There are many habitats in the Northumberland County Forest that allow hunting.
You don’t need a specific hunting permit for the forest, but you must have proper licenses to hunt, use a firearm and you must have a deer tag.
Manager of Natural Heritage for Northumberland Forest Todd Farrell told us more.
Municipal and provincial conservation officers as well as the OPP regularly patrol the forest to ensure only deer are hunted, in the designated areas.
What you can hunt with can be confusing for newcomers, so Todd explained some of the differences.
Farrell said that the province is responsible for issuing licenses and issues tags based on deer populations and other data, some of which they get from Northumberland Forest staff.
Farrell told us that hunting is not allowed west of highway 45 and you won’t often find deer there as it’s a mixed-use area that is popular with hikers, ATV enthusiasts and even just people out for a stroll.
If you’re planning to hunt this fall season you’re reminded to respect trail users, obey designated trail uses and maintain safe distances from all open trails.
Hunters are not allowed to construct permanent tree stands or damage trees for tree stands nor can they use a motorized vehicle off designated motorized trails to retrieve game.
Lastly, firearms cannot be discharged from or across a right of way for the passage of vehicular traffic at any time.
If you have any concerns about poaching or illegal methods of hunting, please call the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at 1-877-847-7667.
If you have any questions about hunting opportunities in the Northumberland County Forest, you can contact the Forest Management Officer at 905-372-3329 ext. 2303.
Written by Joseph Goden
