Ontario Moose Tags & Licences

Keep four things separate

An application is not a licence. Being selected for a tag is not the same as claiming it. Complete the purchase and carry the required documents before hunting.

For the 2026 hunt, print the moose tag on paper and protect it from weather; a phone copy of the tag is not accepted. Your licence summary may be carried digitally, but it does not replace the paper tag.

Ontario residents: the 2026 allocation

The resident system uses points and two allocation stages. The 2026 primary application period was April 1 to April 30; the second-chance application deadline was July 7. Review quotas and hunt codes before choosing a tag type.

Your choices combine a WMU, moose type, and season. Do not select a gun tag when your trip is during a bows-only season. Read the claim deadline on the result notice and complete the purchase in time.

Ontario has announced changes for 2027. The current process remains in place for 2026. Use the ministry’s new instructions when preparing a 2027 application.

Hunting through a tourist outfitter

Ontario residents may also hunt using the tourist-outfitter route. Regardless of residency, a hunter receiving an outfitter tag, or party hunting on that tag, must be a registered guest and carry the outfitter’s guest documentation.

Ask who receives the tag, what moose it permits, and which hunting area it covers. Get the answer before paying. A cabin rental alone does not settle tag eligibility.

Hunters from outside Ontario should read Visiting Hunters before choosing a package.

Party hunting is a group responsibility

Each member needs a moose licence. The party must meet the rules on the tag holder’s participation, distance, and immediate, reliable communication. The distance limit is 5 kilometres from the tag holder.

Plan how the whole party hears that an animal has been taken, so nobody continues to hunt under a filled tag. Carry radios or another working means of communication suitable for the terrain. A phone with no coverage will not do that job.

Finish the hunt with the right report

The regular 2026 moose hunter report deadline is December 29, 2026. Resident outfitter tag holders also have an outfitter report due December 22, 2026. Non-resident outfitter hunters have an earlier deadline of November 22, 2026.

Check which reporting route applies to you even if you do not take a moose. Keep the outfitter’s instructions with your trip paperwork.

A missed hunter report adds a $25 surcharge to your next licence, tag or application purchase for that species. A consecutive missed report for the same species after July 1, 2026 brings a $50 surcharge.