Ok, I know I’m opening up a proverbial hornets nest by doing this, but what do you really think about the cancellation of Ontario’s spring bear hunt?
It’s springtime, right? Shouldn’t Ontario hunters be allowed to pursue black bears in spring – at a time when they are meant to be hunted, and are more easily managed?
Quebec does it, in fact, their spring hunt gets under way next weekend. Does that province have so many MORE bears than Ontario; they can justify both a fall and spring hunt?
Sadly, it seems that Ontario bears are being managed now on a ‘nuisance’ basis..as has been pointed out by many on the Outdoors Guy Blog.
Do we really need to have disaster hit close to home, or another year with half a dozen or more deaths from bear maulings, before something is done about it?
I have seen animal right’s groups spew out stats on how the closure of the spring hunt has had little effect on the black bear population in Ontario, and black bear-related encounters. We all know that is BS!
And we all know what effect the closure has really had, and I think it’s high time we lobby towards getting things back to the way they were in 1998 – before the spring hunt was shut down!
Ok, here’s a question to all: If reinstating the Ontario Spring Bear Hunt meant some modification to the fall bear season (as in QC) would you support it?
Please drop me a line with your thoughts. It is that time of year, after all, when this topic is on everyone’s mind.
Outdoorsguy
Well, I for one would love to see it come back. If it did, I think the ministry would have to modify the fall season somewhat.
It’s too bad that when it happened, it was a political decision, done behind closed doors, with a wealthy anti-hunter promising funds I’m sure. The worse of it all, is I heard (rumors only) that our provincial federation that is suppose to look out for Ontario outdoorsman was in on it. Supposedly promises were given not to oppose it too much and yadada…but I’m sure we’ll never hear the real truth.
Anyhow, I’d love to have it back, it would only be a positive inmy mind.
Yes, bring back the Spring Bear hunt and SHUT down the Fall Bear hunt during the rifleshotgun season for Deer!
why shut it down during deer season .. when animals are at a high number you open more seasons on them when numbers are down you take seasons away . So bring on the SPRING bear hunt .
you forgot to mention that the hide is much better in the spring than the fall. Now it’s not just the hude we are after but it is an important part of it after the meat.
I don’t think I have to post anything more on my thoughts about the spring bear hunt or it’s cancellation
I absolutely support the spring hunt over the fall hunt.I am sure the only reason why there are bears taken in the fall is because most guys would buy 1 tag amongst the group just in case one is seen during the deer and moose season.I also believe it is a sad reality that a lot of bears are just shot and left in the fall because there worth has been deminished by the cancellation of the spring hunt.Now they are seen as just deer and moose killing machines.Also pests and possibly dangerous predator to man.I won’t repeat what i said in my other post under (Be bear wise this spring)but it is there to read.
Bring Back the Spring Hunt AND keep the Fall hunt. I counted no less than 5 different bears on my 220 acres last fall on trail cams. Deer Population is way down, due to two terrible winters, 07-08 and 08-09, influx of coyotes and bears. I had heard years ago bears take up to 20% of Fawns in spring. http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.umaine.edu%2Fcfru%2FEvents%2FMunsungan_DWA_12.07%2FHarrison_Predation.pdf&rct=j&q=effects+of+bears+on+Fawns&ei=4abiS67mNMH-8Abo14GgDw&usg=AFQjCNHj_1oj-T4pkX_MPIoRvb4wttGYJA
The above report says it could be as high as 23%. Time to get the Politics out of our managment of our natural resources.
I am in full support for bringing back the spring bear hunt.
Although an interesting side effect for me being a taxidermist is I get more bears to mount and do rugs since the cancellation of the spring hunt. This anomaly is because there are more bears around in the fall that are shot by casual bear hunters. These hunters because of the opportunistic trophy are more inclined to preserve their trophy. Spring bear hunters were more dedicated bear hunters and tended to get their first trophy preserved only.
Another point is we use trail cameras extensively during the summer to keep track of deer. Over the last few years we get bears on all our trail cameras whereas in the past it was a rarity to get bears on camera. Some of these cameras are set up in close proximity to housing developments where the human residence are not aware of these hairy niebours.
To me, the cancellation of the spring bear hunt “woke me up” to a fear that our sport could be legislated away with one political vote at a time. Although I do not hunt bear, I support reinstating the spring hunt for Hunters who do. This cancellation has changed the way I deal with decisions politicians and claims animal rights ppl’s make. I am more willing to send a letter, speak my views and fight to correct false, exhagerated claims made by PETA, pro-gun registry likes. In the past, I thought Government had commons sense and reason, I can tell you that I will never believe that again. I also wish Sportsmen/women groups would protest proudly together in public instead of blending in hoping no one will take our sport away.
I must be honest here, I have never hunted bears in the spring, but I have hunted them in the late summer and fall and love doing it. I would now hunt bears in the spring if given the opportunity. What really got under my skin on the cancellation was the fact that one man, a rich man but still one man, could put a stop to a hunt that so many enjoyed. What would happen if he put his vast resources toward cancelling the fall deer hunt, or trapping, or bow hunting. Far fetched you say, well so was the cancellation of the spring bear hunt. When you get one determined rich guy, and the OFAH on the same side, who knows what could happen
BUSH24 .. I love what you said . NO hunter should ever let any one else do the talking for them NO one . just because they say they are the voice sometimes hearing the same voice over and over again people become deaf to it , iknow my kids are deaf to me . with that said if just half of the hunters and fisher people call or write in we can win the battle . and not just a form letter make it personal. how hard is it to pick up the phone and call to complain.
Thanks to everyone who commented..a lot of good, salient points!
One would think the collective brain power we have; with just the few of us here, would be enough to make the difference…yet, we piss and moan all we like and they seem to go ahead with decisions well beyond our grasp or control..
Perhaps its time to adopt some of the tactics used by our Animal Rights ‘friends’..they seem to get enough attention and support with all the juvenile, low-brow stunts they pull..sure, we all hate that crap, but must admit too, on some levels it does work for them!
Why is it that hunters and conservationists can’t seem to garner that ‘high-level’ financial and political support we need..when we need it! I think as soon as we figure that out, we’ll be a lot better prepared to fight the ‘Big Picture!
We need more (slightly toned-down) versions of Ted Nugent up here in Canada!
Outdoorsguy
@Bush24
most people assume that the OFAH speaks for them, don’t kid yourelf, they speak for money
If I recall at the time, the Nuge actually spoke-out against the Cancellation way loader than anyone else had..and he’s not even Canadian..God, the guy was prepared to Ban all of Ontario because of it!!
Imagine if we had people with conviction like that around here?! Might not be in this mess right now!!
Outdoorsguy
we are out there jeff . we just cant seem to find a media that will take us . glad the sun got you back up and running as this is really the only media that we have now.
Iggy, OFAH has to speak for money, ever see what the big boss there makes? 🙂
As soon as I found that out, I cancelled my membership.
And for people to think that OFAH tried save the spring bear hunt…think again, from what I’ve heard, they were part of the negotiations that had it cancelled.
i asked for that information serge but never got it … what does ian make . he is the head guy
I’m gonna say 130 – 140K range
Outdoorsguy
At the time, in the mid 1990’s, I saw it in their years expense report, it was 115K. Unreal!!!
seeing we are on the ofah….. just pulled this from their 2009 pelimanary budget … no numbers but here is how they might plan to add to there dollars
There are many issues that the O.F.A.H. Bowhunting Advisory Committee will be working on, and others that need our continued work. Mandatory bowhunter education is becoming more critical every time an incident of an injured animal is brought to the public’s attention. This type of equipment needs a very specific knowledge base in order to use it properly, and without this, we all risk getting a bad name.
The last meeting of the Hunter Education Strategy Team was held on June 23, 2008. At that time, the O.F.A.H. was asked to develop a proposal for mandatory Bowhunter Education for first- time bowhunters to go forward to the Minister. Since we prepared the material and presented it, we have met with resistance at the MNR.
So now they are after the money from the bow hunters?
When I took the turkey course, I think I paid about $40 for the course
held at the Nepean Sportsplex There were 220 of us at that course
and the had another one the next day with even more people.
this money went straight to the OFAH, about $19000.00 in all.
I know they had to pay the two people putting on the course, and the hall
but it was very very profitable for the OFAH. Anyone who wants to hunt
turkeys in Ontario now has to take the course and pay the OFAH. Guess who
lobbied to do the course, yes the OFAH. Another cash cow for them.
Also, the course could have been done in two hours, but they drag it out all day
to try to make you feel you didn’t get screwed.
Now they are lobbying to do the bowhunting course, no doubt just for the money, not to
make bow hunting any safer. If safety was the concern, it would be part of your regular
Hunter safety Course, but then the OFAH couldn’t get the hands on your money.
Ok, so let me get this straight!
Going back to the spring hunt cancellation for a moment…the word ‘on the street’ at the time was that OFAH ‘may have’ had some hand in it?
It sounds as though some people think the OFAH were given ‘hush money’..in order for the cancellation to be pushed through more easily?
Is this even possible? Is there anything to show that, or is it strictly rumours?
Outdoorsguy
Jeff. In the end of Jan just after the cancelation of the spring hunt. The Government announced it was going to start a fish and game commission. The ofah agreed to it as long as it was made from hunters and fishermen you guessed it they sit on the commissioners in AUG of the same year the ofah got all parks to hunt in (Under pressure from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, the government appears to have enshrined hunting as a right in all new parks, and is “considering” allowing it in wilderness parks that existed before Lands for Life.) they asked to 60 parks to hunt in but got all 370 parks to hunt in I think you could put this in a some sort of evidence
Ok Chessy, so the theory then is, the government offers OFAH this special committee as well as the right to hunt on all new park lands…in exchange for(thank you gift) their ‘support’ of the new hunting ban?
Just playing the devil’s advocate for a moment…is it possible the ON Gov’t offered the other things..to make up for the fact they had just taken away something near and dear to hunter’s hearts?
Kinda like during a hockey game when the ref misses an obvious penalty call…and then tries to make up for in the next period by calling a more questionable penalty..hoping to achieve some sort of balance.
Of course, Montreal saw none of that ‘balancing’ in the last night’s game..but I digress.
Outdoorsguy
Outdoorsguy
SURE , OF COURCE but when you detest the ofah as much as I do I see it as a blood deal . I could never proof anything unless I was sitting on the wall listening to the deal, In the hunting world what walks like a duck quacks like a duck swims like a duck… ITS A DUCK
the “word on the street’ went like this, allegedly the OFAH agrees with the ban, but only if the Prov Gov gives NOTO
( Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters) 10 million to offset their losses. If true, and the word is pretty reliable I think because apparently in one of their issues it states that the OFAH went along with the ban. Only problem is, right after it was written about, the Ont Gov yanked the 10mil off the table but the spring bear hunt ban was still going ahead. The OFAH stood with egg on it’s face, they supported the outfitters and sold the hunters down the drain, word has it anyway.
Allegedly
Speaking of what Chessy said, apparently there are “areas” in Ontario now, that you can’t hunt in, unless your a member of the OFAH. They claim so that you are insured, but I’m insured with my home insurance, I don’t, and shouldn’t, need their insurance
HEY IGGY here are some numbers for ya .
in 2007 there were 8714 people that took the turkey course
in 2006 there were 7292
in 2005 there were 7967
the ofah brags about the RECORD HARVEST OF BIRDS every year .. its not because there is more birds its more hunters every year in 2006 % that were successful were 25.9% in 2007 it was 22.6% so the numbers acctually dropped . IF my numbers are right at 35 dollars a piece for the course that gives the ofah 839,005.00 in revenues for the year 2005 06 07
Holy crap..thats a lot of scratch!
Outdoorsguy
thats just 3 years jeff i dont have time to do the rest of the years but i 77,000 people have took the course and that is just ruff numbers 2,695,000.00 since the start of the course
Wow Chessy, and how much of that goes back into management of the species…i.e. wild turkey
relocation/transplanting projects?
Are those numbers published, I wonder??
Outdoorsguy
give them a call jeff . I know for a FACT the OFAH will not TAKE any of my calls or some one from this blog can call ..
hehe, Chessy when you walk in to the OFAH with the microphone in hand and the camera man following you, do you see a WANTED poster on the wall with your or my picture on it LOL
BTW, that’s 94,325,000.00 total spent on turkey courses and the price is no longer $35.00.
I’ll bet the big cheeses got a heck of a bonus over that great idea, and now they are eyeing up all the
$$$$$$ the bow hunters could give them.
CASH COW
NAW Iggy they dont have a wanted poster of me .they dont want me any where near them. I just heard though that a long time director of zone e is no longer with them it is under new blood now.
update…
9600 people took the turkey course in 2009 …. cha ching
$422,400.00
nice bonus again this year
soon we’ll be paying them for the bow course
CHA CHING
Excellent article. I believe that if more people tried bow hunting, they would be surprised how much fun this can be. I invite you and your readers to visit my new site, Silent Draw Outdoors. This is a new breed of hunting and outdoor adventure. Watch bow archery hunting videos of big game in North America.
I prefer hunting beaver or cat in my local watering hole and I can do it anytime of the year without government interference.
Given that I’m a non-hunting norther girl, I’ve seen the results up close. Personally, I think that it should be brought back for many reasons, & on how some hunters don’t care much for the “fatty” fall meat, which makes the spring hunt so popular. According to my dad, we should take a transport loaded with these bears & drop them off in cities such as Toronto & Ottawa. If they want these “cute” cuddly, teddy bears, then they can have them. 🙂 Given that bears require a vast amount of territory, I’m glad that they’re trickling down into southern cities for “regular” people to deal with. The southerners are the ones who even control the gun laws & everything else that has nothing to do with them. The north & south are two different areas, & should be LEGALLY viewed that way, as it doesn’t make sense for them to control what they don’t know.
How about we start hunting hunters. There are too many hunters in Canada and they use a lot of valuable resources that we can’t afford. A spring hunter hunt should be approved to take out the weaker members of our species.
That’s nice phobos…see, lowbrow comments like this only serve to detract from even the slightest bit of credibility you may have gained.
Besides, if we ever did have such a hunt and wanted to cull the weakest members of society, you do realize that Animal Right’s people would be the first to go….
Outdoorsguy
what is good and bad about the bear hunt?
I would Not like to see a Spring Bear Hunting. are you people not thinking of all those cubs that NEED their mothers to survive? Those cubs will not survive, which meens the bear population will be Way down when it does come to Fall hunting. I personally do not like hunting, it is a cruel thing to do. We can’t hunt humans, but animals? why is that fair. I think people are over populated not animals. The cubs need a chance to grow into an adult, so if they hunt the mothers, how will the cubs grow into adult hood with no guidence from the mother?
I respect anyone who is against hunting. However, I disagree with hunters being painted as inhumaine and cruel. Why should rights of anti-hunters define the life of a hunter. If you disagree with hunting, please do not buy a gun and a hunting licence. Most hunters do more for nature and wildlife than most not hunters. I wish that everyone who eats any kind of meat questioned and explored how the meat got onto their plate. I want them to know what the animals went through in their life and whether they died of natural causes or whether they were in fact sloughtered so that we can have a meal. People that buy chickens or steaks in the supermarket just dont want to know, dont want to see, and really… don’t care. Hunting is a way of life. It is how some people provide meat for their families.
On the topis of spring bear hunt, there is a ban on hunting sows with cubs under one year of age. Therefore, it is the male bears that are hunted. Not the females nursing cubs! There is absolutely no effect on cub survival.
I guess it is pretty obvious where I stand, I am for sustainable and responsible hunting and even though I don’t live in Ontario I hope that the spring bear hunt will be re-introduced for the sake of Ontario hunters. Bear meat is very tasty and provides alternative to any store bought meat.
I live in Northern Ontario. There are numerous bears around here. Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources has had more services cut and one of them is bear control. So when bears become near us, we have to call our city police. The police are so busy with bear calls that the calls are graded so that the more dangerous situations are dealt with first. Do you know what the police do? They shoot to kill them. Forget about if they have cubs or not. This is not the best way to deal with them.
When there was a spring hunt, the bears were not a bother and they had enough food to fend for themselves during the summer.
If the province doesn’t want to bring back Spring Bear hunt, then they should not stop the MNR from doing its management of bears.
Beverly, thanks for the comment..I actually have a new Blog post on the subject of bears and Spring hunt, would you mind reposting your comment there??
http://blogs.canoe.ca/outdoorsguy/uncategorized/wildlife-observation/bear-found-tangled-to-hydro-pole/
Thanks again!
Outdoorsguy
I am very upset with the cancellation of the spring bear hunt…this is a disgrace…the damages and the killing that these bears is undescriable….There are so many more bears now they are not afraid of the humans or yelling at them…they just look at you….and also they come in the night and destroy your property. The decision should be reversed therefore the bears can again go into hiding and be afraid of us. The results are also many deaths….many haven’t been solved due to the fact I bet the bears ate them. I have lived in the country for many years and now I have seen more bears everywhere destroying cars, siding on homes, sheds…And the consumer again has to pay out our pocket. The government makes rash decisions and never looks what the end results are. Always looking after themselves….maybe one day they will meet a bear and they won’t be so rash about making decisions based on SOME of the bad hunters. Yes there are some….but there are also bad ppl in the government and everywhere else. Why do the good always have to pay for the bad.
I am from the US and I want to hunt Ontario bear in spring,,Can I do anything to help you get the spring bear hunting back in Ontario from TN
Hunting is immoral. Hunters need a new hobby. Killing innocent beings is wrong. There are plenty of other outdoor activities that don’t involve taking the life of another.
The Spring Bear Hunt needs to be re-initiated. The moose population and deer population decreases in the past few years, I would say is definitely contributed to the bear population breakout since cancellation of spring hunt.
The increase in bear population also has an effect on the feed for the wolves. Now they are in competition with one and another. And, most likely turning to larger game. I myself have heard a wolf pack in Northern Ontario while hunting moose attacking a moose. We went and saw that it was a cow with calf. Don’t know the outcome. Quite a battle zone though.
I feel that the Government of Ontario needs to be held accountable for the damage that shutting down the spring bear hunt has done. To the large game populations, less hunting opportunities for hunters, young and old and of course the ever growing attacks on humans and their loyal friends.