Hunting During a Closed Season in Ontario:

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Last Updated: September 06 2026

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Question:I got a hunting during a closed season ticket in Ontario; should I pay it or hire a paralegal to fight the charge?

Answer:If you received a Provincial Offence Notice or summons for hunting during a closed season in Ontario, do not ignore the response deadline, because paying is usually treated as pleading guilty and can lead to a conviction and possible hunting privilege impacts.  DefendCharges.ca™ can help you review the exact charge wording, species, date, Wildlife Management Unit, and the open season rules the Conservation Officer claims applied, then prepare a clear next-step plan for your response (including whether a contested hearing is worth it and what evidence to gather, such as your licence and tag records, Outdoors Card details, GPS/maps, photos, and seizure documentation).  For immediate triage and strategy, call (647) 559-3377 to speak with an Ontario paralegal today.

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Hunting During a Closed Season in Ontario

Hunting wildlife during a closed season in Ontario may lead to a provincial offence charge under Ontario law rather than a criminal charge, a fine, court proceedings, and possible consequences for your hunting privileges and property taken during the investigation.

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

Do not panic.  Many people also refer to this offence as hunting out of season.  Regardless of the wording, the allegation is the same—you are accused of hunting wildlife when there was no legal open season for that activity.

This page explains closed season hunting charges, how open and closed seasons work, 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 During a Closed Season Ticket or Summons.  What Should I Do?

Read every document carefully and do not ignore the response deadline or court date.

A ticket, formally called a Provincial Offence Notice, usually provides response options and a deadline.  Paying the amount shown will generally be treated as pleading guilty and will result in a conviction, meaning a finding of guilt, without a trial.

A summons normally requires you to attend court or respond in the manner stated.  It should not be treated like an ordinary payable ticket.

Before deciding how to respond, check:

Charge, Species, Date, and Location

• The exact wording of every charge;
• The section of law listed on the ticket or summons;
• The wildlife species involved;
• The date and approximate time shown on the charge;
• The Wildlife Management Unit, the numbered area used to apply local hunting rules, or other hunting area;
• The open season dates that applied to that species and location;
• Whether the season was restricted by hunting method or firearm class;

Season Rules, Documents, and Deadlines

• Whether the season applied only to a particular sex, age, or type of animal;
• Whether a controlled hunt, bows only season, or other special season applied;
• Whether a licence, tag, validation, allocation, or permit was required;
• Whether you were hunting or participating in another activity;
• Whether wildlife or other property was seized;
• Whether additional hunting charges were laid; and
• The response deadline or court date.

Keep your ticket or summons, Outdoors Card, Licence Summary, hunting licence, tag, validation, allocation records, maps, GPS information, photographs, messages, receipts, and any documents provided by the Conservation Officer.

Consider obtaining legal advice before giving an additional written or recorded explanation.  Statements made during or after the investigation may become part of the prosecution evidence.

Should I Pay a Hunting During a Closed Season Ticket?

Paying the ticket will generally result in a conviction.  Before paying, make sure you understand which season the Conservation Officer says was closed and why the Conservation Officer says that restriction applied to you.

Important questions may include:

Species, Location, Date, and Season

• Was the wildlife species correctly identified?
• Was the correct Wildlife Management Unit identified?
• Was the date shown on the charge outside the applicable open season?
• Was the season open for the hunting method being used?
• Did a controlled hunt, bow season, special season, or other limited season apply?
• Was the season restricted to a particular sex, age, or type of animal?

Authority, Hunting Activity, and Evidence

• Did your licence, tag, validation, or allocation authorize the activity?
• Were you legally hunting or merely scouting, travelling, retrieving property, or accompanying another person?
• Was the correct person identified as the hunter?
• Do the officer’s notes, photographs, video, maps, or GPS records support the date and location identified in the charge?
• Did an exemption or other lawful authority apply?

The fine shown on the ticket may not describe every possible consequence.  A conviction may also affect hunting privileges, seized wildlife, firearms, equipment, vehicles, or other charges arising from the same incident.

What Is Hunting During a Closed Season?

This charge generally means that you are accused of hunting wildlife during a period when no applicable open season permitted that activity.

A closed season charge may arise where:

Season Dates and Locations

• You hunted before the applicable season opened;
• You continued hunting after the season ended;
• You hunted in a Wildlife Management Unit where no season was open;
• You relied on dates applying to another Wildlife Management Unit;
• You followed an outdated regulations summary or season chart;
• You used a firearm during a season that permitted only bows;

Methods, Animal Types, and Special Authority

• You hunted wildlife of a sex, age, or type not covered by the open season;
• You believed a controlled hunt validation applied when it did not;
• You crossed into an area where the season was closed;
• You continued pursuing wildlife after the lawful season ended; or
• You believed another hunter’s authority covered your activity.

Holding a valid hunting licence or tag does not authorize hunting at all times.  The species, location, season, hunting method, licence, tag, validation, and any special conditions must all permit the hunt.

The first and last dates shown for an open season are generally included.  Hunting before the first listed date or after the final listed date may result in a closed season charge.  If the same incident resulted in more than one common hunting charge, see Common Hunting Charges to identify the other charges that may apply.

Which Species Specific Closed Season Charge Matches Your Ticket or Summons?

The wildlife and charge wording shown on your ticket, summons, seizure notice, or other documents may help identify the species specific closed season issue involved.

Hunting Deer During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting deer before the season opened, after it ended, in the wrong Wildlife Management Unit, during the wrong firearm season, or outside the authority of a controlled deer hunt.

Hunting Moose During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting moose outside the applicable season, during a season restricted to another firearm class, or in a Wildlife Management Unit where the season was closed.

Hunting Black Bear During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting black bear outside an applicable spring or fall season, in an area where a season was closed, or without satisfying a season specific requirement.

Hunting Turkey During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting wild turkey before or after the applicable spring or fall season or during a period when the hunter’s licence or tag did not authorize the activity.

Hunting Rabbit or Hare During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting rabbits or hares outside the dates applying to the species and Wildlife Management Unit involved.

Hunting Grouse During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting grouse before the applicable season opened, after it ended, or in an area where the species had no open season.

Hunting Waterfowl or Migratory Birds During a Closed Season

This charge may involve hunting ducks, geese, or other migratory game birds outside the federal season applying to the species, hunting zone, and date involved.

What Is the Difference Between an Open Season and a Closed Season?

Open Season

An open season is the period during which a species may legally be hunted, subject to every other applicable requirement.

Closed Season

A closed season is the period during which hunting or trapping a particular species is not permitted.

A species may be in an open season for one hunter, location, animal type, or hunting method but in a closed season for another.  For example, a bow season may be open while the gun season remains closed, or a controlled season may be open only to hunters holding the required validation.

Do Ontario Hunting Seasons Change?

Yes.  Hunting seasons and related rules may change from year to year.

Season dates can vary according to:

Wildlife, Location, and Hunter Status

• The wildlife species;
• The Wildlife Management Unit;
• The hunter’s residency status;
• The type of hunting licence or authorization;
• The sex, age, or type of animal;

Method, Controlled Hunts, and Other Conditions

• The firearm or bow being used;
• Whether the hunt is controlled;
• Whether dogs may be used;
• Whether a special validation or allocation is required; and
• Other restrictions applying to the particular area or season.

Hunters should consult the current Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary and the law in force for the year of the hunt.  A previous year’s printed summary, saved webpage, screenshot, calendar, or advice from another hunter may no longer be accurate.

Wildlife Management Unit boundaries, controlled hunt rules, firearm seasons, special closures, and other requirements should also be confirmed before hunting.

Is Scouting During a Closed Season Illegal?

Scouting is not automatically hunting.

A dispute may arise where a person says they were scouting but a Conservation Officer says they were searching for or pursuing wildlife for a hunting purpose.

Relevant facts may include:

Equipment and Hunting Activity

• Whether the person carried a firearm or bow;
• Whether a firearm was loaded;
• Whether ammunition or arrows were readily available;
• Whether calls, decoys, dogs, blinds, or other hunting equipment were used;
• Whether wildlife was being tracked, chased, surrounded, or pushed;

Purpose, Companions, and Circumstances

• Whether the person was positioned to shoot wildlife;
• Whether the person made statements about hunting or harvesting wildlife;
• Whether the person was acting with other hunters; and
• The location, time, and surrounding circumstances.

A person may also dispute that they were hunting and say they were travelling, retrieving property, checking equipment, photographing wildlife, or accompanying another person.

What Law Applies?

Closed season hunting charges in Ontario are governed primarily by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, Ontario Regulation 665/98, and the applicable open season rules.

Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997

The Act defines a closed season as the period during which hunting, trapping, or fishing for a species is not permitted.  It also defines an open season as the period during which the activity is permitted.

Ontario Regulation 665/98, Section 25

Section 25 generally requires a person hunting game wildlife to comply with the open season applying to the species, area, hunter, and animal involved.

Ontario Regulation 670/98

Ontario Regulation 670/98 contains open season tables and related conditions for Ontario wildlife.  Depending on the species, these rules may identify:

• The applicable Wildlife Management Units;
• The beginning and ending dates;
• The permitted firearm class or hunting method;
• The hunter or licence category;
• Sex, age, or animal type restrictions;
• Controlled hunt requirements; and
• Other season specific conditions.

Migratory birds, including ducks and geese, are also governed by federal law.  A migratory bird closed season charge may arise under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and its regulations instead of, or in addition to, Ontario hunting law.

The section shown on the ticket or summons should be reviewed together with the season table and legislation in force on the offence date.

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.

Depending on the offence written on the ticket or summons, the prosecutor may need to prove that:

Identity, Hunting, Species, and Location

• You were the person involved;
• Your conduct legally amounted to hunting;
• The wildlife belonged to the species or legal category identified in the charge;
• The hunting described in the charge occurred on the date and at the location claimed;

Season, Authority, and Exceptions

• The applicable season was closed for that species, location, animal type, or hunting method;
• No open, controlled, bow only, or other special season applied;
• No licence, validation, allocation, or authorization permitted the activity; and
• No statutory, regulatory, constitutional, or other legal exception applied.

Where the charge depends on a Wildlife Management Unit boundary, the prosecution may need to establish where the hunting occurred.  Where different seasons applied to bows, guns, residents, non-residents, controlled hunt participants, or particular animal types, the prosecutor must establish which season applied to you.

The prosecutor must prove the offence actually charged.  Being present in the field during a closed season does not automatically prove that your conduct legally amounted to hunting.

Can You Be Charged if No Animal Was Killed?

Yes.  A person may face a closed season charge even if no wildlife was shot, injured, captured, or killed.

Ontario defines hunting broadly.  It may include searching for, lying in wait for, following the trail of, pursuing, chasing, capturing, harassing, or shooting at wildlife for the purpose of killing, injuring, capturing, or harassing it.

The prosecution may therefore rely on conduct such as tracking wildlife, using calls or decoys, waiting with a loaded firearm, pushing wildlife toward another hunter, or shooting at an animal.

The particular facts and purpose behind the activity remain important.  Merely being outdoors or near wildlife does not automatically prove hunting.

What Common Situations Lead to This Charge?

The Hunter Used the Wrong Year’s Dates

The hunter may have relied on an older regulations summary, saved webpage, calendar, screenshot, or information from a previous season.

The Hunter Was in the Wrong Wildlife Management Unit

A season may be open in one Wildlife Management Unit and closed in a neighbouring unit.  Maps, GPS information, roads, lakes, and property boundaries may become important.

The Open Season Had Ended

The hunter may have believed that the season continued through the end of a weekend or month when the published final date was earlier.

The Season Had Not Started

The person may have entered the field before opening day to scout, set up equipment, or wait for the season to begin, but the Conservation Officer says hunting had already started.

The Season Was Open Only for Bows

The species may have been open for bow hunting while remaining closed to rifles, shotguns, or muzzle-loading guns.

The Season Was Open Only for a Controlled Hunt

The person may have hunted during a controlled season without holding the required validation for the Wildlife Management Unit involved.

The Wrong Sex, Age, or Type of Animal Was Targeted

The season may have been open for one animal type but closed for another, such as antlered or antlerless deer, adult or calf moose, or another restricted category.

The Person Was Accompanying Another Hunter

The person may say they were only accompanying a hunter, while the Conservation Officer relies on their equipment, positioning, calling, tracking, or other conduct to say that they were also hunting.

The Hunter Crossed a Boundary

The hunter may have started in an area with an open season and crossed into another Wildlife Management Unit, park, sanctuary, preserve, or restricted area.

What Is the Fine for Hunting During a Closed Season?

The Ontario set fine depends on the wildlife category identified in the charge.

Set fines identified under section 25 of Ontario Regulation 665/98 include:

Big Game

• Elk: $500;
• Black bear: $500;
• White-tailed deer: $500;
• Moose: $500;
• Woodland caribou: $500;

Other Wildlife Categories

• Furbearing mammal: $250;
• Game bird other than wild turkey: $250;
• Wild turkey: $250;
• Game mammal other than big game: $250;
• Bullfrog: $250; and
• Snapping turtle: $250.

A set fine is the fine assigned when an offence is dealt with by ticket.  The total payable amount may be higher after the victim fine surcharge, an additional amount imposed by provincial law, and applicable court costs are added.

The exact fine should be confirmed using the offence wording, species or wildlife category, regulation provision, and set fine schedule in force on the offence date.

What Other Penalties Are Possible?

A conviction may involve consequences beyond the amount printed on the ticket.

Possible consequences may include:

Financial and Hunting Privilege Consequences

• A fine imposed by the court;
• A victim fine surcharge and court costs;
• Cancellation or suspension of hunting privileges;
• A restriction on obtaining future licences, tags, or authorizations;

Property and Court Consequences

• Forfeiture of illegally killed wildlife;
• Orders affecting firearms, bows, vehicles, boats, ATVs, or equipment;
• Probation or another court order;
• Consequences arising from related hunting charges; and
• Imprisonment in a serious case where authorized by law.

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.

This is the statutory maximum, not the automatic or usual result of every closed season charge.  The outcome depends on the offence, wildlife involved, circumstances, prior record, and manner in which the case proceeds.

What Evidence May Be Used?

Closed season cases often depend on evidence establishing the species, date, time, location, applicable season, and the conduct of the person charged.

Evidence may include:

Officer, Season, and Location Evidence

• Conservation Officer notes and reports;
• The applicable open season table;
• Maps and Wildlife Management Unit boundaries;
• GPS coordinates and hunting application records;
• Photographs, video, or trail camera images;
• Body worn or vehicle camera recordings;

Wildlife, Equipment, and Communications

• Licence, tag, allocation, and validation records;
• Wildlife or animal parts;
• Firearms, ammunition, bows, calls, decoys, or other equipment;
• Cellphone records and electronic communications;
• Social media posts or hunting group messages;
• Witness statements; and
• Statements attributed to the person charged.

Section 109 of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 may also affect the evidence in a hunting prosecution.  In some circumstances, possessing a firearm, decoy, or other hunting device in an area usually inhabited by wildlife may be treated as evidence of hunting unless evidence shows otherwise.

Disclosure is the evidence the prosecutor intends to use in court.  It should be requested and reviewed before deciding how to respond to a disputed charge.

What Possible Defences or Legal Issues May Apply?

Possible defences depend on the exact offence, species, date, location, applicable season, and prosecution evidence.  Not every defence applies to every case.

Issues that may need to be reviewed include:

Season, Location, and Wildlife Issues

• The season was open: The applicable season table may show that hunting was permitted on the date and in the location identified in the charge.
• A special season applied: A bow season, controlled hunt, mobility impaired hunt, falconry season, or other limited season may have authorized the activity.
• The wrong Wildlife Management Unit was identified: Maps, GPS records, photographs, property information, or witness evidence may establish a different location.
• The date or time was incorrect: Messages, photographs, receipts, GPS data, metadata, or witness evidence may dispute when the activity occurred.
• The wrong species or animal type was identified: The evidence may not reliably establish the species, sex, age, or type of wildlife involved.
• The permitted hunting method was used: The activity may have occurred during a season open for the bow, firearm class, or other method being used.

Hunting Activity, Authority, and Identity

• You were not hunting: Scouting, travelling, accompanying another person, or carrying equipment does not automatically establish hunting.
• An exemption or lawful authority applied: Indigenous harvesting rights, protection of property provisions, ministerial authorization, or another legal exception may need to be reviewed where supported by the facts.
• The wrong person was identified: The evidence may not prove that you were the person engaged in the activity described in the charge.

Due Diligence, Evidence, and Legal Issues

• Due diligence: Section 101 of the Act may provide a defence where you took all reasonable steps to confirm and comply with the applicable season.
• Reasonable mistake of fact: You may have honestly and reasonably believed facts that, if true, would have made the hunting lawful.
• The evidence is incomplete or unreliable: Officer notes, maps, season records, statements, photographs, video, GPS information, or identification evidence may need to be challenged.
• Legal or Charter issues arose: The circumstances of a detention, search, seizure, questioning, or statement may require legal review.

Simply saying that you did not know the season was closed may not, by itself, provide a defence.  A mistake about the law is different from an honest and reasonable mistake about a fact, such as the physical location of a Wildlife Management Unit boundary.

Can Wildlife, Firearms, Vehicles, or Equipment Be Seized?

Property connected with a closed season charge may be seized where lawful authority exists.

Depending on the investigation, seized property may include:

• Wildlife or animal parts;
• Hunting licences, Licence Summaries, tags, or validations;
• Firearms, ammunition, bows, or hunting equipment;
• Vehicles, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, or trailers;
• Cellphones, cameras, GPS devices, or electronic records;
• Calls, decoys, blinds, or related equipment; and
• Other property believed to be connected with the offence.

Seizure means that authorities have taken and are holding property.  Forfeiture means that ownership is permanently lost through a court order or another lawful process.

Property is not automatically forfeited merely because it was seized.  Keep every property receipt, inventory, officer name, occurrence number, and notice connected with the seizure.

What Happens in Court?

What happens next depends on whether you received a ticket or summons and whether you dispute the charge.

If you challenge the charge, the process may involve requesting disclosure, attending court, discussing the case 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 charge beyond a reasonable doubt.  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

• A closed season is the period when hunting or trapping a particular species is not permitted;
• Hunting out of season is another common description for hunting during a closed season;
• The applicable season may depend on the species, Wildlife Management Unit, hunting method, animal type, hunter category, and rules in force for that year;
• The prosecutor must prove that you were hunting and that no applicable open season permitted the activity;
• A person may be charged even if no wildlife was killed, while scouting or merely being outdoors does not automatically amount to hunting;
• Set fines differ between big game species and other wildlife categories; and
• Possible defences depend on the season table, location, date, species, method, and evidence.

Conclusion

Hunting during a closed season is a general charge that may involve hunting before a season opened, after it ended, in the wrong Wildlife Management Unit, during the wrong firearm season, or outside the authority of a controlled or special hunt.

The detailed rules depend on the species involved.  The applicable season, Wildlife Management Unit, hunting method, animal type, and any special authorization must be considered together.

Before paying a ticket or responding to a summons, review the exact offence wording, species, date, location, applicable season table, hunting method, licence records, evidence, and possible consequences so that you understand the charge and the available response options.