- Moose and Black Bear Tourism Industry Program
- Information for Moose Hunters
- Information for Black Bear Hunters
- Information for Outfitters
Information for Moose Hunters Hunting Through a Tourist Outfitter
More Information
This web page provides important information for hunters planning to use the services of a tourist outfitter to hunt moose in Ontario.
Most non-residents (hunters that have not resided in Ontario for at least six consecutive months of the previous twelve months)wishing to hunt moose in Ontario are required to use the services of a tourist outfitter authorized to provide moose licence validation tags. For exceptions to this requirement, see Information for Non-Residents Wishing to Hunt Moose (PDF, 75 kb) from the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary.
Residents may also choose to use the services of an authorized outfitter to moose hunt in Ontario.
The outfitter must obtain a moose licence validation tag on your behalf, and you must be a registered guest and accommodated at the premises of the outfitter during the hunt.
Easy Steps to Becoming Licensed for Moose Hunting in Ontario
- Select and contact a tourist outfitter authorized to provide you with a moose hunt.
You need a valid hunting-version Outdoors Card (valid for 3 years) before you can buy an annual moose hunting licence tag. You need both the Outdoors Card and the licence tag before the tourist outfitter can apply for a moose validation tag in your name to complete your moose hunting licence.
If you already have a hunting-version Ontario Outdoors Card or are a resident of Ontario, at least 6 weeks in advance of your hunt you must:- renew your Outdoors Card (if expired) or obtain a new Outdoors Card if you do not have one (resident of Ontario)
- purchase an annual moose hunting licence tag
- provide your tourist outfitter with the following information to allow the outfitter to apply for and receive your moose validation tag from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources:
- your Outdoors Card number
- your date of birth
- your first and last name
- your mailing address, and,
- your postal code or zip code
- your date of birth
- your first and last name
- your mailing address, and,
- your postal code or zip code
- you can ask another person, including your tourist outfitter, to obtain your Outdoors Card and hunting licence tag on your behalf. The person must have your personal information and, if you have never held an Ontario hunting-version Outdoors Card, you must provide the person with your acceptable proof of hunting accreditation. Refer to the sections below for personal information required and types of acceptable hunting accreditation.
OR - you can obtain your Outdoors Card and moose hunting licence in person at a licence issuer location or ServiceOntario location offering MNR services when you arrive in Ontario and before the hunt.
- You must show your tourist outfitter your temporary hunting-version Outdoors Card and moose hunting licence tag (or licence receipt) before the outfitter provides you with your moose validation tag and other pertinent licensing documents.
- Carry all documents in your possession at all times while hunting.
- You may hunt only in the Wildlife Management Unit shown on your moose validation tag. If the validation tag is not filled during the hunt, it cannot be transferred to another hunter.
- Before you leave at the end of the hunt you must provide your outfitter with your mandatory hunter report.
If you are a first-time, non-resident hunter without a hunting-version Outdoors Card, at least 6 weeks in advance of your hunt, you must provide your outfitter with the following information to allow the outfitter to apply for and receive your moose validation tag from the MNR:
You have two options for obtaining your first-time hunting-version Outdoors Card (valid for 3 years) and annual moose hunting licence before the hunt:
Important information on acquiring a hunting-version Outdoors Card and hunting licence tag
Renewing an Outdoors Card and/or purchasing a hunting licence tag
You can renew an expired hunting-version Outdoors Card online and/or purchase a moose hunting licence tag at a licence issuer location or ServiceOntario location offering MNR services. You must provide the following information:
- your Outdoors Card number
- your date of birth, and,
- your postal code or zip code.
Obtaining your first hunting-version Outdoors Card
You can obtain a first-time hunting-version Outdoors Card in person at a licence issuer location (non-residents only), or at a ServiceOntario location offering MNR services (residents and non-residents). You must provide the following information:
- your first and last name
- your date of birth
- your mailing and residential address
- your height and eye colour
- acceptable proof of hunting accreditation.
Acceptable proof of hunting accreditation must identify you by name and date of birth and can be one of the following original documents:
- an Ontario resident or non-resident hunting licence or game seal issued to you after January 1, 1968
- a resident hunting licence or game seal issued to you by a competent authority in any jurisdiction after January 1, 1968 that permits you to use a gun and is not restricted to bows only (including a printed resident hunting licence from a website)
- an Ontario Hunter Education Examination Certificate/Report issued to you after January 1, 1968
- an Ontario Hunting Licence Verification Certificate showing that you were issued an Ontario hunting licence or passed the Hunting Licence Examination
- a certificate issued after January 1, 1968 by a competent authority in any jurisdiction giving you permission to purchase a hunting licence in that jurisdiction and clearly stating that you may hunt with a gun and are not restricted to bow hunting only. This document can be in the form of a letter, e-mail, verification certificate, Outdoors Card or equivalent.
A copy of any of the documents listed above will be accepted if it is faxed or e-mailed from a law enforcement agency or hunting licence issuing authority. The document must be certified as a "true copy of the original", dated and identify you by name (or signature) and by date of birth.
Ensuring that you have a valid hunting-version Outdoors Card
If you received a temporary Ontario hunting-version Outdoors Card in a previous year and have not yet received a plastic Outdoors Card (similar to a credit card in size), you should contact the Outdoors Card Centre immediately (1-800-387-7011) to determine the reason. For example, your proof of hunting accreditation may not have been provided to the Ontario Outdoors Card Center in order to activate your Outdoors Card number. Until the Center receives that document, the Outdoors Card number is void and cannot be used to purchase licence tags.
For more information on moose hunting in Ontario, refer to the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary, contact the Natural Resources Information Centre (1-800-667-1940 or mnr.nric.mnr@ontario.ca) or contact your tourist outfitter.
For information on Outdoors Cards, call the Outdoors Card Centre at 1-800-387-7011 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time Zone), or refer to the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary.
To renew an expired Outdoors Card online or purchase a moose licence tag online visit ontario.ca/outdoorscard. For the locations of licence issuers in Ontario, refer to this list.
