Wildlife & Outdoors: Deer gun season opens Monday. Here's what to wear and when to report

The busiest week of the fall hunt starts Monday. Here's what's open, what's closing and what hunters and anglers around the Township of Chatsworth need to know. Seasons come from Ontario's 2026 Hunting Regulations Summary and 2026 Fishing Regulations Summary. The official regulations always govern, so check them before you go.

Most of the township is in Wildlife Management Unit 82A. A strip along its northeast side, toward Meaford and Grey Highlands, is in WMU 82B. Check the WMU map for your exact spot.

Deer

The bows-only deer season ends Sunday, Nov. 1. The rifle, shotgun, muzzle-loader and bow season runs Nov. 2 to Nov. 8 in both 82A and 82B. After that:

• WMU 82A: bows only Nov. 9 to Nov. 29; muzzle-loaders and bows Nov. 30 to Dec. 6; bows only Dec. 7 to Dec. 31.
• WMU 82B: bows only Nov. 9 to Nov. 15; muzzle-loaders and bows Nov. 16 to Nov. 22; bows only Nov. 23 to Nov. 29; muzzle-loaders and bows Nov. 30 to Dec. 6; bows only Dec. 7 to Dec. 31.

Dogs can't be used to hunt deer in either unit.

Wear orange

During a gun season for deer, every licensed hunter has to wear hunter orange, including bow hunters, turkey hunters and trappers. The rule doesn't apply to people hunting migratory game birds (except woodcock) or double-crested cormorants.

The province's rules say that means a solid hunter orange garment covering at least 400 square inches above the waist, visible from all sides, plus an orange head cover. No mesh or camouflage orange on the garment, and a backpack can't completely hide the orange on that side. Hunters in ground blinds have to wear orange inside the blind too.

Turkey and small game

The fall turkey gun season has closed, and the bow-only season ends Saturday, Oct. 31. Hunters who bought a fall turkey tag have to file a report by Nov. 14, even if they didn't hunt or didn't get a bird.

Ruffed grouse, pheasant, and gray (black) and fox squirrels stay open until Dec. 31 in both units. Cottontail and snowshoe hare are open until the last day of February.

Reports

Anyone who bought a deer tag has to file a hunter report, even without a harvest. Reports are generally due within 14 days after the last season for that species closes. Miss one and a $25 surcharge is added to your next purchase for that species.

Sundays

The Township of Chatsworth is on the province's list of southern Ontario municipalities that allow gun hunting on Sundays during open seasons.

Fishing

The township is in Fisheries Management Zone 16. Bass is open until Nov. 30, and walleye and northern pike until Dec. 31. Yellow perch, crappie and sunfish are open all year. The zone's inland trout seasons closed Sept. 30. Some Great Lakes tributaries have their own trout and salmon rules, so check the waterbody exceptions before you fish a river.

The night-fishing ban on the Saugeen River at Denny's Dam ends after Oct. 31.

Conservation land

Hunting is allowed under provincial rules on many Grey Sauble Conservation Authority management areas, including Massie Hills and Holland Centre, but not at smaller conservation areas such as Old Baldy and Bruce's Caves. The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority allows hunting at Bell's Lake, Brucedale, Denny's Dam (outside the campground), Hardwood Hill, Kinghurst, McBeath and the Mildmay/Carrick forest.

Water and notices

Neither the Grey Sauble nor the Saugeen Valley conservation authority had a flood or water-safety message in effect as of Friday afternoon. Fall rivers run cold and banks can be slippery, so take care near the water.

Planning ahead: the province says its fishing and hunting licensing system will be unavailable from Dec. 7 to 9 while it moves to a new system, FishHuntON, which launches Dec. 10. Ontario also continues to advise hunters to take care handling wild birds during fall migration because of avian influenza; see the hunting notices page.

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