Q: Why does the bows-only deer hunting season in wildlife management unit (WMU) 63A close December 15 and not December 31?
Bruce Barr, Pakenham
A: Ministry of Natural Resources responds:
The bows-only deer hunting season in WMU 63A ends on December 15 instead of December 31 due to ecological and management reasons. The length and timing of deer hunting seasons are based on both environmental and social factors. MNR uses special zones called Cervid Ecological Zones (CEZs) to help manage deer populations. WMU 63A is part of CEZ D2, where the bows-only season ends on December 15. In contrast, areas in CEZ E3 have a bows-only season that goes until December 31.
A key reason for the earlier end date in CEZ D2 is that deer in this area are more likely to gather in winter yards. These are places where they group together for shelter during the winter. Deer in these yards are easier to hunt and are more vulnerable, so allowing hunting later in December could lead to too many being harvested and hurt the population.
MNR regularly reviews hunting rules to make sure they support healthy deer populations. If any changes are proposed—like extending the season in WMU 63A—they would go through a public consultation process on Ontario’s Environmental Registry.
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Originally published in the Ontario Out of Doors 2025-2026 Hunting Annual
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