OPP Hunting Safety Reminders

With hunting season approaching, the OPP is reminding hunters that safety should be the number one priority.

Hunting Safety Rules:

All hunters must wear solid hunter-orange clothing and a hunter-orange head cover during gun seasons for deer, moose, and elk. Outside the gun seasons for deer, moose, and elk, these requirements also apply to bear hunters who are not hunting from a tree stand.
Handle firearms with care and attention at all times.
Hunters must never shoot unless they are absolutely sure of their target and what lies beyond it.
It is illegal to shoot from a vehicle or carry a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle.
It is illegal to discharge a firearm from or across the traveled portion of a right of way for public vehicular traffic. In many parts of Ontario, it is also illegal to have a loaded firearm or discharge a firearm in any part of the right of way.
Never drink alcohol and hunt.
If you hunt from a tree stand, always wear a safety harness, and use a rope to raise and lower your firearm.

General Safety:

Tell someone where you will be hunting and when you will be returning.
Know the weather conditions in your hunting area, and dress accordingly.
In an emergency, stay calm and stay put.
Avoid hypothermia. Know how to treat it if it strikes.
Keep rested, hydrated, and well-nourished.
Carry a survival kit and a small first aid kit with you at all times.
Know how to build a fire in all weather conditions, and carry the supplies to start one.
Carry a map and compass or GPS unit and know how to use them.
Ensure your cell phone is charged and consider carrying an extra battery.

Reporting Deadlines:

All hunters are encouraged to provide their reports as soon as their hunting activities are completed. However, hunters should not report until they know they are done and must ensure the information they provide is accurate. Timely submission of reports, when a hunt is complete, helps to ensure accurate data to support harvest planning.

Species reporting deadlines

Species report	Submission deadline
Spring wild turkey hunter report	June 14, 2023
Fall wild turkey hunter report	November 14, 2023
Spring non-resident black bear hunter report	June 22, 2023
Fall non-resident black bear hunter report	December 7, 2023
Resident black bear hunter report	December 14, 2023
Elk tag holder report	October 15, 2023
Moose hunter report	December 29, 2023
Resident moose tag holder hunter report for tourist outfitter	December 22, 2023
Non-resident moose hunter report for tourist outfitter	November 22, 2023
Deer hunter report	January 14, 2024
Wolf/coyote tag holder report	January 14, 2024

How to report: For most hunters (including apprentice hunters who have chosen to purchase their own license/tag), reports must be completed online at ontario.ca/hunterreporting by logging into your account or by calling 1-800-288-1155. The Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service can help you remember important dates by sending you email reminders.

Important reporting notes: Turkey hunters are reminded that they must report at the end of their hunt and not each time they harvest.

Resident black bear hunters must provide information on all their hunting activity and harvest for the year in a single report due December 14. Bear hunters should not submit their report until they are done hunting for the year and should make note of their spring hunting activities, observations and harvest to ensure accurate information is provided.

Non-resident black bear hunters must return their completed report to the bear operator. The operator is responsible for returning all reports completed by their hunters to the ministry.

All non-resident moose hunters who are registered guests of tourist outfitters must return their completed report to the outfitter. The outfitter is responsible for returning all reports completed by their hunters to the ministry.

Ontario resident moose hunters who acquire a tag from a tourist outfitter must complete both a regular moose hunter report and provide a report to the tourist outfitter with information unique to each type of hunt reported separately. Resident moose hunters who are hunting with a tourist outfitter but do not hold a tag issued by the outfitter must report once, either online or by calling 1-800-288-1155.

Non-resident moose hunters who hunt with an immediate relative who has a valid moose tag must submit their report online at ontario.ca/hunterreporting by logging into your account or by calling 1-800-288-1155.

Wolf/Coyote hunters are reminded that tags are valid until December 31 and that all hunting activities from the calendar year (January 1 – December 31) must be reported on by the reporting deadline of January 14 of the following year.

Information you will be asked to provide: Hunters will be asked to provide the following information and are encouraged to keep records if they will not be providing the information until the end of the season.

Participation – Did you hunt?

Harvest – Did you harvest an animal? If so, where, when and what type of animal was it (e.g. male or female)?

Effort – What WMU(s) did you hunt in and how many days did you hunt in each?

Observations – What observations did you have during the hunt? Hunters should report only the animals they saw while actively hunting.

How mandatory hunter reporting information is used

Information provided by hunters through mandatory hunter reporting is important for managing wildlife in Ontario. It specifically helps:

– monitor wildlife populations

– set tag quotas and determine the availability of additional tags

– make changes to seasons and bag limits

– inform management policies

For more information on mandatory hunter reporting and to see past results, please visit ontario.ca/hunterreporting.

For more information: