Some questions from a new hunter

[Hunterhoward]

Hello Iv recantly got my hunting license and am quite please with it but I feel like my hunting instructer glossed over or missed some things (he was going moose hunting right after the class so a 8 hour corse turned into a 6 hour corse) so my questions are

Do I have to use an outfitter to hunt? what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Can I just walk onto crown land and start hunting or are the procedures?

These are some questions I can think of now and may have more in the future
thank you for your time

[natehunter]

You don't need an outfitter but I suggest finding a mentor or someone to learn from. An outfitter is a good option if you have money and no time. You can learn a lot from a good guide.

[blasted_saber]

No you dont need an outfitter.

Yes you can just walk onto Crown Land to hunt. It may be advisable to check the local municipal/town bylaws, however the further away from urbans areas you get the chance of restrictions lessens drastically.

[tweedwolfscream]

If it's really just crown land with no special designation, yes you can walk on and hunt (following province-wide and WMU-specific regulations of course). Same as on private property that you have permission for, except of course that you have to co-exist with whoever else is using the area.

But make sure it is that. If it's a provincial park or a wildlife management area or something, rules will vary and there might be a more controlled system in place. If it's a crown game preserve, no hunting. If it's a conservation area, county forest, or municipal parkland, hunting rules will be set by the CA/county/municipality that owns it. The farther north you are the easier it is to find spots that are "really just crown land with no special designation".

Outfitters are only required for out-of-province big game hunters, I think. The advantages and disadvantages are pretty straightforward... advantage, they know their area and can probably put you in front of an animal, disadvantage, they cost lots of money. Finding good spots and patterning wildlife takes a lot of work, and if you can team up with someone who's already on that you're way ahead.

[greatwhite]

Not trying to be rude. But for starters have you read the Hunting Regulations fully and also follow up about hunting rules specific to your local?

[Waftrudnir]

the Ontario Hunter Education is a pretty minor hurdle to overcome in order to enter this sport/passion;
what I mean is: the effort required to pass is minimal compared to what you are going to put in down the road if you get serious about hunting.
as GW pointed out, re-reading the regs. is a good idea. I'm sure your instructor covered more than you think, but within the limited time of a weekend, there is only so much anyone can remember (and there are a lot of little rules that may not be quite so straight forward for someone who is new to the topic or even jurisdiction).
and on another note, topics other than the provincial regulations and safety barely get covered at all!
For example: shooting (theoretical & parctical), biology (incl. identification, pupulation management), hunting techniques, hunting dogs, butchering, habitat maintenance/improvement, building blinds/setting up stands, and many many more.
hunting is not a hobby like many others; you can always learn something new and improve your skills
good luck!