Safety First During Moose Hunt

Written by admin on 07 October 2011

Moose on Hwy 614 near Manitouwadge airport. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com

The Ministry of Natural Resources will be conducting heightened enforcement activity in the northeast region this fall as part of an annual safety-first campaign. In particular, during the regular gun season for moose from October 8 to 22, conservation officers will be checking hunters regarding hunter orange requirements and safe use of firearms.

Fines range from $100 to $250 for offences involving these matters. In more serious cases, offenders could face fines of up to $25,000 or imprisonment or both.

Hunting Rules
To ensure a safe and lawful hunt, hunters are reminded that:

All persons in possession of a firearm for the purpose of hunting shall not handle or discharge it or cause it to be handled or discharged without due care for persons or property.
Any hunting injury caused by the discharge of a firearm resulting in medical treatment by a physician must be reported to a conservation officer.
If you are in an area inhabited by wildlife, or on the way to or from an area inhabited by wildlife, you cannot have a loaded firearm in a vehicle, motorboat, or aircraft. It is illegal to discharge a firearm from any of these modes of transportation. There are exceptions for mobility-impaired persons and for persons hunting waterfowl.
It is not legal to shoot from, down or across a public road.
For half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, it is not legal to be in possession of an uncased or loaded firearm in an area usually inhabited by wildlife. An exception exists for hunting racoons at night.
All hunters must wear solid hunter orange clothing (minimum of 400 square inches = 2,580 square centimetres) and a hunter orange head cover, except during a “bows-only” season. Mesh type construction vests are not acceptable.
A hunter cannot possess a game seal issued to another person. Ontario has a new Moose Tag Transfer Policy. Please consult the 2011-2012 Hunting Regulations Summary for more information.
Hunters must make sure they are targeting a moose for which they are licensed. They need to be able to distinguish between a bull, cow and calf moose.
A hunter who has killed a moose must immediately attach the game seal to the moose in the manner prescribed on the seal, and it must remain attached during transportation.
Hunters must disassemble and remove any temporary structures erected for hunting moose on Crown land.

Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, a firearm includes air guns, bows and crossbows, along with traditional rifles and shotguns. A firearm is considered loaded if there is a cartridge in the chamber or a magazine that is attached to the firearm. Bows, crossbows, and muzzleloaders have various definitions of ‘loaded’. Conservation officers may also enforce Small Vessel Regulations and sections of the Liquor Licence Act.

For information on hunting regulations and moose seasons, please consult the 2011-2012 Hunting Regulations Summary, available from licence issuers, ServiceOntario/Government Information Centres and on the ministry’s website at ontario.ca/hunting.

If you see moose poaching, or to report a natural resources violation, call 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667) toll-free any time or contact your local ministry office during regular business hours. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).