Township license, ESSEX????

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February 9th, 2021, 12:59 PM
MihajloSimsic

Township license, ESSEX????

I've been told by people that you need a township license to hunt Rabbits in Essex county. I've also been told that you don't. Meanwhile on the whole internet there is absolutely ZERO mention of "township hunting license in Essex". Not on their official website and not on their bylaw page, nowhere, nothing. You can't even find the words together on the internet.

If anyone knows the verdict on this I would very much like to know where any mention of this invisible legislature is.

If this is required you'd think that they'd at least pretend that it exists...
February 9th, 2021, 01:26 PM
fishhawk

Yes unfortunately you do require a township license to hunt rabbits and pheasants in Essex. If you check to Ontario hunting regulations summary online or book, you can look at the WMA map. Any area that is highlighted in yellow requires the township license as stated in the map legend. They usually cost under $20 and it’s a great time to get out and enjoy winter hunting.
February 9th, 2021, 01:45 PM
Quack_Kills

2 Attachment(s)

Apparently a municipal licence is no longer needed in Essex, they passed it last October and the new hunting regs are to reflect this. https://issuu.com/essexfreepress/docs/_october.08.2020
3rd page. Attachment 41426
February 9th, 2021, 01:58 PM
MihajloSimsic

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quack_Kills

Apparently a municipal licence is no longer needed in Essex, they passed it last October and the new hunting regs are to reflect this. https://issuu.com/essexfreepress/docs/_october.08.2020
3rd page. Attachment 41426

Thanks for the info!!! Good digging. You should be a journalist haha.
February 9th, 2021, 01:58 PM
MihajloSimsic

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishhawk

Yes unfortunately you do require a township license to hunt rabbits and pheasants in Essex. If you check to Ontario hunting regulations summary online or book, you can look at the WMA map. Any area that is highlighted in yellow requires the township license as stated in the map legend. They usually cost under $20 and it’s a great time to get out and enjoy winter hunting.

I completely forgot about that little indicator on the WMU legend. Thanks!
February 9th, 2021, 02:10 PM
bdog

Like said above, its no longer needed,
February 9th, 2021, 02:50 PM
trimmer21

There appears to be areas on the Summary maps that still indicate WMA "municipal licenses for rabbits". It's important to check with each municipal office. Where I live in Clarington,the maps still indicate the need for one,but,Clarington hasn't sold a "township license" in decades. It's obvious The Summary maps are in dire need of updating.
February 9th, 2021, 02:53 PM
Fox

I had to buy one for Perth East to hunt rabbits with my dad, $40 for one bunny split between the 2 of us, ha ha ha.
February 9th, 2021, 03:29 PM
bdog

Its only the town of Essex that no longer requires the license, you still need a municipal license in other municipalities within Essex county
February 9th, 2021, 10:05 PM
bellerivercrossbowhunter

Bought mine for Lakeshore before the lock down!!
February 10th, 2021, 09:36 AM
gyuri

I don't see that you need a township licence in PERTH EAST ... how is it that you bought one , Fox !! on the WMU map it doesn't show the yellow markings anymore !
February 10th, 2021, 09:52 AM
ninepointer

Quote:

Originally Posted by trimmer21

There appears to be areas on the Summary maps that still indicate WMA "municipal licenses for rabbits". It's important to check with each municipal office. Where I live in Clarington,the maps still indicate the need for one,but,Clarington hasn't sold a "township license" in decades. It's obvious The Summary maps are in dire need of updating.

About 10-15 years ago the OFAH, at the urging of its members, did a survey of the "Township License" municipalities on the map to determine, among other things:
-Were they still requiring township licenses (was the map accurate)? (MNRF was supposed to update the map)
-How many licenses were they selling annually? (township licenses used to be necessary to control hunter numbers)
-How much were they charging?
-What were they doing with the money? (i.e. Was it going towards pheasant programs or other conservation measures or was it simply going into general revenues?)

Following the survey, the OFAH was successful in getting a number of municipalities to drop the requirement for township licenses, particularly those municipalities who were either selling few licenses and/or who were simply pocketing the money with no clear need/purpose for licensing.
February 10th, 2021, 08:14 PM
FishHog

We still need them in st clair twp. It’s $5. Hardly seems worth the paperwork for that kind of money and I don’t care about 5bucks but going to get it is a pain in the butt
February 11th, 2021, 08:23 PM
BDH

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninepointer

About 10-15 years ago the OFAH, at the urging of its members, did a survey of the "Township License" municipalities on the map to determine, among other things:
-Were they still requiring township licenses (was the map accurate)? (MNRF was supposed to update the map)
-How many licenses were they selling annually? (township licenses used to be necessary to control hunter numbers)
-How much were they charging?
-What were they doing with the money? (i.e. Was it going towards pheasant programs or other conservation measures or was it simply going into general revenues?)

Following the survey, the OFAH was successful in getting a number of municipalities to drop the requirement for township licenses, particularly those municipalities who were either selling few licenses and/or who were simply pocketing the money with no clear need/purpose for licensing.

The monies raised by the township licenses was matched by the province to go towards pheasant release programs. Monies generated by local township game and fish would be added to the township monies and again matched by the province...That is why we had pheasant back in the 50's and 60's.
February 11th, 2021, 11:07 PM
ninepointer

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDH

The monies raised by the township licenses was matched by the province to go towards pheasant release programs. Monies generated by local township game and fish would be added to the township monies and again matched by the province...That is why we had pheasant back in the 50's and 60's.

I was born too late to experience those days. Wanna trade? ;)

My old club used to participate. Even after the Province stopped providing the matching funding, my club continued using the license revenues we received from the municipality to purchase and release a few pheasants up until 2003 or so. We saw a new found purpose for township licenses when the Province did its wild pheasant experiment in 2004. Township licenses could have provided a revenue stream in support of habitat improvement and pheasant re-introduction. There was a glimmer of hope that we might be on a path to those good ol' days. But then the Province flip-flopped on that and we threw our hands up in the air.