Want to go elk hunting in Ontario

22 Replies to “Want to go elk hunting in Ontario”

1. I once talked to a guy that belonged to the group that brought them to Ontarion, at the Carp Sportsmans Show. He told me as far as his group was concerned, there would never be an Elk season in Ontario
   He said they would fight it if the government tried to introduce one. He was with something called The Elk Restoration Program, something like that, not the MNR or the OFAH although I wouldn’t put it past the OFAH.
   The OFAH is busy in their basement right now trying to figure out how they can suck the Ontario hunters dry with this possibility though. Lets see, lets make everyoone take an overpriced extended way to long course, lets charge everyone 75 dollars, keep them in a stinking hot room for two days, and try to jam hunting junk down their throats when they are done.

   Sounds like the turkey license hahahahahahahaha

2. you watch .. the ofah helped with the transplant … they will want and probably get tags to but up to the highest bidder . they will make a ton of money . being the first tag in ontario .. out of state people will bid in the tens of thousands

3. Right on Iggy..I took the turkey course this spring from those turkeys…just as you said..200 people Packed like Sardines for over 2 hours to hear of 99% Bullschit, including a rediculous film on a guy getting shot by his buddy…The accidental deaths in all hunting sports combined are of the lowest in any endeavor. That’s why your insurance is so cheap from OFAH and NAHC etc.

   BTW..any one seeing many BEARS???

4. Is the Elk population in Ontario in such high numbers that they need to be controlled via a hunt??

   Are the Elks causing property damage or other problems?

   1. LeGrand…I beleive its more a case of ‘are there enough elk now to allow a hunt’…since the release(according to MNR) seems to have gone well, they are probably considering opening a controlled hunt in the near future…much like QC has done now with the Muskox in the far north.

      As Chessy pointed out, though, maybe the first elk tag will be worth thousands…auctioned off on eBay perhaps.

      Outdoorsguy

5. There have been complaints by farmers in the Bancroft area of damage by elk.

   From a more biological perspective there are too many bulls for the current status of the population in the Bancroft area. Younger bulls have been getting in on too much (?) breeding as the herd bulls, the ones they want doing the breeding are too busy fighting with each other. So I’m told!

6. well did some looking .. one man paid 150 000 to hunt elk that was jut for the tag guide lodging extra so how much for the very first chance and of course NAME in the record book as being the FIRST

7. Sure, on game farms they charge ungodly amounts to hunt..but I dont think it would even be legal for the government to charge big money for a limited number of tags..I guess setting up a random draw is how they make their money. Charge you $8 – 10 to enter the draw and collect money that way,

   Outdoorsguy

8. they make laws to suit themselves….and their friends at the OFAH

9. i thought when this elk thing went down .. the rocky mountain elk foundation got the rights to the first 2 or 3 tags.. and that money would go to funding . and i assume that the ofah did the same thing… but that would be something that a “news paper man” could find out

   1. ahh God, I hope its not me you’re referring to as newspaper man…

      Outdoorsguy

10. ….. ok some body with credentials

    1. oh no, now I have credentials..hehe

       Just to let you and everyone else know..I’ll be up at my hunt camp this weekend setting
       out trail cams and such..and will be away for the PC, just in case you leave a comment and it gets held-up for approval or something..

       Just to be safe, lets say no one use any big words on here this weekend..

       Have a good one one and all!!!

       Outdoorsguy

11. rocky mountain elk foundation

    that’s the name of the group that told me there would never be a hunt in Ontario, or that that group hoped there would never be a hunt

12. thanks for the links! I’m going to check this out. I hunt moose north of Iron Bridge and one of the Elk herds is there and every year, we see them in the farmer’s fields. We watched a huge bull calling all my himself last year. That was neat!

    And yes, the farmers in that area aren’t too fond of the elk damaging their crops, but Jeff’s right – this is a, hey, is the herd finally big enough to support a small hunt.

    Maybe they want us to buy licenses and pray for a tag like we do with moose – even though there’s far more moose than elk…. but i digress…..

13. Keebler, you have to know that right now the OFAH and the MNR are sitting down to discuss this very thing.

    “How do we over sell costly tags to suckers, but under shoot the Elk”

14. lol Iggy 🙂

    I read some of those links and sad to see that the Iron Bridge area isn’t in the suggested WMU. Although, the supposed WMU isn’t far from us! 🙂

    1. Keebler, sorry I havent had a chance to read through it all…which WMU(region) are they thinking of for the elk hunt?

       Around Bancroft or Haliburton district Id think??

       Outdoorsguy

15. There is indeed significant damage to crops and fences in the Bancroft agricultural area. Despite repeated requests for assistance from the MNR, fields and farms continue to be devastated by herds ranging in size from 35 to 60 elk. Dr. Rosatte, the biologist who moniters the herd in the Bancroft area reports the herd size at an average of 470, but from our caluclations based on the increasing size of herds visiting our fields the actual numbers are more in the range of 1000 to 1200. This number is far above their ideal herd size for sustainability in this area of 250. Another point to consider is that there is no compensation for the farmers when the elk eat their crop. The farms in the Bancroft/North Hastings area have unfortunately contributed to the successful population growth of these predators. It is the hope that the government will implement Bill 212 which will allow the farmer/rural landowner to obtain removal authorization permits to remove or kill the elk and get and keep them out of the crops. A hunt with tags in the range of 250 to 300 would begin to address the over population tin the area.

    1. North Hastings & Area Farmers & Landowners Assoc:

       Thanks so much for the information as many people here have been wanting to know what’s going on with the elk in the Bancroft area.

       Has the MNR talked about doing aerial surveys or completing more intensive elk population estimates? Do you think a controlled Elk hunt in neighbourhood of 200-300 animals this year and say 100 each year afterwards would be a possibility?

       I can see that people from outside your region view the proposed elk hunt as an interesting hunting opportunity, whereas for folks like yourself an elk hunt/cull is becoming a necessity. There is little doubt it is affecting your livelihood.

       I hope the MNR can move through the review process quickly and get going on this..in the meantime, we’ll all do our best to keep this issue as high profile as possible!

       Thanks again for your comment.

       Best regards

       Jeff Morrison – Outdoorsguy

16. “Another point to consider is that there is no compensation for the farmers ”

    I think you’ll find in the end this is what it’s all about

17. compensation….. most farmers in my area dont want you hunting deer but they want the yotes shot .. if you wont let me hunt deer i aint shooting the yotes for you … the old time farmers understand how trade offs work the new ones just want want want… the farmer compensation for letting us hunt is less for them to deal with damage

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