Pelee Island Pheasant Hunt Information

Township of Pelee, 1045 West Shore Road, Pelee Island, N0R 1M0

Welcome to Pelee Island, the location of Canada’s most famous pheasant hunt. Here you will find information about our annual hunts, the regulations and requirements, an accommodation list with telephone numbers, and the phone number for Pelee Island Transportation ferry reservations.

For the past 75 years, people have been gathering on Pelee Island to participate in the Pheasant Hunts. Today this tradition continues as a first class hunting event with 2 day hunts for 3 weeks each fall.

Initially started as a way to control the rapidly growing pheasant population on the Island that once numbered higher than 50,000, the Pheasant Hunt began in 1932 with a disappointingly low number of participants. This discouraging start was not an accurate sign of the years to come though, as the Pheasant Hunts have increased so much in popularity that the Pelee Island Sportsman’s Club was established in 1989. With an event that has become a tradition, families and friends are reunited each fall as they come together year after year for the hunts.

This annual hunt has been attended by thousands of people from all over the world. Mickey Stanley, Jim Northrup, Bill Freeham, Kirk Gibson and Dave Rosema of the Detroit Tigers have hunted on Pelee, as well as Baseball Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, Hockey Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay, Red Fisher of Red Fisher TV, and former Ontario premier Mike Harris in 1993. The hunts have also been filmed for syndicated Outdoors America Shows "The Birdsman" which have aired on satellite in over 49 states and 10 provinces.

The hunts are spread over three weeks and are always the Thursday and Friday of the last two weeks in October and the first week in November, depending on when the days fall in a calendar year. We can accommodate a maximum of 700 hunters for each two day hunt and will release up to 25,000 pheasants during the three week hunt period. The last few years’ hunts have been sold out ahead of time, so to avoid disappointment... book early!

Pelee Island also has a Winter Hunt with a limited season beginning January 1 and ending on the last day of February each year. These are one day hunts with a 5 bird limit (see rate link for current year prices). Reservations for the Winter Hunt must be made between November 15 and December 1 each year and openings are limited. For schedules and flight reservations to and from the island hunters should call Pelee Island Transportation at (519) 724-2115.

Pelee Island covers over 10,000 acres and is composed of hedgerows, vineyards, and an assortment of bush types and open fields. This provides an opportunity for every type of hunter and all property is open for hunting unless posted or in fields of standing crops.

You will find that the people who open their homes to hunters are what give the annual hunt and Pelee Island its special flavour. By planting hedgerows to provide habitat for the pheasants and hosting these groups, people have been coming back year after year. We’re confident that this is a special and exciting time, with an abundance of free flying birds and plenty of opportunity for everyone who attends the Pelee Island Pheasant Hunt.