Tag: MNRF

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Moose season almost here, anyone going?

With the annual moose season just around the corner, guys like our pal “Doug” (shown in the above photo) are chomping at the bit to get back to nature for the annual pursuit of the beloved swamp donkey known as Bullwinkle.

For enthusiasts who still hunt moose in Ontario, it will be interesting to see how this fall turns-out given recent changes set forth by the MNRF, following the announcement that moose in the north are in rough shape.

Even the QC side has seen its share of decline in some areas, from what I’ve heard.

All this to say that the status of the herd and moose numbers will not deter those who enjoy it…

In recent years, our deer gang have taken-up hunting moose with crossbow during the brief ‘bull only’ season which runs for little over 1 week in the Quebec Laurentians, around our deer camp. Although I haven’t taken-up crossbow hunting yet, I join the gang to put up some trail cams and try out a few calls.

With limited tags and numbers dwindling up north, guys from the Blog like “Tim” are contemplating a moose hunt closer to home where numbers seem to be more prevalent.

For those who still make the effort to hunt moose each fall, the reward may be nothing more than the sights and sounds of the great outdoors in the early fall, while for the other chosen few it may be successful moose-wise. Either way you look at it, pursuing moose is a special and longstanding tradition (sadly) enjoyed by less and less people these days.

For those about to moose hunt – we salute you. Please drop me a line with your moose hunting plans for this year?

 

Outdoorsguy

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Dogs a hazard for wintering deer

Winter weather(regardless how severe) is tough on white-tailed deer populations and domestic dogs on the loose will only exacerbate the situation. (Don’t get me wrong I am a huge dog lover, but I agree that man’s best friend has no place in the wild pestering the whitetail herd)

You may recall my story from a few winters past where a barking howl of a animal in my back field broke the early morning silence. At first I thought it was a coyote but the distinctive domestic canine sound reverberated.

Dammit!!

One of my neighbour’s dogs had apparently gotten loose and was chasing deer through my backfield!! My heart sank as I knew the implications.

The deer I was feeding at the time included an orphaned fawn and a buck with a bad leg (pictured above) were not seen again for more than a week.

I never did locate that pestering dog, but evidently it really put the run on my deer, as the lame buck finally returned to the feeder limping worse than I’d ever seen. He could barely walk at this point.

Less than 3 weeks later that same buck could walk no more and the Ottawa Police were called-in to have it put down.

The incident is a reminder of why we MUST control our pets, especially during wintertime.

Pet owners who allow their animals to run wild -regardless of the breed – are NOT ONLY breaking the law, their actions can be devastating for deer at a fragile time of year. MNRF Conservation Officers deal with belligerent pet-owners every winter and are authorized to destroy any dogs seen chasing or injuring deer in areas where herds gather for the winter.

Penalties for allowing your dog to be at large during the closed season for deer, range from $155 up to $25,000. 

Both domestic and feral dogs can create undue stress for whitetails as they gather in yards for protection. At this time of year, when deer subsist largely off fat reserves, the simple act of running through deep snow for long periods can drain much needed energy reserves, and leave the animals unable to cope with cold winter temperatures.

Winter stress is also directly proportional to the health of fawns born in the spring.

Should you witness any dogs on the loose in your area, please call 1-877-TIPS-MNRF (613) 847-7667 toll-free any time.

Outdoorsguy

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Important cougar sighting near Peterborough

Another summer is upon us and the Ontario cougar sightings continue to pour-in.

As many of you know, I’ve always taken a special interest in Ontario cougars a fascination if you will, which is odd since I’m really not a huge (domestic) cat lover.

The intrigue with these big cats I suppose might have to do with the rarity of the occurrence, although more  cougars are being spotted across the province than ever before, so that can’t be it. Heck, we even saw a local horse owner last winter who had a brush with a cougar when one attacked one of her animals.

Yes, cougars in Ontario are contentious issue regardless of where you stand and of interest to many. People see them regularly in different regions yet our wildlife agencies tend to discount any and all reported sightings. Out of fear? Lack of funding? Whatever the case, the MNRF has typically shied away from the Ontario cougar issue even though I receive a handful of cougars reports each and every month.

The letter I got today may change all that!

I received a cougar sighting report earlier this am from the Peterborough-area, which isn’t that strange as several big cats have been spotted in the Kawartha’s in recent years.

This sighting was special indeed and almost ground-breaking I would say…as the eye-witness report came to me from a Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) employee!

Alex Broks, a Land and Resources Data Support Officer with the Mapping & Information Resources Branch of the MNRF in Peterborough, was driving on Mervin Road south of Hwy 115 yesterday at approximately 4:00 PM, when noticed a doe and a fawn cross the road 40 yards away.

Following on their footsteps at a close distance was a  large cat with a long tail, it was unmistakably a cougar but not an adult in Broks’s estimation – a man who is an  avid sportsman with 35 years’ experience.

“I do know that there has been other sighting in the past few years in the Peterborough- area” Broks explained, but the MNRF always seems to contradict the sightings; too far, to foggy, maybe a slim coyote, no one else has reported anything and so on.”

This MNRF employee and former Taxidermist went online shortly after the sighting to see if any other cougars have been reported in the Peterborough area. Alex quickly discovered one of my articles on the subject and contacted me and here we are…

This first-hand cougar sighting is important, not only to further the documented evidence of big cats in the Province, but for an MNRF employee to come forward with an eye-witness account lends great credibility to the existence of these big cats in Ontario.

A tip of the hat to Alex Broks for allowing me to share this crucial information with us, without fear of reprisal. Alex told me he plans to speak with the only home-owner along that stretch of road to see if they too have seen any cougar activity in the area.

Stay tuned…

Outdoorsguy

P.S. For more information on Cougars in Ontario, the Province’s authority on big cats Rick Rosatte has published several papers on the subject: http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwiQ4snx0KHHAhWXEpIKHVJnDDA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcanadianfieldnaturalist.ca%2Findex.php%2Fcfn%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F11942F1187&ei=OTvKVdDhH5elyATSzrGAAw&usg=AFQjCNFgjoCbDQ63RjepRoROXo1xXk4fqg&sig2=1uDoN8zDxms6zMkta_Jqng

 

 

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Ontario wages war on feral hogs!

(Somewhat flattering photo of feral hog’s ‘less destructive’ domestic cousin)

 

Word has just hit the street that the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNRF) Kemptville district is waging war on feral hogs in Eastern Ontario!

Should a hunter spot one of these feral hogs while out in the field, the Ministry is encouraging them to ‘shoot to kill’ and, I assume, ask questions later.

The feral hog is described by the MNRF as a wild beast that damages crops, transmits diseases to domestic swine and can be a threat to human safety.

Yikes!!

All hunters and land-owners are encouraged to shoot every wild hog they see under ‘Provisions of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act’ and have even distributed a ‘tip sheet’ describing the wild boar ‘kill zone’ and best location for a effective kill shot!

Wild hogs have been reported east of Ottawa in the Plantagenet and Hawkesbury area and have caused havoc in many areas of North America.

The public is encouraged to report any wild hog encounter to the MNRF: (613) 258-8267 –  ask to be connected to Kemptville office

Outdoorsguy

P.S. Thanks to my pal Keebler, via twitter, for the heads-up on this one!

Follow me on Twitter @ThatOutdoorsGuy  (but leave the hogs at home)