Moose in Ontario

[turbo250]

This is my take on the hunting of calves. I think that when the lottery system for shooting of adult moose was brought into play, calves were thrown in to pacify any hunter who did not get an adult tag. Let me explain. Each hunter has to buy a licence to apply for an adult tag. If the hunter is not successfull in the draw he does not get a refund of his money.There would be an outcry from hunters that did not receive a tag after spending money on a licence. I think the management realized this and decided to let these hunters shoot calves because the thinking was hunters would not see many calves at all. This way licence revenue would not be affected. Well there are many, many calves being shot (in my area anyway). The MNR is less than accurate in their policy on this. I think it all boils down to loss of revenue. What we need is a system that allows the hunter to apply for an adult tag then buy the licence not the other way around.

I agree. This is what needs to happen. Fee to enter the draw if not successful no hunt. That simple. Until the moose problem can be rectified.

 

[Southlander]

I also agree calf tags should be managed and not wide open. I have heard the arguments regarding high calf mortality rate but don't feel that fact justifies the widespread harvest of calves, in fact possibly the opposite. Hear me out. Assuming the number of calves not surviving in a given year is 50% that 50% fed the predators and trimmed the weak. How do we know the hunter doesn't harvest the strong calf and the weak doesn't survive anyway? The predator needs to eat, if a hunter harvests a calf, how does that feed a predator? The predator still needs to eat and would take a calf if presented with the opportunity. So suggesting calves should be harvested before 50% die could actually result in a much higher percentage than 50% not surviving. IMO Habitat and predator control are the only effective way to help the moose numbers province wide and the calves have been a consolation prize to those not able to draw a tag.

 

[#16]

The areas around Algonquin park already have a calf draw and if you are not drawn for a tag you get sweet F
, ALL,if you have 10 people applying and get no tag that is over $500.00 dollars for nothing. ( you just gave your money to the man)
They took away the spring Bear hunt,make you purchase a coyote tag and now are fuking the average joe out of his hard earned money.

Do you think there are pissed off guys around ???????? You bet

 

[Dan81]

There isn't just one factor it a combination of everything that's already been mentioned. I live in Thunder Bay and the major decline is in the WMU's 13 and 15b. This isn't suprising given the fact that 13 is the most populated unit in the north. Also these units also have had years of available tags that were in the 1000's. Why the MNR did this never made sense, as most other units had substantially less tags available. Unlimited road access created by the logging companies in these units is another major factor. Combine this with piss poor forestry practices, like massive clear cutting and spraying. the moose season should be closed in these units for a least 5 years.

 

[Home3]

In East Algonquin where my hunt camp is, things look really bad. Last weekend, I made it up to my cabin with my 4X4 (which should have not be possible this time of the year!). After the last deer season, I wrote in this website about the absence of the deer in my area due to the previous harsh winter. They are still absent. However, I originally hopped that the 2013 winter cul had only affected the deer population and not the moose, as Moose are generally better equipped for harsh winters. It seems i was wrong. Now I don't seem to see any sign of moose either (and I know where their traditional winter yards are). A lot of guys tend to immediately point at predators, but there are no signs of wolf activity either (there are no coyotes around here). Honest to goodness, I don't know what's happening here but it is not good!

 

[hoytcanon]

People are "crying wolf" too early here on moose numbers... the brutal winter of 2013-2014, shifted the moose yards in many areas... according to friends who participated in the moose survey, it was the most ineffective count ever... when this is the case biologists fall back on a very conservative position. Let's see what the next couple years reveals.

 

[Bland]

Our area of BC has had lower moose #'s for three seasons now. One correlation between us and your part of Ontario is black bear#'s are through the roof. Makes you wonder.

 

[the spank]

I agree. This is what needs to happen. Fee to enter the draw if not successful no hunt. That simple. Until the moose problem can be rectified.

That is the system in place in both AB and SK!!! enter a draw. $3 -$5 depending on species and province. If successful you purchase your license and go hunting . If unsuccessful try again next year . And when numbers are low on a species such as Antelope in SK the past few years they shut it down. Even upland game birds are on a given number of tags per season in low number years or areas.

 

[roche1982]

Not to mention aboriginal over-harvesting of game under the guise of "subsistence" hunting. Some hunters I know were offered moose for their tags, if they were willing to offer up some financial consideration of course. Seems that several truckloads of aboriginal hunters had blazed through the area and shot everything they saw about a week before the season opened. One of the guys called the MNR and the OPP and were told to without proof there was no legal recourse. Too afraid of another Oka?

This has got to stop. Being Native does not give them the right to be stupid, carless and wasteful. They lack any respect for wildlife. True native culture is long gone

 

[mrgoat]

In Ontario the MNR has had there budgets cut so bad over the years that they are just a mere shadow of themselves. As a result they do not have an utter clue of any animal numbers let alone moose. They are lucky to even know how many people will be working in there office next week let alone how many moose are in the bush.
Few folks will remember but when the lottery idea was first introduced it was supposed to be only a "temporary" measure of no more than 10yrs. to double the Ontario moose population. The first year mortality rate on calves we were told was high so they would be excluded from the lottery.
Well the best laid plans of the MNR has per usual hasn't worked. From my experiences there are far more moose in some areas and far less in others than when the lottery started. My opinion would be the moose population is now lower than when this whole lottery mess started. Of course a now cash strapped MNR is very reluctant to give up the cash they take in on the various big game lotteries. I think like many they are going to have to resort to charging a small fee to enter the lottery and only charge for a licence if successful because the average non native hunter has simply had enough of the BS and having his pockets picked.

The reasons the moose populations are low are due to several factors in my opinion, drastic budget, staff and resource cuts to the MNR, the cancelation of the spring bear hunt, native and Metis taking what they want and when they want, disease, wolves, and habitat issues. There are other factors but I think these are the major issues.
It is criminal that the most valuable asset Ontario has is it's natural resources and the Ministry that over sees it has absolutely no capabilities in doing so, as there budgets, staff, resources have been cut so drastically they are totally ineffective. The MNR voice in the legislature is one of being seen and not heard. The Natives/Metis with their band and harvester cards in hand are raping the bush under the disguise it is there right and they are feeding the elderly. The sad part of all this the government which includes the courts doesn't have the balls to take them to task. If they did the situation would be over and the wildlife of Ontario would be better off.