Q: My two boys have passed the hunter safety course and obtained their small game licence. They have also passed the gun safety course but don't have their PAL. I have both my small game licence and PAL. Can they hunt with a gun that I own, if I am with them? Or can all three of us be using a gun at same time if we are in a group?
Darren Barber, Hamilton
A: Under the Criminal Code, to be in possession of a firearm, a person either has to possess a valid firearms licence or be under the direct and immediate supervision of an adult who has a valid firearms licence and who is permitted to use the firearm for the same purpose that the unlicensed person is using the firearm for. In Ontario, the Chief Firearms Officers’ office has indicated that a supervising adult may share a single firearm with the person(s) they are supervising. For further information, please contact your local police service.
Answer by: David Critchlow, Provincial Enforcement Specialist, MNR
Originally published in the Fall 2025 issue of Ontario Out of Doors
Ask a CO is also a regular feature in the print edition
Please check the most recent Ontario hunting and fishing regulations summaries, as rules and regulations can change
For more instalments of Ask a CO, click here
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