How Ontario's WMUs are organized
Ontario manages hunting through Wildlife Management Units numbered 1 to 95, with lettered subdivisions (82A, 82B, 12A, 12B…) in busier areas. Lower numbers sit in the northwest; higher numbers trend south and east: roughly 150 units and sub-units in total.
- Every deer season, moose tag, turkey quota and controlled hunt in the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary is defined per WMU.
- Boundaries follow roads, lakes and rivers where possible: but always carry the official map, not a memory of it.
- Popular units near Toronto and the GTA cottage country: 82A, 82B, 83A, 84 (Simcoe/Muskoka), with deer seasons typically late November into early December.
Official sources for WMU boundaries
| Source | What you get | Link |
|---|---|---|
| ontario.ca: Find a WMU map | The official entry point for WMU maps | ontario.ca |
| Hunting Regulations Summary: WMU map set | Numbered regional maps (e.g. WMU Map 1 Southwestern Ontario) with the seasons | ontario.ca |
| Ontario GeoHub (Land Information Ontario) | Authoritative GIS dataset: Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML or API | geohub.lio.gov.on.ca |
WMUs are regulated under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (O. Reg. 663/98). The GeoHub dataset is the authoritative geometry if you build your own offline layers.
Getting WMU maps onto your phone
- Download GeoJSON/KML from the Ontario GeoHub and import into your mapping app for offline boundaries.
- Commercial mapping apps sell georeferenced individual WMU PDFs that track you in real time.
- Cross-check any app boundary against the official ontario.ca map: boundary revisions happen.
- Then match the unit to the season: our Ontario regulations page lists every WMU's published dates with guide-page citations.
Frequently asked questions
How many WMUs are in Ontario?
Ontario uses WMUs numbered 1–95 with lettered subdivisions (82A/82B, 12A/12B, etc.): roughly 150 units and sub-units in total.
Do WMU boundaries change?
Yes: Ontario occasionally revises unit boundaries and season structures. Always download the current-year map and regulations summary.