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Ask a Conservation Officer David Anderson is the Enforcement Supervisor for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in Red Lake District and has worked as a Conservation Officer in Northwestern Ontario for 26 years. If you have a question for the CO you may reach him at dave.h.anderson@mnr.gov.on.ca or call him at 807-727-1393. All submissions are kept confidential March 22, 2006 Q. I was checked by a Conservation Officer last week and he told me that I was not supposed to build a fire on the ice while I am ice fishing. What am I supposed to do, as I need a fire to warm up from time to time? A. There are a number of reasons that we have become more and more concerned with folks placing fires directly on the ice surface. This is because of the addition of deleterious (harmful) materials to the fisheries and the addition of garbage to the water. It seems that not only do people put wood on the fire but they burn up plastic wrappers and bottles, bottle caps, Styrofoam cups, tin can etc and we find these remnants in the fires we check. The Public Lands Act prohibits the deposit of materials on Crown Lands, which includes the ice surface of lakes. The Fisheries Act prohibits the addition of any material that will alter the water quality for fish. We have noted that some angler’s take and place barrels, barbecues or steel lids on the ice and remove them and the contents when they are finished and deposit the material in an appropriate manner. Others will find a location on the shore where they can safely make a fire without leaving a permanent scar on the shoreline. It’s important to put these fires out at the end of your trip. We have had several instances where these fires have held over and started a wildfire in the spring. Its not that you can’t have a fire when you are out fishing its just that it has to be done in such a manner you avoid harming the fishery. The other thing that we have found in the past is that when folks are going to pull their ice huts in off the lake, they dump the contents of their wood stoves on the ice. When you move your huts this year please take an extra few minutes to ensure the ice surface is clear of all debris and garbage. This will help ensure the water quality remains clean and continues to support our fantastic fishery. Q. If I am on the shore by my fire how will I be able to say I’m legally tending my line if an officer checks me? A. In this area if you are angling through the ice you are allowed two lines per angler and you must remain within 60 metres or approximately 200ft of your lines. You must also have an unobstructed view of them. So you can sit on the shore and watch your lines. We get concerned with the distance you are from a set line-set/tip-up when its obvious to an officer it’s checked infrequently or it is out of your view. The other thing to remember if you decide to leave the area of your lines for awhile to talk to other anglers or get firewood etc, you must pull in your lines. February 22, 2006 Q. A guest at a camp east of Red Lake where I was working was positive he caught a gar fish. Do we have them around here? A. When I am first asked if there were gar around here my answer is no, at least not normally. That being said introductions of fish not common to an area or lake can occur through transfers in minnow buckets. That is why there is an emphasis on not dumping left over minnows into the lake. The Ontario Fishing Regulations states that anglers must not release live bait into waters other than the waterbody where the bait was originally captured. When you purchase minnows around here I can almost guarantee the bait came from several different lakes or ponds and the lake you are using them in is not the one where they were captured. If a gar was transferred to the lake that you indicated, it would have to have come from a long ways away. A gar is a name commonly given to certain fishes with long, narrow bodies and bony, sharp-toothed beaks. These primitive fish are found primarily in freshwater. They range from southern Quebec through eastern North America to Cuba and Costa Rica. The largest, the tropical gar, reaches a length of 3.7 m (12 ft). The teeth are needlelike, the dorsal fin sits far back on the heavily scaled body, and the lung has blood vessels that enable the gar to breathe in stagnant water. Instead of scales or leathery skin, as in most of our other native fishes, gars are completely enclosed in a shell or armour of thick bony plates, so hard that they scarcely can be penetrated The vertebrae have a ball-and-socket structure similar to that found in some reptiles. The fish spawn in the spring in large groups, and their roe is poisonous to other fish and humans. All gars are predators feeding almost exclusively on other smaller fish. These are taken by a stealthy submarine-like approach, with only the tips of the fins moving, followed by a quick sideswipe of the long toothy jaws. The prey is then turned and swallowed, headfirst, at a single gulp. Without a confirmation by a biologist, I’m a bit reluctant to say this was a gar for sure. It would have been nice to have even seen a picture of it. If indeed there is one gar fish in the lake it will live its life out and that will be the end. Unlike some of the other exotics like the Round Goby I don’t believe the gar would be as harmful or prolific. We always appreciate when folks tell us about the things pertaining to fish and wildlife that they see or hear about that seem a little out of place. When you provide this information you become a partner in managing the wildlife resources for everyone. February 15, 2006 Q. Do you have to save the legs from grouse when you clean them in the bush? A. You can not waste or abandon flesh that is suitable for food and the legs of a grouse are suitable for food. I do know that it is a question that is frequently debated but the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act states: Spoiled flesh Abandonment or spoilage of pelts (a) abandon the fish if its flesh (b) permit the flesh to become unsuitable for human consumption. I have always saved the legs, perhaps it’s from my penny pinching upbringing, but I don’t like to see anything wasted. I clean or dress a grouse when it’s first shot by stepping on the wings, breast up, wings out, head at the top. I take hold of the feet and steadily pull them towards myself. The grouse will separate, leaving you holding the feet, legs and entrails. On the ground remain the exposed breast, heart and liver attached to the wings. I remove the legs from the tail and entrails. I do caution that you watch the sinew in the legs when you cook them as they harden somewhat like large fish bones. The meat should be removed from around them. February 8, 2006 Q. This may not be a big issue since I've never met another bicycle-hunter in the bush, but I must admit that I was surprised when I first heard that it was illegal to carry a loaded firearm on a bicycle. I assumed, and most hunters I have asked assumed the same thing, which is a bicycle is treated the same as a canoe or a pedestrian hunter. So is it illegal to carry a loaded firearm on a bicycle? A. The short answer is yes. I will try to explain why this is by referencing the following sections of law from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (FWCA). The FWCA defines a vehicle as; “vehicle” means any kind of vehicle that is driven, propelled or drawn on land or ice by any kind of power, including muscular power, and includes the rolling stock of a railway. The mention of muscular power in the definitions puts a bike as being a vehicle, as muscular power propels it. As for a canoe the following definition excludes it from being a motorboat. “motorboat” means a boat with a motor that is attached to the boat and that is capable of being used as a means of propulsion, and includes any floating object being towed by a motorboat. In this definition the mention of muscular power is not there so canoes are not subject to the following section of the FWCA. A person who is in an area usually inhabited by wildlife or who is on the way to or from an area usually inhabited by wildlife shall not, (a) have a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle, or discharge a firearm from a vehicle; (b) have a loaded firearm in or on a motorboat, or discharge a firearm from a motorboat, unless the person is hunting migratory birds in accordance with the regulations under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (Canada); (c) have a loaded firearm in or on an aircraft, or discharge a firearm from an aircraft; (d) in a part of Ontario prescribed by the regulations, have a loaded firearm in, or discharge a firearm in or across, a right of way for public vehicular traffic; or (e) in a part of Ontario to which clause (d) does not apply, discharge a firearm in or across the travelled portion of a right of way for public vehicular traffic. The reference in (b) to the Migratory Birds Convention Act is the following; 15(1)(e) No person shall hunt a migratory bird from any aircraft, sailboat, power boat, or motorized vehicle, or any vehicle to which a draught animal is attached. No person shall hunt a migratory bird unless he has adequate means for retrieving any such bird that he may kill, cripple or injure. Notwithstanding paragraph 15(1)(e), a power boat may be used for the purpose of retrieving a migratory bird. So what that means is if you are using your power boat in a blind type situation and you wound a duck you can take the boat out to retrieve it. At no time can you have a loaded firearm or discharge it from a motorboat that has a forward motion. January 11, 2006 Q. We ran in to a moose the other day that was acting crazy. Would it be brain worm? A. There is a very good chance that it was infected by brain worm based on what you told the conservation officers. Meningeal worm or brain worm is a slender, delicate roundworm found in the brain cavity of some moose, caribou and deer. The white-tailed deer is the normal host of the brain worm also known as P. tenuis. The adult worms are normally located between the membrane covering both the brain and spinal cord, but are found more frequently in the brain. The adult worms deposit eggs either on these membranes or directly into blood vessels. Those deposited on the membranes, hatch and the larvae enter small blood vessels to be carried to the lungs where they enter the air tubes (alveoli). Eggs deposited into blood vessels are carried to the lungs and eventually hatch with larval penetration of the alveoli. This activity in the lung tissue produces pneumonia. The larvae pass up the respiratory tract from the alveoli, are swallowed and then eliminated in the mucus surrounding the feces. Larvae appear in the feces about three months after the host becomes infected. The larvae then penetrate into snails and slugs when they feed on the mucus around the deer feces and then act as intermediate hosts. Development of the larvae in the snails and slugs to a stage when they are infective to the vertebrate host takes about three weeks. Deer and moose become infected by ingesting these snails and slugs with their food. In the final host, development of the larva to the adult worm takes place in tissues of the central nervous system, particularly the spinal cord. Parasites leave the tissues of the spinal cord after about 20-40 days and locate between the spinal membranes where they mature. Subsequently they tend to accumulate in the brain region. The adult worms are about 50 mm in length and may be seen fairly readily when free in the brain cavity. From one to 20 brain worms have been found in the brain cavity of someinfected deer and moose that were checked. P. tenuis seldom causes damage in white-tailed deer. The infection is largely silent in white-tailed deer, although temporary lameness and spasms of one front limb have been noted in fawns which were experimentally infected. There have been a few reports of brain abnormalities in naturally infected adult white-tailed deer. In moose there is often extensive damage to tissues of the brain and spinal cord. The resulting brain disease is characterized by weakness, fearlessness, lack of coordination of movement, circling, deafness, impaired vision, paralysis and subsequent death. When in moose this disease is often called “moose sickness” or, “moose disease”. From what you told us many of these symptoms were present. We have all observed an increase in deer in the area. The deer come and go based on the winters we have and without doubt there will be some affects on the moose population. Since we do not have a large deer herd I don’t believe it to be a great concern. We must remember there is a long history of moose dying from brain worm in areas where the two species overlap and it’s governed by nature. December 21, 2005 Q. What are the ice conditions like? I heard there are some holes and slush. There are some things you should also be aware of if you get stuck in slush: Hypothermia, back/muscle strain, extreme colds, potential injury from spinning track, frostbit, etc. December 14, 2005 Q. I heard that some children found a bear hibernating in a brush pile last week near Fort Frances. Would it have survived in a place like that? A. Black bears have the art of winter survival mastered. Their winter survival rate is over 99 percent, impressive by any standard. For many other northern species, winter often means food shortage and even starvation. A bear that goes into the winter with a decent fat reserve has a very good chance of survival. While black bears have been found to den in slash piles, under large rocks, and even on open ground, the most secure and thermally protective den sites are associated with large trees. I have personally located several dens at the edge of swamps where trees have blown over and a root mass and moss form a natural cubby. Two years ago there was one that was sleeping back in the bush from my house just under an open tree, well after the snow came. It finally decided to relocate to somewhere a little warmer. Black bears are not true hibernators. They go through a winter dormancy period termed “carnivorean lethargy”, which helps them survive food shortages and severe winter weather. During the winter “sleep” bears do not eat, drink, urinate, or defecate. Waste products are recycled through unique metabolic and physiological processes and there is no degenerative bone loss during dormancy. Black bears exhibit varying degrees of sleep while denning, but most can be aroused if disturbed. To remain in good physical condition for months without eating requires change in a bear’s body chemistry. Some of the physiological changes in healthy hibernating bears would be a real problem for people. How hibernating bears remain healthy in winter and how their physiological adaptations might be useful in human medicine are subjects of study at some of North America’s leading medical research centers. For example, bears living off their accumulated body fat have hibernating cholesterol levels more than twice summer levels and more than twice as high as the normal cholesterol levels of most humans. Yet bears exhibit no hardening of the arteries or formation of cholesterol gallstones. Hibernation for the black bear, as for other mammals, is primarily a mechanism to conserve energy through seasons of no food or water. The process, however, does not work in summer. If there is an insufficient food supply in summer months, bears can lose weight and starve, much as we would. As for the bear in Fort Frances I heard that they moved it and constructed a den out of hay bales for it. That should be a toasty warm spot. November 30, 2005 Q. I think my hunting and fish card expires at the end of December. When can I renew it? A. To confirm whether or not your Outdoors card expires look at the last 2 digits of your card. If it is 05, it expires at the end of the day on December 31st. Outdoors Card renewal packages are being mailed to anglers and hunters who’s cards are expiring. Outdoors Card holders are now able to renew their cards and purchase 3-year fishing licences and/or small game hunting licences using quick and convenient electronic renew options. These options include renewing over the internet at www.outdoorscard.mnr.gov.on.ca, by telephone at 1-800-288-1155 and at Service Ontario Kiosks across Ontario. The new 2006 fees are now in effect. The following licences will be available electronically which includes the Outdoor Card fee of $6.00 in all cases. Fishing Card 3 year Sport Fishing licence $75.00 Hunting Card 3 year Sport Fishing Licence $75.00 Prompt renewal is encouraged, especially for people wishing to hunt or fish at the beginning of January in areas where there are early seasons. Both the paper e-licence and the expired Outdoors Card containing the same 15-digit number as the e-licence; OR Both the paper e-licence and the expired temporary Outdoors Card containing the same personal information under which the e-licence was obtained. Or Both the paper e-licence and a valid temporary Outdoors Card containing the same personal information under which the e-licence was obtained. November 23, 2005 Q. What amount of recovery effort is required to retrieve a wounded deer or moose? What is a “good effort”? A. No true sportsmen likes to see an animal wounded but if you’ve never dealt with a wounded moose or deer, either by yourself or hunting partner either you haven’t hunted much or your luck is so good you should hop the next flight to Las Vegas. November 2, 2005 Q. What are some of the main responsibilities of the head trapper for managing the harvest of fur bearing animals? A. I will start off with some information I got from the Fur Institute of Canada. Before Europeans arrived in North America, an active trade between the Aboriginal communities of North America existed in furs and other commodities. As the fur trade has evolved over the centuries so have trapping practices. Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal trappers have adapted their practices to reflect increased knowledge and understanding of the fur trade and the species they harvest. Trapping is highly regulated by the Province of Ontario and no endangered species are trapped or used in the fur industry. Under the trappers' stewardship, wildlife habitat is carefully managed to ensure healthy populations of the various species found within a specific region. As successful small business managers, trappers demonstrate good business sense by ensuring their source of revenue is never depleted due to over harvesting or poor habitat management. The entire area around here is divided up in parcels and tracts of Crown Land, in a variety of shapes and sizes, called registered traplines. The person assigned to manage a registered trapline area is the “head trapper” and has all the rights and obligations associated with trapping in that area. The head trapper is the one responsible for ensuring compliance with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Public Lands Act, and any regulations made under those acts. This responsibility extends to any helpers that he or she may use to assist in trapping in the registered trapline area. The head trapper must monitor and ensure compliance in the following areas:
I have always admired the head trapper who worked his or her trapline with the care, pride, ownership and responsibility that you often see in a successful farmer tending his field. Whether the fur prices are high or low they continue to trap their line to a sustainable level, accepting the good years with the bad. They anticipate areas where entire beaver colonies must be removed to avoid damage to roads or private property. Their pelts are handled to ensure top dollars are obtained. Trails are carefully planned to protect critical habitat and the interests of other users and cabins are properly maintained. Successful trappers ensure they respect the land and the animals they harvest by keeping themselves current with new techniques and regulations and by using the most modern humane traps and abiding by all open seasons. They inspect their traps frequently. They pass on their knowledge of the land and trapping to wildlife managers, their family and other trappers. They help to educate the public by attending schools, doing presentation and putting up informational booths at trade fairs. October 26, 2005 Q. My friend is coming to visit and would like to go out with me when I go hunting. While I am licenced for both moose and deer, he only has a non-resident small game licence. I want to be legal so what all can we do? A. I am first going to explain to you how the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act defines “hunting”. It includes; (a) lying in wait for, searching for, being on the trail of, pursuing, chasing, or shooting at wildlife, whether or not the wildlife is killed, injured, captured or harassed, or (b) capturing or harassing wildlife. So I will try to make that a little easier to understand in regards to your question. You can certainly take your friend along providing you each individually hunt for what your licenced. Now there will be times when you are driving around together and in these instances he may wish to hunt grouse and you for the big game, and that’s ok. Regulations made under the Act restrict your friend to the following equipment. 1. A holder of a small game licence, when in an area during an open season in the area for a species of big game, shall not possess or use, a) A rifle of greater caliber or projectile power than a .22 calibre rim-fire rifle chambered for cartridges known as a .22 short, .22 long or .22 long rifle; or b) Shells loaded with ball or shot larger than number two shot Despite clause (1)(b) a holder of a small game licence, when in an area during an open season in the area for a species of big game, may possess and use, a) In the case of shot made of steel, shot that is not larger than triple BBB steel shot; or b) In the case of shot made of bismuth, shot that is not larger than double BB bismuth shot. Where things would go off the track is if your friend who only has a small game licence decides to push a chunk of bush to chase out a deer or moose to you. He is then deemed to be hunting big game as this would be chasing or harassing it. In reality, a person does not need to have a gun, bow, and etc. to be deemed hunting. If you push a piece of bush to drive game out to another hunter, even if it’s with a stick and a tin can you will be deemed to be hunting. If you are successful in harvesting a moose or a deer, your friend can certainly help you to carry it out of the woods. You are also allowed to share what you harvest. Since you mentioned he was a non-resident he will be required to obtain the appropriate export permit should he wish to take some meat home. I often get the question about just riding around with a licenced hunter, even if you have no licence at all. The same thing applies for those folks. You can do it as long as you are not hunting as previously defined. October 19, 2005 Q. When do you figure the deer will be in full “rut” around the Red Lake area? A. I can answer that question generally and provide you with some information on factors that causes the “rut” to occur. The phenomenon known as "the rut" is the period when deer breed. People often ask conservation officers when the rut is going to occur. Many hunters want to make sure that they plan hunting vacations to include that magical time when bucks lose all caution and deer are moving. The rut is initiated by response to length of daylight hour, the photoperiod, which is a reliable signal that does not vary from year to year as does temperature and other conditions. Some say that weather and moon phases are factors but in my personal belief it’s the length of the day that has the most influence.The “rut’ normally is the first part of November around here. I have had success during the “rut” calling the amorous bucks within easy range both by “rattling” and “calling”. Rattling is the noise you make when rattling antlers together which imitates the sound of an ensuing antler battle. Bucks respond to rattling much more frequently than does do. It is thought that rattling attracts bucks because they may be attempting to assert their dominance, or possibly steal the doe the bucks are fighting for. October 12, 2005 Q. Last year I heard of some hunters that had moose meat spoil and go green. Can you tell me what to do to prevent that? A. Although there are similarities between a moose and a white-tail deer, a moose because of its size poses a greater challenge. Some folks treat the moose like a deer after they have harvested it. A moose which has a much greater body mass and thicker hair requires greater attention to get the meat cooled after it has been harvested. If you do not cool it fast enough, allow the meat to lie in mossy swamps, or leave it in swamp water, the meat will sour. The green color indicates that this has occurred. October 5, 2005 Q. I was concerned with the road hunters along Highway 105 last fall and with the season for moose and deer opening for residents on Saturday I’m sure it will happen again. The hunters are driving slowly and I think they’re shooting from the highway. Is that not illegal? A. I can first assure you that the conservation officers are spending a lot of time checking these hunters to ensure they stay within the law. It was recently demonstrated in a court case where a large fine was imposed for someone shooting from the highway that this is an unacceptable behaviour. The Ontario Provincial Police are aware of the slow moving vehicles as well. They will deal with any issues that are a violation of the Highway Traffic Act. We find the most common violations that occur when individuals are road hunting are: - Having a loaded firearm in a vehicle - Discharging a firearm from, down, or across a public road or highway - Have an unencased firearm from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise - Hunt in a careless manner Hunters are reminded in northern Ontario; it is illegal to discharge a firearm in or across the traveled portion of a maintained right-of-way for public vehicular traffic. This includes the gravel shoulders of a highway and may also include groomed snowmobile trails. A “maintained right-of-way” includes many bush roads. A maintained right-of-way need not be maintained on a regular schedule, as long as periodic maintenance does occur. For example, a road may not be graded for a couple of years, but if timber extraction occurs periodically and the road is being maintained as the need arises, the road is considered to be maintained. Before you shoot at any game on a road, or from a road, you must also consider public safety. If there is any possibility that another vehicle could be coming towards you down the road, you should not be shooting. Unless you are absolutely certain that a bush road is abandoned and is not being maintained, the safest approach is to let the moose or grouse walk into the bush. Follow it off the traveled portion of the road before shooting at it. I also get a number of calls about the hunters who set there lawn chairs up along the highway and sit waiting for a moose to walk out. Motorists express concerns that they may be in the line of fire. I got the following thought from an article I read. As a hunter myself I thought it was worth sharing. “by acknowledging that hunting is a privilege, not a right and understanding that the non-hunting public's attitude toward hunting is influenced by how they view your personal conduct”. From the calls that I have got, hunters driving slowly down main highways and hunting on them, are aggravating a lot of folks. That even includes other hunters.
September 21, 2005 Q. There was a sale on goldfish the other day for 10 cents each and with the cost of minnows it would be cheaper for me to use them. Is that legal? A. In most areas of Ontario, only the following fish may be used as bait: · Minnow family The reason for not allowing the use of goldfish is to prevent exotics also known as invasive species from entering our lakes and rivers. To define invasive species, it is those that occur outside their natural range. They are nonnative plants and animals that harm or endanger native plants and animals or other aspects of biodiversity. Alien invasive species occur in all groups of plants and animals. They include competitors, predators, pathogens and parasites. They have invaded almost every type of native ecosystem and caused hundreds of extinctions. Under the following conditions you can catch your own bait. Resident anglers with a valid Ontario fishing licence or those who qualify to fish without purchasing a licence (see page 1) may capture their own bait-fish for personal use, using a bait-fish trap or dip net. Resident anglers may have no more than 120 bait-fish caught under the authority of a valid fishing licence in their possession at any time. Note: Non-resident anglers cannot take bait-fish for personal use by any means. 1. Bait-traps 2. Dip-Nets Leeches September 14, 2005 Q. My friend from the United States wishes to come up this fall and archery hunt for Ruffed Grouse. Can he do that with only a small game licence when the big game season is open? Also I received a bull tag for the regular gun season but I would like to archery hunt with my friend who got an archery bull tag. Is that possible? A. Your friend can hunt small game providing he is not participating in big game hunting with archery hunters who are big game hunting. It would be expected that if he is hunting for small game he would have the appropriate tip on his arrows such as a ‘judo’ tip. In answer to the second question, you sure can party hunt with your archery equipment with your friend. Your friend’s archery tag is valid until the resident gun season opens in the Wildlife Management Unit in which you are hunting. Once the gun season opens then your friends tag reverts to a calf tag. He can then continue to hunt for a calf moose with his archery equipment or with a gun. He would also be able to party hunt for an adult animal with his archery equipment or a gun providing someone has a tag. The following are the specifications required for big game hunting with each of these bows. Crossbows: ØDraw length must be at least 300 mm (11.8in.); ØDraw weight must be at least 54kg (119 lbs) ØBolt head must be at least 22 mm (0.9 in.) at the widest point; and, ØThere must be at least two cutting edges of strait, sharp, unserrated, barbless steel. The draw length of a crossbow is measured along the bolt ramp (where the bolt rests) from outer edge of the main limb, to the anchor point (release latch mechanism) at full draw. Longbows: ØDraw weight must be at least 22 kg (48.5 lbs) at draw length of 700 mm (27.6 in.) or less; ØArrow length must be at least 600 mm (23.6 in.); ØBolt head must be at least 22 mm (0.9 in.) at the widest point; and, ØThere must be at least two cutting edges of strait, sharp, unserrated, barbless steel. The draw length of a longbow is measured from the outer edge of the main riser (handle), following the line of the arrow to the anchor point. The length of an arrow for both types of bows is measured from the base of the arrowhead to the bottom of the nock slot. As the case with any firearm a bow must be encased from one half hour after sunset until one half hour before sunrise. A bow must not be loaded in a vehicle or vessel or discharged from a vehicle or vessel. A crossbow is considered loaded if the bow is cocked and there is a bolt in the in the crossbow. A bow other than a crossbow is considered to be loaded if the bow is strung and the arrow is nocked. The one thing you will soon learn is archery hunting is much different then rifle hunting. Patience is everything and you will probably have to pass up a few animals until you get that perfect shot to ensure a clean, humane kill. There is literature available on archery hunting which not only describes techniques but also describes effective range and target areas on the different big game species. Information can be obtained from our MNR office, the public library, magazines and internet sites. Good luck on your new endeavor. Please contact a local Conservation Officer or MNR district office if you have a question regarding the hunting regulations in your area. September 7, 2005 Q. Can you explain to me what a resident or a non resident has to do to hunt a wolf these days? I have heard there are new regulations. A. What’s important to remember is the critters in the forests hold the interest of many different groups as well as hunters. The reason for the new regulations is to ensure wolves continue to play an important part in the natural ecosystem in all parts of the Province of Ontario for all the people. Wolves may be hunted or trapped from September 15th to March 31st. So that means there is a closed season of April 1st to September 14th for hunting and trapping of wolves and coyotes. The closed season will protect both adults and young pups during the pup rearing season through into the fall dispersal period. This is consistent with similar protection afforded other hunted species in Ontario. Hunters are required to purchase a wolf/coyote seal in addition to their small game licence and to submit mandatory questionnaires. The seal requirement will also limit the number of wolves that can be taken by hunters to two per calendar year. Both seals can be purchased at the same time. The seals which are good for the calendar year will be available for purchase from MNR offices and selected Government Information Centres (GIC). Hunters who purchase wolf/coyote seals will be mailed a questionnaire to complete and return. They may also be picked up at MNR offices. Since seals must be obtained ahead of time it would be wise to get them early if you wish to hunt wolves to ensure you have them when you plan to hunt. Non-residents will also be required to purchase a wolf/coyote seal in addition to a non-resident small game licence and be subject to mandatory reporting. The closed seasons will apply to both residents and non-residents. Residents will pay a $10.00 per seal fee for a wolf/coyote seal, and non-residents will pay a $250.00 per seal fee. In both cases a small game hunting licence is required at a cost of $18.50 for residents and $87.50 for non-residents. The requirement for a game seal and mandatory reporting will take effect September 15, 2005. Hunters will have until January 15, 2006 to report. Coyotes are included in those parts of Ontario where their range overlaps with wolves. That is because distinguishing between a coyote and a wolf, especially an eastern wolf, is very difficult and it is very easy to mistake one for the other. There is an annual limit of two seals per hunter per year but there is no quota or limit proposed for trappers. Trappers have been annually reporting their harvest of wolf and other furbearers since 1998-1999. I hope this helps clarify the new wolf/coyote regulations. August 31, 2005 Q. What are some of the common violations that you find hunters get into trouble with? A. While most hunters understand and follow Ontario’s Hunting Regulations some common things seem to happen every fall which puts a few hunters into violation of the law. The following are some preventable violations that occur. 1. Loaded Firearms in Vehicle or Motorboat: It is illegal to posses a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle or motorboat. This is unsafe and has resulted in accidents, including fatalities. 2. Unencased Firearms: You must unload and encase firearms in your possession during the period from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. The only exception is for licensed night raccoon hunters. 3. Taking an over quota: There are still some folks that have a hard time stopping when they get to their legal daily and possession limits of grouse, ducks and geese. 4. Shooting from a Public Road: It is illegal to shoot from, down or across a public road while hunting. 5. Failure to Wear Fluorescent Orange: In Ontario during the gun season for deer and moose, all hunters must visibly wear both a fluorescent orange vest/coat and hat. During open season for bear, all bear hunters must wear orange except while in a tree stand. Camouflage hunter orange patterns are not allowed. (This regulation does not apply to waterfowl hunters.) 6. Game Sealing Violations: These violations range from forgetting to notch the game seal or improperly applying the seal when harvesting a big game animal, to transferring or misusing game seals. Hunters are reminded that detailed instructions are printed on each big game seal and in the Hunting Regulations Summary. 7. Carrying Another Person’s Game Seal: While hunting, a person may not possess another person’s game seal. This applies to moose, deer, bear and wild turkey game seals. 8. Failure to Retain Evidence of Gender on Moose: When there are gender restrictions on the harvest of game, the sex organs must be transported attached to the carcass. This is required for all adult moose harvested in Ontario. 9. Hunting in the Wrong Area: For example, a license validation tag is only valid in a specific Wildlife Management Unit and cannot be legally used in another area. 10. Trespassing: Hunters must have permission to enter private land, even if the intent is just to cross the private land to reach public land. Private property does not necessarily have to be posted to deny access. Every year, trespassing results in more and more property being posted and no longer available to hunters. 11. Failure to Carry License on Person: Hunters must carry the license, any validation tag and any game seals with them while hunting. Failure to do so often results in wasted time for the Conservation Officer, a spoiled hunt for the hunter and can result in fines and/or seized equipment. 12. Abandonment of Game: It is illegal to abandon game or allow it to spoil. Every year we find big game animals that hunters leave to spoil.
Q. I am coming up fishing but also want to hunt geese on September 1st when the season opens. Do I till need to leave a wing on the geese when I take them home? A. It is the law that you leave one feathered wing on your ducks and geese until they are readied for immediate consumption so that an officer inspecting them can determine the species. Please note the season only opens for Canada Geese on September 1st. It opens for ducks and the other species of geese on September 10th. If you hunt Woodcock it doesn’t open until September 15th. It’s important to note that if you are going to hunt for migratory birds you need a Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit as well as a Ontario licence to hunt small game. You can pick up the Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit at most post offices. One thing that you should note is that a Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit cannot be used as proof of previous hunting experience when purchasing an Ontario hunting licence. Now for this article I will be talking about the “Northern District” of Ontario. To better define what the Northern District is it includes Wildlife Management Unit 1C, those parts of 1D, 25, and 26 lying west of longitude 83o 45’ and south of latitude 51o, and Wildlife Management Units 2 to 24, 27 to 41, and 45. So that includes most of northern and northwestern Ontario. You should note if you are thinking of heading to the Hudson Bay/James Bay coast or southern Ontario different seasons and bag limits apply. If that is the case feel free to drop into an MNR office to check with a Conservation Officer or you can go the Canadian Wildlife Service website at: www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife. So for the Northern District, there is a daily bag limit of 6 ducks (other than Harlequin Ducks which you can’t hunt). There are some species restrictions as well; you can only harvest two Black Ducks in a day and not more than 4 Canvasbacks or Redheads in a day. For possession you can have 2 days limit so just double the numbers I just mentioned. For geese (other than Snow Geese and Brant) the daily possession limit is 5 and you can have 10 in your possession. Again there are exceptions. If you are hunting in WMU’s 23 to 32 and 37 to 47 you can only take 3 Canada geese per day from September 10 to December 15th. Snow geese limits are now at 10 per day and you can have 40 in your possession. There are other migratory bird’s rails, coots, snipe and moorhens that have bag limits and seasons as well. Since not many people hunt them I won’t go into them in much detail but if you are interested you can go the CWS website I mentioned earlier or give us a call. You can also find out the regulation on lead shot, retrieving birds, hunting from a boat etc. from that website or by calling us. August 10, 2005 Q. When does the hunting season for black bears start? A. The season for Black Bear starts on August 15th in the Wildlife Management Units around Red Lake. Once you have killed a black bear, you must immediately after the kill and at the kill site securely attach the game seal to the animal. The seal must remain attached while transporting the carcass. You must notch out the month, date and time of the kill on the game seal. If party hunting for black bears, the member whose game seal is to be used must immediately after the kill and at the kill site securely attach the game seal to the animal in the manner prescribed on the seal. Only the hunter whose game seal is to be used is allowed to attach the game seal to the black bear. It is illegal to transfer a game seal in order to seal a black bear. The term “party hunting for black bears” means two or more persons hunting during an open season for black bears under all of the following conditions: -Each person has a valid license to hunt black bears. -The total number of black bears killed by the party does not exceed the total number of game seals held by the members of the party licensed to hunt black bears. -All members of the party hunt together in the same wildlife management unit as the person who holds the valid game seal. -Each member of the party hunts within 5 kilometers of the person who holds the game seal that is valid for the black bear being hunted. -Each member of the party must be able to reliably and immediately communicate with other members of the party. The person who kills the black bear while hunting in a party shall immediately notify all other members of the party the black bear has been killed. A person may hunt in a party even if the person has previously attached his or her game seal to a black bear. Some things to remember as well: -It is illegal to hunt black bears while they are swimming. -It is illegal to hunt black bears within 400 m (437 yd.) of a waste disposal site, regardless if the land is Crown or private. -It is illegal to shoot or interfere with black bears in their dens or damage or destroy their dens. -It is illegal to possess a bear gallbladder that has been separated from the bear carcass. Leave the gallbladder with the entrails after field dressing your bear. Resident hunters are now required to report their bear hunting activity and harvest by December 15 of the year of the hunt. A resident hunter will receive the mandatory questionnaire with the bear hunting license. To submit the report, you must complete and mail the mandatory questionnaire to the MNR, Big Game Harvest Assessment Program, 1350 High Falls Road, Bracebridge ON, P1L 1W9. Hunters who lose or misplace their mandatory repost can obtain another one by calling or visiting an MNR office. WMU-specific second game seals for black bears may be available to resident bear hunters in WMUs where there are no sustainability concerns. The second game seal allows a resident hunter to take a second black bear. These seals are available from MNR offices. You can contact a local MNR office in August of the year of the hunt for information on WMUs where second game seals are available. For folks hunting in Red Lake District, there are second seals available in WMU’s 1C, 2,3 and 6 but not in 4 or 5 this year. It is illegal to hunt in a WMU not specified on the game seal when hunting black bears under a second game seal. August 3, 2005 Q. I found a dead loon on a beach the other day. Do you know what may have killed it? A. Loons can die from a number of different things including natural causes, such as old age. Unnatural ways include ingesting lead from sinkers or jigs, getting caught in gill nets, being struck by watercrafts, or eggs being lost due to being flooded or deserted. July 29, 2005 Q. Why don’t you stop anyone that is going in the bush from taking cigarettes or matches? If they start a forest fire we all suffer. A. You have brought up a good question and as a long time resident of the area I know that you were here when the big forest fires were around the Town of Red Lake. Forest Fires can be very dangerous and disruptive. While prohibiting a person from actually taking cigarettes and matches into the bush is something that would be very hard to regulate, there are rules that prohibit smoking in the bush. The Forest Fires Prevention Act has two different sections which regulate smoking in the bush. The first one is “No person shall smoke while walking or working in a forest or woodland during the fire season.” And “No person shall throw or drop, in or within 300 metres of a forest or woodland, a) a lighted match, cigarette, cigar or other smoking material; b) live coals; or c) hot ashes.” From time to time when the fire danger gets very high the Minister of Natural Resources may declare a “Restricted Fire Zone” or a “Restricted Travel Zone.” These are also ways to reduce the number of human caused fires. If a fire is caused by or results from the conduct of a person or is caused by or results from a person disobeying, refusing or neglecting to carry out any of the provisions of this Act or the regulations, any order made under this Act or the regulations or any condition of any permit issued under this Act or the regulations, the cost and expenses of any action taken under this Act shall be paid by the person and are recoverable in any court of competent jurisdiction by the person who incurred the costand expenses. Every person who disobeys or refuses or neglects to carry out any of the provisions of this Act or the regulations or of any order made there under or any condition of any permit issued there under is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine of not more than $1000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than three months or both. One of the things you mentioned was about the people who go in the bush to pick blueberries. That is a really good point and I would really like to say to these folks to use extra care as most blueberry patches are in dry locations. David Anderson is the Enforcement Supervisor for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in Red Lake District and has worked as a Conservation Officer in Northwestern Ontario for 26 years. July 13, 2005 Q. When do we need to apply to get an antlerless deer tag? What does the deer population look like this year? A. The deadline for applications by telephone is 11:55 p.m. (EDT) on August 2, 2005. The deadline for paper applications to be received at an MNR office is 5:00 p.m. on August 2, 2005. Whether a hunter applies by telephone or by paper application, the responsibility for entering a valid application rests with that hunter. If you have any questions regarding your application or the application process, more information is available from MNR district and area office. Any resident of Ontario who has a valid hunting version Outdoors Card may apply to the draw for an antlerless deer validation tag. Each hunter who receives a validation tag in the draw is permitted to harvest an antlerless deer in the WMU specified on the tag. An antlerless deer is defined as a deer that has no antlers, or has antlers that are less than 7.5 cm (3 inches) in length. Licensed hunters who do not apply to the antlerless draw, or who are not successful in the draw for an antlerless deer validation tag, may harvest an antlered deer. Hunters who wish to apply to the antlerless deer draw may use one of two methods. For your convenience, you may purchase your 2005 resident’s deer licence tag (the sticker that goes on the back of your Outdoors Card) and apply to the antlerless deer draw in one toll-free call to 1-800-288-1155 between March 1 and August 2. This line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may also purchase a deer licence from a licence issuer and submit a paper application for the draw to a Ministry of Natural Resources office. Your chance of being drawn for an antlerless deer validation tag is the same whether you apply by telephone or by paper application. Choose one method only – you will be disqualified if more than one application is submitted in your name. White-tailed deer are abundant in many parts of their Ontario range. Easily available food, mild winters, and the ability to adapt to human encroachment have allowed them to flourish. As a result, much of Ontario is rich in deer hunting opportunities. There are two types of opportunities for Ontario-resident deer hunters that involve computerized random draws for validation tags. They are: ·The Antlerless Deer Draw ·The Controlled Deer Hunt Draw The antlerless deer validation tag program was instituted in portions of Ontario in 1980, when deer populations were at a relatively low level. The program’s purpose is to ensure the sustainability of the herd. Habitat has a limited ability to support deer; this ability is called the carrying capacity of the habitat. Maintaining a deer population within the carrying capacity of its habitat ensures a healthy population with minimal habitat impacts, which ensures sustainability. The antlerless deer validation tag program is used to limit the number of antlerless tags allocated, which controls the number of antlerless deer harvested. If deer populations are low, then the number of antlerless tags offered will be low, to allow the heard to rebuild. As deer numbers increase, the number of antlerless tags offered will increase to control the growth of the herd. The antlerless deer validation tag program allows any legally licensed hunter to harvest a buck, but an antlerless deer (a doe or fawn) can be harvested only if the hunter or hunting party holds an antlerless deer validation tag. David Anderson is the Enforcement Supervisor for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in Red Lake District and has worked as a Conservation Officer in Northwestern Ontario for 26 years. February 9, 2005 Q. There was a lynx on the street in front of me in Cochenour and it didn’t seem scared or want to move away. Can they be dangerous? A. I will first say that any wild animal can be unpredictable and they must be respected, hence the name “wild”. If one is in your path you can either slowly retreat or wait for it to move on. In most cases they will do that fairly quickly. When a conservation officer went out to investigate the sighting he too spotted the lynx. In fact he observed it catch a Snowshoe Hare right in front of his truck and then proudly carry it off into the forest. When a lynx is hunting, which he was probably doing when you saw it, they become extremely focused. This is much the same as a house cat watching the birds at a feeder. Here is some more information on the lynx. In North America the Snowshoe Hare is the most important prey animal, but lynx will also take small rodents, ducks and ground dwelling birds, as well as young deer. Lynx can climb well and are good swimmers. They have acute vision and will stalk prey over long distances or wait patiently in ambush before making a final, typical cat bound from as close as possible. They are usually solitary animals and nocturnal (night) hunters, but cooperative hunting has occasionally been observed, with rabbits being driven towards a waiting ambush or a pair of lynxes stalking from both sides of joint prey. Lynx are found through out the northern World from Scandinavia to Siberia, Canada, and the northern United States, and is the largest of the European cats, males often more than five times heavier than the average domestic cat, although size can vary considerably. It is a sturdy looking animal set on solid looking legs, a rear noticeably longer than the front, with large paws, a fairly small head, and a very short tail. The coat is long and thick with tufts on the ear tips; "sideboards", which become especially noticeable in winter, may develop to almost a full ruff. Long fur on the feet aids movement over soft snow. If you happen to notice some big round tracks spaced 20 to 30 cm apart on the surface of the snow it’s probably a lynx. Color ranges from a sandy gray to a tawny red with white under parts, with some degree of spotting. In North America, Felis lynx canadensis may have a rather frosted appearance, so that the spots become hardly noticeable. the mating season, which may be as early as January, but more normally late February or early March. The breeding male makes a high pitched wail which ends in a softer moan, the female answers in a vibrato siren-like howl. They also make a variety of hissing and chattering sounds. February 2, 2005 Q. A few years ago I was fishing with a friend and he showed me how to use the gullet (throat meat) from a walleye as bait when I ran out of minnows. Was this legal? A. Yes, this is a legal activity. The Ontario Fishery Regulations clearly states that you could not have used a live sport fish such as a walleye for bait, as a walleye doesn’t fall into the definition of a baitfish. If however you wish to use a portion of the fish that is normally removed and ends up in the “gut-pail” or garbage when you clean or fillet it, you are ok. A section in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act prohibits the spoilage of or abandonment of any flesh that is suitable for food. While some may debate that some portions of a fish discarded by many, is indeed edible, we would not take issue with someone using parts of the head, entrails (guts), fins, skin, backbone or tail. Any fish parts used must have come from a fish counted as part of your legal limit. What I have seen used is the V-shaped skin below the tongue area of the fish. It’s normally white and the tissue is tough and it stays on the hook. This skin if properly removed simulates a swimming minnow when attached to your hook. The “gullet” from what I have researched is the muscular throat muscle of the fish. However, you should remember in some lakes in the province the use of fish, whether it is live or dead, or any fish parts is prohibited. Contact a local conservation officer or consult the 2005-06 Summary of the Fishing Regulations if you are unsure of the rules on a particular lake.
A. It’s the same as last year but as a quick reminder, anglers need to ensure they are transporting fish in compliance with the regulations, which help protect fisheries resources. The fish that you catch and keep may be cleaned. However, please remember that fish taken from waterbodies where size limits are in effect must be readily measurable at all times, unless the fish are: ·Being prepared for immediate consumption ·Prepared at an overnight accommodation for storage
· Being transported overland · In addition, when packaging fish you must ensure that a Conservation officer can determine: · The number of fish you have and · The species of fish that you have in your possession Well it’s finally warming up enough to get out and have an enjoyable day on the ice. January 26, 2005 Q. Did the deer lose their horns earlier than normal this year? A. Just so we are talking the same talk, deer really have antlers. True horns are found on critters such as mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bison and pronghorn antelope. Horns are permanent, continually growing projections of living bone protruding from the skull. They are sheathed in a layer of keratin, a tough, dense substance like that found in horse hooves. Except for the pronghorn antelope, horns are usually unbranched and remain on the animal throughout its life. Pronghorns, as the name indicates, are two pronged and they shed the outer sheath of keratin every year. Horns are usually found on both males and females. January 19, 2005 Q. What are you going to do about all the garbage that people are throwing in the bush? A. First I ‘d like to say that this is a problem that belongs to all of us and the Ministry of Natural Resources needs everyone’s help to curb it. Our staff has noticed that there are some uncaring people who feel that they can take their household trash, old furniture, stoves and fridges etc. down local side roads to dump them. Despite the fact the following sections of the Public Lands Act regulates this activity there are still those who wish to trash up our beautiful wilderness. Offence |