Minors Permit is 12-17, you have to be 18 to have your PAL.
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Guys, you are confusing the Minors Permit issue:
You can ONLY get a Minors Permit between ages 12-15 if you are involved in competitive target shooting, NOT for hunting. 12-15 year olds hunt WITH a mentor under the mentors licence, but can now get their own tags.
When a minor turns 15, with parent consent they can then get a Minors Permit to hunt (and carry their own gun),
but NOT BEFORE age 15!! They must still hunt with an adult mentor for at least 1 year before the parent can apply to let them hunt on their own.
Not entirely accurate !!
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/f...mineur-eng.htm
As Rick said, this is not accurate, you can actually hunt in Ontario with a full license in some situations before the age of 15, actually before the age of 12 as the case may be.
You can also get your minor's permit before the age of 12 under special circumstances.
Remember, hunting in Ontario is not just people in nice houses in Southern Ontario, a very large, by far the majority, of our province is wilderness with people who hunt for sustenance, not for fun.
Apprentice Hunters
• If a hunter is between the ages of 12 – 14, they will be considered an apprentice hunter effective
January 1, 2019.
• Apprentice hunters will need to buy an Outdoors Card to participate in the Hunter Apprenticeship
Safety Program. The Outdoors Card will replace the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card.
• Apprentice hunters who do not wish to purchase their own licences who currently have a valid
hunter apprenticeship safety card can continue to use this card until its expiry date or until the
age of 15.
• Apprentice hunters will have the option to buy select hunting licences and tags that are not obtained
through a draw, providing them with their own bag limit.
• Hunters 15 years of age and older must purchase an Outdoors Card and their own licences/tags
in order to hunt.
Minor's Licence
A minor's licence permits the borrowing of non-restricted firearms for:
- target practice;
- organized shooting competitions;
- hunting; and,
- instruction in the use of firearms.
- A minor's licence also permits the acquisition of ammunition, unless there is an age restriction under provincial or territorial law.
As a general rule, the following requirements must be met:
- The applicant must be at least 12 years old. If they are younger than 12, they may obtain a minor's licence only if they are Canadian residents and their Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) determines they need to hunt or trap to sustain themselves or their family.
- As per section 7 of the Firearms Act, individuals under 18 must complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and pass the tests in order to get a licence.
- Individuals younger than 18 years of age are not eligible to hold a licence authorizing them to possess prohibited or restricted firearms.
Prior to a minor's licence being issued, a Firearms Officer may interview the applicant, their parent or guardian. They must first agree and consent to the conditions under which the minor may use firearms.
Conditions may be placed on the licence by the CFO. For example, supervision may be required when the minor uses a firearm.
The minor's licence will expire on the holder's 18th birthday or the expiry date shown on their licence, whichever comes first.
My son received his Minors permit yesterday, submitted application about 5 weeks ago, we waited till he was 16 because he still had to hunt with a mentor anyways until then so we didn't see the point. We went by the general rules as he doesn't need to hunt to support the family. Just keep in mind hunting and gun laws don't always coincide. His next hurdle will be his PAL that he can't apply for until he is 18 but the Minors Permit expires the day he turns 18 need to find out how that situation works.
Interestingly, all of us Ontario firearms instructors got an update email from the CFO's office this past week stating that now any minor age 12-18 could apply for a minor's license. Previously, we were told that you could only get one for hunting if you were between 15-18.
I realize all he needs to do is apply for his PAL when he turns 18 but if he can't apply until he turns 18 and his Minors permit expires the day he turns 18 there will be a period of time perhaps a month or 2 where he will not have a permit to possess a firearm that is the time frame I am concerned about.