Ontario OUT OF DOORS Magazine

The Bancroft Fish & Game Club’s Youth Hunter Mentorship program returned this summer, shaping the next generation of outdoors aficionados. Five girls and five boys ages 12 to 14 once again took part in the free annual tutoring program from July 14 to 18, each spending two-and-a-half days in the classroom, and two-and-a-half days on the club’s ranges.

BASS is changing the rules regarding forward-facing sonar (FFS) that will take effect during the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series season. The real-time, high-resolution fishing technology will only be allowed in up to five of the nine regular season events, the Birmingham, Alabama-based pro tourney operator announced Sept. 2. The remaining events will prohibit its use entirely, including during official practice, BASS stated.

Wetlands restoration and enhancement projects in the Great Lakes and surrounding areas can apply to share in $9.6 million in provincial funding. The investment in the Wetlands Conservation Partner Program aims to protect communities from flooding, drought, and other extreme weather events, officials announced on Wednesday, Sept. 3. Applications are now open for eligible conservation organizations, municipalities, conservation authorities, and Indigenous communities to apply online.

Visitors attending the Canadian Decoy Outdoor Collectibles Association (CDOCA) annual show and sale on Sept. 20 will get a preview of the province’s newest decoy museum near Port Rowan. This year’s show is being held at the Education Centre within the Backus Heritage Conservation Area (BHCA). The Centre pays tribute to the area’s deep waterfowling heritage and hunters’ connection to conservation. It also plays a pivotal role in the outdoor education program presented to 2,000 students per year.

The Ontario Conservation Officers Association (OCOA) has a new executive for the 2025-2027 term following elections held during the organization’s annual general meeting on Aug. 22. Bill Ingham will serve as president, while Brendan Cote, Duncan Hill, Davis Viehbeck, and Brendan Cote will be vice president, treasurer, secretary, and past president, the association announced on Sept. 1 — the first day of the new term.

Bassmaster Elite Series veterans Cory and Chris Johnston brought their winning ways home to Canada over the weekend, teaming up to win the Canadian International Sport Fishing (CISA) Kingston Open on Sunday, Aug. 31. The Peterborough-area brothers captured the $50,000 top prize with a total weight of 83 pounds, 14 ounces, finishing the three-day event Sunday with a five-fish limit of 26.75 pounds.

Dark green: Days when fish and game are most active in September 2025 Light green: Days when fish and game are more active than usual in September 2025 OFAH key date reminder: September 1: Controlled deer draw results available September 8: Additional controlled deer tags available September 19: #CamoDay September 20: National Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Heritage Day Major AM/PM: Daily times when fish and animals are likely to be most active.

Chris Johnston is Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year (AOY) again. The Otonabee pro angler finished 19th in the season-ending Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River on Saturday, Aug. 23, giving him a total of 776 points during the nine-tournament season and the $100,000 top prize. As in 2024, Johnson edged Trey McKinney of Illinois, who had 768 points. “This is such a relief,” he told BASS. “I feel like someone lifted a bus off my chest.

Members of one of North America’s oldest continuously running hunt camps are working to preserve its legacy for generations to come. A new book tells the history of an Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters-affiliated club that took root in the early 1860s. Ketchecum Hunt Club: One Hundred Years on Catchacoma Lake will be available in early September.

The Ontario Out of Doors 2025-2026 Hunting Annual is now available. In the Ontario Out of DOORS 2025-2026 Hunting Annual, you’ll learn about the upcoming hunting forecast, six lousy stand locations, the latest in guns, bows, ammo, and more! “Efficiency is ‘the accomplishment of a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.’ What’s interesting in the context of deer hunting is that inefficiency — or more accurately, a lack of success — can snowball.