Hunters in Kearney, Ontario, can now plan their trips for next year after the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) released the tentative 2026 dates for deer and moose hunting.
For those hunting in the Kearney area, which is part of Wildlife Management Unit 49, the main deer season for rifles, shotguns and bows will run from November 2 to November 15, 2026. Bows-only resident seasons in WMU 49 are longer: October 1–November 1, 2026, and November 16–December 15, 2026. Detailed boundaries for the local area can be found on the province’s Wildlife Management Unit maps.
The moose season for local residents is much shorter. The resident rifle/shotgun (gun) season for WMU 49 (WMUs 46–50) is October 19–25, 2026. A separate bows-only resident week is set for October 3–9, 2026. Non-residents have no open moose season in WMUs 46–50 (including WMU 49).
Because the town is a gateway to Algonquin Provincial Park, hunters are reminded to confirm exactly where they are: hunting is generally prohibited inside Algonquin Park, and parts of neighbouring WMUs (for example portions of WMU 54) that lie within park boundaries have different restrictions. These tentative dates are published on the provincial site and are used together with the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary to help residents prepare for moose tag allocation draws (Primary Allocation in April and Second Chance in June). Following the correct season dates, weapon-specific windows and WMU boundaries helps the province manage harvests so local wildlife populations remain healthy for future years.
