For more than 30 years, McLaughlin Bay in Darlington Provincial Park has hosted a controlled waterfowl hunt. Each fall, a variety of waterfowl species are harvested, offering a rewarding experience for both new and returning hunters. If you’ve never hunted in McLaughlin Bay before, this season is the perfect time to experience it.
Thanks to the hard work of volunteers, significant upgrades have been completed this summer to improve the hunt. Many of the hunting blinds had shifted or deteriorated over the years, but are now levelled, and most have new floors and benches. Volunteers also added brush to the blinds to improve cover and create a better experience for hunters.
One of the biggest changes this year is the return of a volunteer-run daily hunt registration. A dedicated group of volunteers has stepped up to operate the hunt, helping to ensure the continuation of this long-standing tradition. A new registration office will also be up and running this fall, providing a smooth check-in for hunters. More recently, the Pickering Rod and Gun Club made a significant legacy contribution to ensure the hunt has funding for years to come, supporting the volunteers and the hunt’s infrastructure.
From blind maintenance to registering hunters before dawn, volunteers play a key role in keeping this hunt going — but more help is always welcome. Whether you are interested in assisting with blind maintenance next year or supporting operations during the hunt, volunteering is a great way to help preserve this unique hunting opportunity.
This year, the controlled hunt opens on Saturday, Sept. 27, and runs until Saturday, Dec. 6, weather permitting. As always, the ice conditions in the bay could lead to an earlier closure, so don’t miss your chance to participate this season.
This hunt is made possible by OFAH Membership, whose investments of staff time, funding, and resources help sustain this unique opportunity to hunt near a major urban area.
To learn more about the Darlington waterfowl hunt visit:
www.ofah.org/hunting/hunting-programs/waterfowl-hunting/darlington
Originally published in the Fall 2025 issue of Ontario Out Of Doors
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