Hunting

Essex Region Conservation manages five hunting programs, each with their own details and regulations.

• Deer Hunting
• Big Creek Waterfowl Hunting
• Cedar Creek Waterfowl Hunting
• Hillman Marsh Waterfowl Hunting
• Holiday Beach Waterfowl Hunting

Deer Hunting

Fees

• Public Draw Entry Fee: $20.00 (taxes included)
• 10-24 acre woodlot: $711.90 (taxes included)
• 25-49 acre woodlot: $994.40 (taxes included)
• 50 acre plus woodlot: $1276.90 (taxes included)

ERCA has approximately 10 woodlots of varying sizes throughout the Essex Region that it rents to hunters with valid Ministry of Natural Resources permits in place to hunt White Tailed Deer. Hunting is permitted by ground or tree stands and must be bow only – no guns. 10-24 acre woodlot – 2 hunters permitted, 25-49 acre woodlot – 3 hunters permitted, 50 acre plus – 4 hunters permitted. Registration for the draw closes on June 30, 2023 and hunters will be chosen randomly using independent randomizer software and contacted in the order chosen until all hunting locations are sold. Hunters must respond within 24 hours of being contacted or staff will have to contact the next person on the list. It is important to provide full contact details and monitor your phone and email for one week after the draw. Hunters who are successful in obtaining a woodlot will be required to pay all fees soon after the draw. Permits will be mailed to successful hunters after permit applications are deemed complete and full payment is made. Witnesses will be present while the random hunter selection process occurs to ensure a transparent random draw occurs.

Full rules and regulations are available here

Registration link for the hunt draw on June 30th

Hunting Maps

An overview map of available hunting locations is available here

• Big Creek
• Holiday Beach
• Canard 1
• Canard 2
• Canard 3
• Cedar Creek 1
• Cedar Creek 2 & 3
• Hillman Marsh 1
• Hillman Marsh 2
• Hillman Marsh 3
• Canard 2
• Canard 3
• Cedar Creek 1
• Cedar Creek 2 & 3
• Hillman Marsh 1
• Hillman Marsh 2
• Hillman Marsh 3

Big Creek Waterfowl Hunting

Fees

• Minimum Bid $904 (taxes included)
• Early Goose Season: $84.75 (taxes included)

ERCA rents 5 seasonal waterfowl hunting blinds in Big Creek on a yearly basis. Waterfowl hunting will be permitted 7 days per week: from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. Please Note – Each permit holder will be responsible for construction and upkeep of their blind. To bid on Big Creek Seasonal Hunting Blind(s), please complete and submit the bid form below before July 14th, 2023 Notice to all hunters who submit a bid form, winning bidders will notified by July 31st 2023. It is strongly recommended that you use the map to go and visit the sites in order to have an understanding of what you are bidding on.

Big Creek Waterfowl Hunting Rules and Regulations

Big Creek Seasonal Bid Form

Big Creek Hunting Blind Locations

Cedar Creek Waterfowl Hunting

ERCA rents 5 seasonal waterfowl hunting blinds in Cedar Creek for 5 year periods.

Seasonal Blind Fee: $1130.00/year (taxes included)

ERCA has 5 Cedar Creek Blinds that allow waterfowl hunting 7 days per week: from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset. As of June 6th, 2023, blinds 1 and 4 are available for rent. Registration for the draw closes on June 30, 2023 and hunters will be chosen randomly using independent randomizer software and contacted in order until all hunting locations are sold. Hunters must respond within 24 hours of being contacted or staff will have to contact the next person on the list. It is important to provide full contact details and monitor your phone and email for one week after the draw. Please Note – Each permit holder will be responsible for construction and upkeep the blinds and blinds sites are only accessible by boat.

Please email llimarzi@erca.org to express an interest in renting one of these blinds.

Full rules and regulations

Cedar Creek Hunting Blind Locations

Hillman Marsh Waterfowl Hunting

Fees

• Public Draw Entry Fee: $20.00 (taxes included)
• Seasonal Blind Fee: $819.25 (taxes included)
• Early Goose Season: $84.75 (taxes included)

Hillman Marsh Conservation Area rents approximately 20 seasonal waterfowl hunting blinds each year. Waterfowl Hunting will be permitted 6 days per week: Monday to Saturday from ½ hour before sunrise until 3 PM.

Early Goose hunting will be permitted 6 days per week: Monday to Saturday from ½ hour before sunrise until 3 PM. Registration for the draw closes on June 30, 2023 and hunters will be chosen randomly using independent randomizer software and contacted in order until all hunting locations are sold. Hunters must respond within 24 hours of being contacted or staff will have to contact the next person on the list. It is important to provide full contact details and monitor your phone and email for one week after the draw. Hunters who are successful in obtaining a Hillman waterfowl blind will be required to pay all fees soon after the draw. Permits will be mailed to successful hunters after permit applications are deemed complete and full payment is made. Witnesses will be present while the random hunter selection process occurs to ensure a transparent random draw occurs.

Please Note – Each permit holder will be responsible for construction, upkeep and removal of the blinds by Feb 15th of the following year. A $100.00 refundable blind removal deposit is required. It will be refunded upon timely removal of the blind. Most of the seasonal sites are only accessible by boat.

Full rules and regulations

Hillman Marsh Hunting Blind Locations

Registration link for the hunt draw on June 30th

Holiday Beach Waterfowl Hunting

Fees

• Blinds 3, 4, 6 & 7 – $84.75 (taxes included)
• Blinds 5, 14, 18 & 21 – $73.45 (taxes included)