The Municipality of West Grey has voted against allowing Sunday gun hunting, bucking a growing trend.
In a 4-3 decision on May 6, council rejected a motion after hearing a mix of support and opposition.
Delegations in favour included representatives from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), South Grey Hunters Association, Sydenham Sportsmen Association, and a veteran hunter safety and firearms instructor. They highlighted hunter safety in general and the growing number of municipalities embracing Sunday hunting.
Opponents cited safety concerns for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts, along with potential impacts on wildlife. One local hunter also shared how hunting enriches her family’s life and how the extra day would provide more opportunity to hunt on their property.
When the motion came to a vote, two councillors spoke in support, four — including Mayor Kevin Eccles — opposed it, and one did not comment. Coun. Joyce Nuhn voiced concerns over safety.
“Six days is quite sufficient, I feel,” she said, suggesting approval could bring an “influx” of hunters and contribute to the suffering of wildlife.
OFAH Wildlife Biologist Matthew Robbins expressed disappointment at the outcome, particularly the repetition of what he called long-debunked arguments.
“Although any decision against hunting opportunity is disappointing, what is most alarming about this result is the continued use of old and long since disproven arguments,” he stated after the decision. “We know hunting is not a threat to conservation or public safety in Ontario, and this information is freely available for any who seek it out. We also know that hunters are not ‘just walking away’ from injured wildlife and that, if they were, this would be an issue any day of the week.
With these things in mind, the OFAH is renewing our previous calls for the province to take ownership of this issue and make a province-wide allowance for Sunday gun hunting.”
Deputy Mayor Tom Hutchinson said Sundays should remain open for other activities like hiking, birdwatching, and fishing. Mayor Eccles, himself a long-time hunter, also voted against the motion, citing tradition and the belief that hunting policy should be managed provincially.
“I’ve been deadly opposed to downloading ...and this is another time where the province needs to be taking their ministerial responsibilities where it [sic] belongs,” Eccles said. “If Sunday hunting is good in Ontario, then own it.”
Currently, the MNR does not individually approve Sunday hunting requests but includes them in regulatory updates twice per year.
Originally published in the August 2025 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
