A sandhill crane season in several northern and central Ontario Wildlife Management Units, and a February goose season, are among the changes suggested in Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Proposal to Amend the Canadian Migratory Birds Regulations.
If passed, the proposal would open a 14-day sandhill crane hunting season in Hudson and James Bay District and parts of the Northern and Central Districts this fall in WMUs 23, 24, 27 to 30, 36, 37, 39 to 43, 45, 47, and 48.
The 14-day season would open on Sept. 1 in the Hudson and James Bay District, and on the first Saturday after Sept. 11 in the northern and central districts. Daily and possession limits will be one bird. Non-toxic shot must be used.
The season is being proposed because the sandhill crane population is above 30,000 birds, the threshold set out in their management plan. The most recent three-year average of surveys put the eastern population at 103,098 cranes. A season is already in place in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, and a similar season is being proposed for Quebec.
“This is an entirely new season for the province, so I believe ECCC is taking a conservative approach out of an abundance of caution,” OFAH Fish and Wildlife Biologist Matthew Robbins said. “Depending on the outcome of initial implementation, there may be opportunities to adjust the particulars of this season in the future.”
Southern Ontario hunters could also see a February goose season at the expense of the early September season. A seven-day season is proposed for Canada geese in WMUs 69A, 70 to 73, 77 to 81, and 86 to 93, starting the fourth Saturday of February.
Previously, there were Canada goose seasons in early September in many areas, and only a February season in areas without Sunday gun hunting. The proposal is to eliminate all reference to Sunday gun hunting in the regulations and have a season from the fourth Saturday in September until Dec. 25, followed by the February season. Snow geese and Ross geese can be harvested with this proposal. Municipalities that don’t allow Sunday gun hunting in WMU 82 will lose the February season under this proposal.
The change is being made in response to concerns expressed by hunters regarding the loss of the winter season and to control numbers of geese that breed in southern Ontario.
Declining number of snow geese and Ross’s geese also led to a proposal to cut the season in eastern Ontario WMUs 65, 66, 67, and 69B. If passed, it will now be from April 1 to 30. The limit will also be reduced to 12 birds from 20.
Another proposal would eliminate paper migratory bird hunting permits and regulations, and switch to electronic by the 2027-2028 season.
“This proposal comes after the OFAH and Delta Waterfowl developed and released a survey on the issue in early 2025, reaching more than 1000 waterfowl hunters. The loss of the late February season was an unintended consequence of Sunday Gun Hunting allowances, has long been a concern for many southern Ontario waterfowlers, and this proposal is a direct response to these concerns,” Robbins said.
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