Rifle & Shotgun Moose Hunting

Prepare for the shot you can make from a field position, with a clear view and a known backstop. Start with the equipment rules, then check how your firearm and ammunition work together before leaving home.

What Ontario permits

Ontario’s moose equipment table permits centre-fire rifles. Rim-fire rifles are not permitted for moose. When using shot in a shotgun, the gun must be 20 gauge or larger and the shot must be SG or No. 1 buck or larger.

Those are legal equipment limits, not a recommendation that every permitted load suits every shot. Select suitable hunting ammunition with qualified help, follow the gun and ammunition makers’ instructions, and practise with the load you will carry.

Your tag, the open season, and local restrictions still control which equipment you may use. Read Seasons & Rules before packing.

Check the whole setup

Confirm the firearm is in sound condition. Have a qualified gunsmith deal with damage, loose fittings, or faults. A trip to camp is a poor time to learn that the scope has moved or the chosen ammunition feeds badly.

Sight in with the ammunition you intend to hunt with. Keep a written record of the range, point of impact, and ammunition. Repeat the check after a fall, hard knock, or another reason to doubt the sight setting.

For a slug gun, use the barrel, choke, and slug combination approved by the makers. Test it on paper. Do not assume two brands of slugs strike the same point.

Practise from field positions

Bench shooting helps you check the equipment. Field practice helps you check yourself. Practise from the safe standing, kneeling, and supported positions you expect to use, wearing your hunting layers.

Try the sling, gloves, and pack together. Check that clothing and straps do not interfere with handling. Set a personal shooting limit based on repeated, controlled results rather than the longest distance printed on an ammunition box.

If a rest is part of your plan, learn to set it quietly and safely. Point the muzzle in a safe direction through every change of position.

A clear lane is a requirement

Brush is not a backstop. Do not fire through branches at a shape you think is a moose. Identify the animal, confirm it is permitted by the tag, and see the shot path and what lies behind it.

Choose a setup that gives you a useful view without aiming toward a road, trail, boat landing, occupied cabin, or another hunter’s position. Mark each person’s location in the group plan.

Let an animal move into a clear opportunity, or let it go. A large body does not make a hidden target safe.

Camp, road, and boat handling

Keep the firearm unloaded during vehicle and motorboat travel. Never shoot from or across a road. Use a case for travel and for the periods when Ontario requires firearms to be unloaded and encased.

Before a boat transfer, discuss who loads the gear and where the firearm goes. Secure equipment so it is not loose underfoot. Keep the gun away from fuel and cooking areas at camp.

Check the firearm after travel before the hunt, using a safe location and the maker’s instructions.

Sources & further reading

Checked October 14, 2026. Read current Ontario rules and the instructions on your tag before the hunt.