/98 contains an important exception to the general boat prohibition, so the legal issue may depend on whether the boat itself was used as a direct instrument to kill, injure, capture, harass, pursue, or chase wildlife and whether separate firearm rules applied.

This page explains prohibited boat use, lawful transportation, motorboat and firearm rules, the important boat exception, what law applies, what must be proven, possible fines, evidence, defences, seizure, and what may happen next.  If your documents list several hunting charges, see Common Hunting Charges to identify the charges that may apply.

I Received a Hunting From a Boat Ticket or Summons.  What Should I Do?

Read every document carefully and do not ignore the response deadline or court date.  The wording and section number should show whether the charge concerns prohibited boat use, a loaded firearm in or from a motorboat, or more than one offence.

A ticket, formally called a Provincial Offence Notice, usually provides response options and a deadline.  A summons is a court document requiring you to attend court or respond as directed.

Before deciding how to respond, check:

• The exact wording, section number, date, time, and location of every charge;
• The type of boat, whether a motor was attached, and whether the boat was moving or stationary;
• Whether the motor was operating, turned off, raised, or capable of propelling the boat;
• Whether you operated or directed the boat and how the Conservation Officer says it was used in relation to wildlife;
• Whether a firearm was loaded or discharged and what wildlife was involved;
• Whether a migratory bird, double-crested cormorant, impaired mobility, or other exception or authorization applied; and
• Whether the boat, wildlife, firearms, or equipment was seized and the response deadline or court date.

Keep photographs, videos, GPS tracks, marine charts, chartplotter records, messages, boat registration information, witness details, seizure documents, and everything provided by the Conservation Officer.

Do not delete electronic information or alter the boat, motor, firearm, or equipment in a way that could destroy relevant evidence.  Consider obtaining legal advice before giving an additional written or recorded explanation because further statements may become part of the prosecution evidence.

Should I Pay a Hunting From a Boat Ticket?

Paying the ticket will generally be treated as pleading guilty and will result in a conviction, meaning a finding of guilt.  Before paying, make sure you understand exactly how the boat was used according to the charge and which legal provision appears on the ticket.

Important questions may include:

• Was the boat used only to transport people or equipment?
• Was the boat itself used to pursue, chase, harass, strike, capture, or otherwise directly affect wildlife?
• Was the boat being paddled, drifting, anchored, or powered by a motor?
• Was a motor attached and capable of propelling the boat?
• Were you the operator, a passenger, or outside the boat?
• Was a firearm loaded or discharged and did a firearm exception apply?
• Does the section on the ticket match the conduct described by the Conservation Officer?

The presence of hunters, firearms, or hunting equipment in a boat does not automatically prove a section 24(2) offence.  Ontario Regulation 665/98 contains an exception where the boat is not used as a direct instrument of the prohibited conduct.

The amount shown on the ticket may also be only one possible consequence.  The incident may involve additional firearm, licence, tag, season, night hunting, careless hunting, possession, or transportation charges.

What Is Hunting From a Boat?

This page title generally describes a charge involving the use of a boat in connection with killing, injuring, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing wildlife.  Section 24(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 contains the general prohibition, but Ontario Regulation 665/98 creates an important exception.

Under section 91 of Ontario Regulation 665/98, the section 24(2) prohibition does not apply where a person uses a boat in connection with killing, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing wildlife other than as a direct instrument of killing, injuring, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing the wildlife.

In practical terms, the legal concern may arise where the boat itself is used to:

• Chase or directly pursue swimming wildlife;
• Drive or force wildlife in a particular direction;
• Harass wildlife through the movement of the boat;
• Attempt to strike or run down wildlife;
• Block or surround wildlife as part of direct pursuit;
• Physically assist in capturing wildlife; or
• Otherwise act as the direct instrument of the conduct prohibited by section 24(2).

Simply travelling in a boat, transporting hunters, approaching a hunting location, or firing a shot from a boat does not automatically establish the section 24(2) offence.  Separate firearm rules may still apply, particularly where a motorboat is involved.  If the same incident resulted in more than one common hunting charge, see Common Hunting Charges to identify the other charges that may apply.

What Is the Difference Between Transportation and Hunting From a Boat?

The difference generally depends on whether the boat was used as a direct instrument against wildlife or only for transportation or another activity permitted by the section 91 exception.

Lawful boat use may include:

• Carrying hunters to or from a hunting location;
• Transporting firearms in accordance with applicable firearm rules;
• Carrying hunting equipment, supplies, or lawfully possessed wildlife;
• Anchoring or beaching before hunting activity; or
• Using the boat for hunting, fishing, navigation, or another lawful purpose without using the boat itself as the direct instrument of prohibited conduct.

The prosecution may instead say that the boat itself was used to pursue, chase, force, harass, strike, or physically assist in capturing wildlife.  Whether stopping a motor changes the legal position depends on how the boat was used and whether a separate motorboat firearm rule applied.

What Is Considered a Boat?

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 defines a boat broadly.

A boat includes:

• A motorboat;
• A rowboat;
• A canoe;
• A punt;
• A sailboat;
• A raft; or
• Another similar watercraft.

A motorboat is a boat with a motor attached that is capable of propulsion and includes a floating object being towed by a motorboat.  Turning off or raising the motor does not by itself change that definition, which matters because separate firearm rules apply to motorboats.

Can a Passenger Be Charged With Hunting From a Boat?

Yes, depending on the passenger's conduct and role in the incident.

A passenger's conduct may become relevant where the evidence indicates that the passenger:

• Directed the operator to pursue, chase, block, or harass wildlife;
• Participated in or encouraged using the boat itself to affect wildlife;
• Controlled equipment used as part of the conduct; or
• Participated in a separate firearm offence from the boat.

Simply being a passenger with hunters, firearms, or hunting equipment does not automatically establish participation.  The person's actions and connection to the conduct described in the charge may matter.

Can You Hunt From a Canoe or Boat Without a Motor Attached?

Ontario's loaded firearm law contains an exception for a boat that is not a motorboat.  Section 17's conveyance prohibition does not apply where the conveyance is a boat that is not a motorboat, such as a canoe being paddled with no motor attached.

This does not mean that every use of a canoe or other boat without a motor is lawful.  Section 24(2), together with the section 91 exception, still governs whether the boat itself was used as a direct instrument to kill, injure, capture, harass, pursue, or chase wildlife.

Other requirements may include:

• An open season and lawful hunting hours;
• The required licence, tag, or permit;
• Species specific firearm and ammunition rules;
• Bag and possession limits;
• Federal migratory bird requirements; and
• Restrictions applying to the hunting location.

The legality of hunting from a paddled canoe or another boat without a motor therefore depends on the complete circumstances.

Can You Hunt From a Motorboat?

Hunting from a motorboat raises separate firearm restrictions even where section 24(2) does not prohibit the way the boat itself was used.

Section 17 generally prohibits having a loaded firearm in or on a motorboat or discharging a firearm from it while in an area usually inhabited by wildlife or while travelling to or from such an area.

Limited firearm exceptions or authorizations may apply, including:

• Hunting migratory game birds from a motorboat in accordance with the applicable federal regulations, which generally prohibit hunting from or using a moving boat equipped with a motor or sail;
• Hunting double-crested cormorants from a motorboat that is not in motion and where the power to the motor has been turned off; or
• An applicable authorization for a qualifying person with impaired mobility using a motorboat that is not in motion.

These exceptions have their own conditions and do not create a general right to use the boat itself as a direct instrument to chase, pursue, harass, capture, injure, or kill wildlife.

Is Hunting From a Boat the Same as Having a Loaded Firearm in a Motorboat?

No.  The section 24 boat offence and the section 17 loaded firearm rules are separate legal issues.

A section 24(2) charge concerns how the boat itself was used in relation to wildlife, taking the section 91 exception into account.  A section 17 charge concerns having or discharging a loaded firearm from a conveyance and whether a firearm exception or authorization applied.

Depending on the circumstances, an investigation may involve:

• A loaded firearm in or on a motorboat;
• A firearm discharged from a motorboat;
• The boat itself being used directly against wildlife; or
• A motorboat moving, or its motor remaining powered, when an exception required otherwise.

A person may face one charge without the other, or both from the same event.  Each has its own legal requirements.

What Law Applies?

Section 24(2) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 prohibits using a boat for the purpose of killing, injuring, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing wildlife, subject to prescribed exceptions.

Section 91 of Ontario Regulation 665/98 is the key boat exception.  It means the section 24(2) prohibition does not apply where a boat is used in connection with killing, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing wildlife but is not itself the direct instrument of killing, injuring, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing the wildlife.

Section 17 separately restricts having a loaded firearm in or on a conveyance, meaning a vehicle, boat, or aircraft, or discharging a firearm from one in an area usually inhabited by wildlife or while travelling to or from such an area.  Its exceptions include a boat that is not a motorboat and qualifying migratory bird hunting from a motorboat.  Ontario Regulation 665/98 also contains the stationary motorboat exception for double-crested cormorant hunting, while section 17(3) provides for qualifying persons with impaired mobility.

These provisions address different conduct.  Section 24(2) focuses on how the boat itself was used against wildlife, while section 17 focuses on the condition or discharge of a firearm from a conveyance.

What Must Be Proven?

The prosecutor, the lawyer or representative presenting the government's case, must prove every required part of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.  Beyond a reasonable doubt is the high legal standard the prosecutor must meet before the court can find you guilty.

For a section 24(2) charge, the evidence may need to establish that:

• You were the person legally responsible for the conduct described in the charge;
• A boat and wildlife were involved;
• The boat itself was used as a direct instrument of conduct prohibited by section 24(2), taking section 91 of Ontario Regulation 665/98 into account;
• The conduct involved killing, injuring, capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing wildlife; and
• The incident occurred in Ontario on the date and at the location stated in the charge.

The prosecution does not necessarily need to prove that wildlife was killed, injured, or captured.  Directly using a boat to pursue, chase, or harass wildlife may support the charge, but the presence of hunters, firearms, or hunting equipment in a boat does not by itself establish the offence.

If a separate section 17 firearm offence is charged, a different legal test applies and may depend on the type of boat, whether a motor was attached, whether the firearm was loaded or discharged, the location, and any applicable exception or authorization.

Can You Be Charged if No Animal Was Killed?

Yes.  A person may face a section 24(2) charge even if no wildlife was shot or killed.

The provision addresses direct use of a boat in conduct that includes capturing, harassing, pursuing, or chasing wildlife.  A successful harvest is therefore not required in every case.

Ontario also defines hunting broadly.  Hunting may include searching for, lying in wait for, following, pursuing, chasing, capturing, harassing, or shooting at wildlife for a hunting purpose.

Whether the boat itself was used in the prohibited manner depends on the specific conduct and evidence.

What Common Situations Lead to This Charge?

A Boat Chased or Pursued Wildlife

The Conservation Officer may say the boat was used to pursue wildlife through the water or force it to change direction.

The Boat Was Used to Drive or Harass Wildlife

The charge may involve using the boat to surround, block, drive, or directly disturb wildlife.

The Boat Was Used to Strike or Capture Wildlife

The evidence may involve an attempt to strike an animal with the boat or use the boat itself to capture or injure wildlife.

The Hunter Says the Boat Was Used Only for Transportation

A dispute may arise over whether the boat merely carried hunters and equipment or became a direct instrument against wildlife.

A Firearm Was Used From a Motorboat

A separate section 17 firearm charge may arise even if section 91 means the section 24(2) prohibition does not apply.

The Hunt Involved Migratory Game Birds

The investigation may focus on whether the applicable federal migratory bird requirements and Ontario firearm rules were followed.

The Hunt Involved Double-Crested Cormorants

The evidence may address whether the motorboat was stationary, motor power was off, and other cormorant requirements were followed.

Wildlife Entered the Water After Being Wounded

The hunter may say the boat was used for retrieval, while the Conservation Officer may say the boat itself was used to continue chasing, pursuing, or harassing the animal.

What Is the Fine for Hunting From a Boat?

The current set fine for the section 24(2) boat offence is $250.  The Ontario set fine schedule describes the offence as using a boat to kill, injure, or harass wildlife.

A set fine is the preset fine used when an offence is dealt with by ticket.  The total payable amount may be higher after the victim fine surcharge and applicable court costs are added.

A set fine is different from the maximum penalty available after conviction.  Section 102 of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 provides a general maximum penalty for an individual that may include:

• A fine of up to $25,000;
• Imprisonment for up to one year; or
• Both a fine and imprisonment.

These are statutory maximums, not the automatic or usual result of every hunting from a boat charge.  The outcome depends on the offence, circumstances, prior record, and how the case proceeds.  Additional charges may carry separate fines or consequences.

What Other Consequences Are Possible?

A conviction may involve consequences beyond the fine itself, including:

• A victim fine surcharge and court costs;
• Restrictions on hunting privileges;
• Cancellation of a licence or authorization where ordered;
• Seizure or forfeiture issues involving the boat, motor, wildlife, firearms, or equipment;
• Probation or another court order; and
• Consequences arising from additional charges.

Section 104 of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 permits a court, in appropriate circumstances, to restrict a person from possessing, applying for, or obtaining a hunting licence or authorization for a specified period.

What Evidence May Be Used?

These cases often depend on the boat's movement, the motor's condition, the occupants' conduct, the location of wildlife, and evidence showing how the boat was used.

Officer, Witness, and Electronic Evidence

Conservation Officer observations, notes, reports, recordings, witness statements, photographs, videos, patrol boat recordings, GPS tracks, marine charts, chartplotter records, vessel location information, messages, calls, and other electronic records may show the boat's movement and purpose.

Boat, Motor, and Firearm Evidence

Boat registration information, motor records, photographs, firearm condition, and ammunition may help establish whether a motor was attached, operating, turned off, or capable of propulsion and whether a separate section 17 issue exists.

Wildlife and Physical Evidence

Wildlife, animal parts, blood, tracks, hunting equipment, decoys, seizure records, and other physical evidence may help establish what occurred and whether the boat itself was used directly against wildlife.

The evidence may also address how closely the boat followed wildlife, whether the animal changed direction because of the boat, who controlled the boat, and what the occupants did before and after the conduct described in the charge.

Disclosure means the evidence and information the prosecutor intends to rely upon.  It should be requested and compared with every required part of the exact charge.

What Possible Defences or Legal Issues May Apply?

Possible defences and legal issues depend on how the boat was used, whether a motor was attached, your role, and the evidence.  Not every issue applies to every case.

How the Boat Was Used

• The section 91 exception applied: The boat may have been used in connection with lawful hunting but not as the direct instrument of the prohibited conduct.
• The boat was used only for transportation: Travelling to or from a lawful hunting location does not automatically establish prohibited boat use.
• The boat was not pursuing, chasing, or harassing wildlife: It may have been travelling normally when wildlife appeared nearby.
• The movement was for safety or navigation: A change in speed or direction may have been needed to avoid a hazard.

Motorboat and Firearm Issues

• No motor was attached: A section 17 firearm issue may be different where the boat was not a motorboat.
• A firearm exception or authorization applied: The migratory bird, double-crested cormorant, impaired mobility, or another recognized exception may apply.
• The required firearm conditions were followed: The boat may have been stationary, the motor power off, or the firearm otherwise handled as required.
• The firearm charge is not proven: The evidence may not establish that the firearm was loaded or discharged.

Participation, Identification, and Evidence

• You did not operate or direct the boat: A passenger may not have directed, encouraged, or participated in the conduct described in the charge.
• You were not hunting: Boating, fishing, navigating, photographing wildlife, or retrieving equipment does not automatically amount to hunting.
• The wildlife, location, or timing was incorrectly identified: GPS information, maps, photographs, video, or witnesses may contradict the prosecution.
• The evidence is incomplete or unreliable: Officer observations, witness statements, recordings, GPS or motor information, or identification evidence may need review.
• Due diligence, an honest and reasonable mistake of fact, or another legal issue may apply: Section 101 may apply where its requirements are met, and a vessel stop, detention, search, seizure, questioning, or statement may require review.

Due diligence means taking all reasonable care in the circumstances.  Turning off a motor does not automatically resolve every boat or firearm issue.  The exact charge, section 91 exception, any applicable firearm exception, and complete facts must be considered.

Can the Boat, Motor, Wildlife, Firearms, or Equipment Be Seized or Forfeited?

Property connected with a boat related hunting investigation may be seized where lawful authority exists.

Depending on the circumstances, seized property may include:

• The boat, motor, trailer, or related equipment;
• Wildlife or animal parts;
• Firearms, ammunition, bows, or hunting equipment;
• Licences, tags, permits, maps, or documents;
• Cellphones, cameras, GPS devices, or electronic records; and
• Other property believed to be connected with the offence.

Seizure means that property has been taken into official custody.  It does not automatically mean the person will be convicted or that ownership has been permanently lost.

Forfeiture means permanent loss of ownership through a court order or another legally authorized process.  Keep every property receipt, inventory, officer name, occurrence number, towing record, storage notice, and document relating to the seizure.

What Happens Next?

What happens next depends on whether you received a ticket or summons and whether you dispute the charge.  A ticket generally provides response options and a deadline, while a summons must be answered as directed.

If you dispute the charge, the process may involve requesting disclosure, attending court, discussing the matter with the prosecutor, considering a possible resolution, bringing a legal application where appropriate, or proceeding to trial.

At trial, the prosecutor must prove every required part of the particular charge beyond a reasonable doubt.  A section 24(2) case must be considered together with the section 91 boat exception, while any separate section 17 firearm charge must be assessed under its own legal requirements.

If there is a conviction, the court will determine the fine and whether any additional order should be made.

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

• Section 24(2) prohibits using a boat for specified conduct involving wildlife, but Ontario Regulation 665/98 contains an important exception where the boat is not used as the direct instrument of that conduct;
• Simply hunting or firing a shot from a boat does not automatically establish the section 24(2) offence;
• Using a boat itself to chase, pursue, harass, strike, capture, or otherwise directly affect wildlife may support a section 24(2) charge;
• Separate loaded firearm and firearm discharge rules apply to motorboats, with limited exceptions and authorizations;
• A boat without a motor attached is treated differently from a motorboat under the section 17 firearm rules;
• The current set fine for the section 24(2) boat offence is $250 before the victim fine surcharge and court costs; and
• The exact charge, boat movement, motor status, firearm condition, wildlife involved, and available evidence may affect the case.

Conclusion

Hunting or firing from a boat does not automatically violate section 24(2).  The central issue under section 24(2) and section 91 of Ontario Regulation 665/98 is whether the boat itself was used as a direct instrument to kill, injure, capture, harass, pursue, or chase wildlife.

Separate firearm rules may apply where a motorboat is involved.  The outcome may depend on how the boat was used, whether a motor was attached, whether a firearm was loaded or discharged, any applicable exception or authorization, and the available evidence.

Before paying a ticket or responding to a summons, review the offence wording, boat and motor information, electronic records, witness evidence, seizure documents, and possible consequences.