Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in Ontario:

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Last Updated: September 21 2026

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Question:How do Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in Ontario affect which hunting rules apply to my exact location?

Answer:Ontario’s Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) are numbered geographic areas that determine which hunting rules apply where you hunt, including open seasons, permitted hunting methods and firearms, tag or validation requirements, and bag or possession limits, so you should match your hunt location to the correct WMU map and then check the WMU-specific rules in the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary and e-Laws.   If you want help confirming the correct WMU for your scenario and understanding how that impacts hunting compliance, a paralegal at DefendCharges.ca™ can help you navigate the rules and next steps in Ontario, call (647) 559-3377 today.

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Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in Ontario

A Wildlife Management Unit, commonly called a WMU, is a numbered geographic area Ontario uses to organize wildlife management and hunting rules.  Ontario is divided into 95 WMUs, and some are divided into smaller lettered or numbered sub-units.

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

The WMU can affect which wildlife may be hunted, when an open season applies, what hunting methods or firearms may be used, and whether particular tags, allocations, validations, limits, or other hunting requirements apply in an area.

This resource explains how Ontario's Wildlife Management Units work, where WMU boundaries come from, why the applicable WMU matters when checking hunting rules, and where to find Ontario's official WMU maps and legal sources.

What Is a Wildlife Management Unit?

A Wildlife Management Unit is a defined geographic area Ontario uses to manage wildlife and apply hunting rules to particular parts of the province.

Ontario is divided into 95 WMUs.  Some WMUs are further divided into sub-units, such as 1A and 1B or other units identified by combinations of numbers and letters.

A WMU is therefore more than a general description of a hunting location.  Ontario legislation and hunting information use WMU numbers to identify where particular seasons, hunting opportunities, firearm requirements, tag conditions, bag limits, and other rules apply.

Why Does Ontario Use WMUs?

WMUs allow hunting and wildlife management rules to be adapted to different parts of Ontario.

Wildlife populations, habitat, hunting opportunities, and management objectives can vary significantly across the province.  Dividing Ontario into WMUs allows rules to be applied to defined geographic areas rather than requiring the same rule to apply everywhere.

As a result, the hunting rules for the same species can differ between neighbouring WMUs.

What Hunting Rules Can Change by WMU?

The applicable WMU can affect several important hunting requirements.  Depending on the species and hunt, the WMU can affect:

• Whether an open hunting season exists;
• The opening and closing dates of a season;
• The class or type of firearm or bow that may be used;
• Whether a tag, allocation, validation, or other hunting authority applies to that unit;
• Species, sex, age, or type restrictions;
• Daily bag limits or possession limits;
• Controlled or special hunting opportunities;
• Location specific hunting methods or restrictions; and
• Other conditions established for hunting in that area.

Ontario's official WMU resource specifically identifies the game that may be hunted, open season dates, and permitted hunting methods as examples of rules that can vary by WMU.

Where Do WMU Boundaries Come From?

The legal framework for Ontario's Wildlife Management Units is found in Ontario Regulation 663/98, Area Descriptions, made under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997.

Part 6 of Ontario Regulation 663/98 divides Ontario into the Wildlife Management Units described in Schedule 1.  The Schedule identifies each WMU, the general geographic area in which it is located, and the date of the official plan showing the area of that WMU that is filed with the Office of the Surveyor General of Ontario.

This legal framework is important because the convenient WMU maps published for hunters are practical mapping resources, while the regulation and the official plans provide the underlying legal basis for the units.

How Are WMU Boundaries Shown on Ontario Maps?

Ontario uses roads, lakes, rivers, and other physical features as WMU boundaries wherever possible.

For some roads and waterways, only particular portions form the WMU boundary.  A road, river, lake, or other feature appearing near a boundary should therefore not automatically be treated as forming the entire boundary.

Ontario publishes regional maps as well as individual printable maps for the WMUs.  These maps are intended to help hunters identify the unit in which they are hunting and avoid unintentionally crossing into a neighbouring unit with different regulations.

How Do You Find Your Wildlife Management Unit?

Ontario provides a dedicated online resource for locating WMUs and checking their boundaries.

The government page includes:

• Province wide regional maps;
• Northern Ontario WMU maps;
• Southeastern Ontario WMU maps;
• Southwestern Ontario WMU maps; and
• Individual downloadable PDF maps for WMUs and sub-units.

Find a Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) map on Ontario.ca.

Ontario recommends checking the applicable map carefully, particularly when hunting close to a boundary with another WMU that has different hunting regulations.

What if You Are Hunting Near a WMU Boundary?

Extra care is useful when hunting close to a WMU boundary because the rules can change after the boundary is crossed.

Ontario recommends printing and carrying a WMU map when hunting near a boundary.  The province provides letter-sized individual maps that are designed to be convenient to carry.

A neighbouring WMU can have different hunting seasons, hunting opportunities, firearm rules, tag requirements, or other conditions.  The applicable rule should therefore be checked for the unit where the hunting activity actually takes place.

Who Can Answer a WMU Boundary Question?

Ontario directs hunters with questions about a WMU boundary to the Ministry of Natural Resources office responsible for that WMU.

The applicable Ministry office is identified through Ontario hunting information.  This can be particularly useful where a boundary follows only part of a road or waterway or where the exact location is difficult to determine from a general map.

The Natural Resources Information and Support Centre can also provide Ontario hunting information.

Telephone: 1-(800) 387-7011
Email: nrisc@ontario.ca

How Do Ontario Hunting Regulations Refer to WMUs?

Ontario Regulation 665/98, Hunting, uses the WMUs established under Ontario Regulation 663/98 when applying hunting requirements geographically.

The Hunting Regulation also contains an important interpretation rule.  Where a WMU is referred to by a whole number only, that reference includes the WMUs identified by that number together with a letter, or a letter and another number, unless the applicable rule provides otherwise.

For example, where a regulation uses a whole WMU number, it can include the associated sub-units covered by the regulatory definition rather than referring only to a separate geographic area bearing the whole number.

How Are WMUs Used for Hunting Seasons?

Ontario Regulation 670/98, Open Seasons - Wildlife, uses WMUs extensively when prescribing hunting seasons for provincially regulated wildlife.

Depending on the species, the regulation can use a WMU or group of WMUs to prescribe matters such as:

• Open season dates;
• Classes or types of firearms;
• Daily bag limits;
• Possession limits; and
• Other species specific requirements.

The annual Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary presents much of this information in a more practical format for hunters.

Where Can You Check Hunting Rules for a WMU?

The Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary is the main practical government resource for finding species specific hunting information by WMU.

View the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary.

The summary contains WMU maps and species specific sections showing open seasons and other applicable requirements.  Ontario also provides increasingly detailed online season information for certain species.

When the precise legal wording matters, the applicable regulation should also be checked through Ontario e-Laws.

Does a WMU Determine Whether Land Is Open to Hunting?

No.  Being inside a Wildlife Management Unit does not mean that every property within that WMU is legally open to hunting.

A WMU determines the wildlife management area for purposes of applicable hunting rules.  Separate requirements can still restrict access to or hunting on particular land.

Depending on the location, those separate requirements can involve:

• Private property rights and permission;
• Trespass laws;
• Provincial parks;
• National parks;
• Crown game preserves;
• Wildlife areas or sanctuaries;
• Municipal firearm discharge rules;
• Special hunting areas; and
• Other land use restrictions.

A WMU map should therefore be used to identify the wildlife management unit, not as proof that a particular parcel of land is open to hunting.

Can Two Sides of the Same Road or River Be in Different WMUs?

Yes, where the road, river, or other physical feature forms the WMU boundary.

Ontario uses physical features as boundaries wherever possible.  This means that hunting activity occurring on opposite sides of a boundary can fall within different WMUs and potentially different hunting rules.

However, not every part of a road or river shown near a WMU forms the legal boundary.  The applicable Ontario map and, where necessary, the legal WMU information should be checked.

Do Tags and Hunting Authorizations Use WMUs?

Yes.  Some Ontario hunting tags, allocations, and other hunting authorizations are connected to particular WMUs.

For example, Ontario's moose tag system uses WMUs when specifying where particular moose hunting authority applies.  Deer hunting opportunities can also depend on WMU specific rules, including controlled deer hunts and additional deer tag opportunities.

The existence of a valid species licence therefore does not always mean that every tag or hunting opportunity associated with that species is valid throughout Ontario.

Are Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Districts the Same as WMUs?

No.  Federal migratory game bird hunting districts and Ontario Wildlife Management Units are related geographic systems but they are not the same thing.

Environment and Climate Change Canada divides Ontario into federal migratory game bird hunting districts for purposes of federal seasons, limits, and other migratory bird requirements.  Those federal district descriptions use Ontario WMUs to help define their geographic boundaries.

A person checking migratory game bird hunting rules may therefore need to identify the applicable Ontario WMU and then determine which federal migratory bird hunting district contains that WMU.

Can WMU Boundaries Change?

WMU information should always be checked against current Ontario government sources.

Ontario maintains the WMU map resource and updates government hunting information when necessary.  The current official WMU map page was updated on January 21, 2026.

Legislation and hunting rules can also change independently of a WMU boundary.  Even where a unit itself has not changed, a new season, tag rule, hunting method restriction, or other requirement can apply in a later hunting year.

Where Can You Read the Legal WMU Framework?

Ontario Regulation 663/98, Area Descriptions, contains the provincial legal framework establishing Wildlife Management Units.

Read Ontario Regulation 663/98 - Area Descriptions on Ontario e-Laws.

Part 6 and Schedule 1 identify Ontario's Wildlife Management Units and the official plans associated with them.

Where Can You Read Ontario's Hunting Regulation?

Ontario Regulation 665/98, Hunting, contains many of the hunting rules that use WMUs to determine where particular requirements apply.

Read Ontario Regulation 665/98 - Hunting on Ontario e-Laws.

The regulation should be checked together with the applicable species, licence, tag, hunting method, and location requirements.

Where Can You Read Ontario's Open Season Regulation?

Ontario Regulation 670/98, Open Seasons - Wildlife, contains the legally prescribed open season tables for provincially regulated wildlife.

Read Ontario Regulation 670/98 - Open Seasons - Wildlife on Ontario e-Laws.

The regulation uses WMUs and groups of WMUs to establish many species specific seasons and related hunting requirements.

Why Can the Correct WMU Matter in a Legal Issue?

The applicable WMU can matter whenever the legal rule depends on where an activity occurred.

A location issue can affect whether a hunting season was open, whether particular hunting authority applied, whether a tag was valid for the area, or whether a specific firearm, hunting method, limit, or other condition applied.

Where the exact location is legally important, the appropriate WMU should be identified using the official government information and the rule that applied at the relevant time.

How Can DefendCharges.ca™ Help?

DefendCharges.ca™ can help explain how Ontario Wildlife Management Units interact with hunting seasons, tags, licences, hunting methods, and other location specific requirements.  This can include identifying the applicable legislation, regulation, WMU, or boundary issue relevant to a particular legal question.

Where a hunting ticket, summons, investigation, seizure, or court proceeding involves location or a WMU boundary, DefendCharges.ca™ can review the applicable law and location evidence, explain the legal issues and potential consequences, and help the person understand their options.

Key Takeaways

• Ontario is divided into 95 Wildlife Management Units, with some WMUs divided into smaller sub-units;
• WMUs are geographic areas used to organize wildlife management and hunting rules;
• The applicable WMU can affect species, open seasons, hunting methods, tags, allocations, limits, and other hunting requirements;
• Ontario Regulation 663/98 provides the legal framework for WMUs and identifies the official plans associated with each unit;
• WMU boundaries use roads, lakes, rivers, and other physical features wherever possible;
• The Ontario government provides regional and individual WMU maps online;
• Being inside a WMU does not mean that every property within the unit is legally open to hunting;
• Federal migratory bird hunting districts are not the same as Ontario WMUs, although the federal districts use WMUs in defining their boundaries;
• Ontario recommends checking the applicable WMU carefully when hunting near a neighbouring unit with different regulations; and
• Current Ontario government maps, hunting information, and e-Laws should be used when confirming a WMU or the rules that apply within it.

Conclusion

Wildlife Management Units provide the geographic framework Ontario uses to apply many hunting rules across the province.  Identifying the correct WMU is important when checking open seasons, hunting methods, tags, allocations, limits, and other location specific requirements.  Ontario's official WMU map resource provides the practical starting point, while Ontario Regulation 663/98 and the applicable hunting regulations provide the underlying legal framework.