Ontario French River Channel for Hunting any good?

Tjv787

Tjv787

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Hello

How is the French River area west of hwy 69 and directly north of the French River for small game and deer, moose and bear?

Also what fish are in that area of the French River ? Bass, pike, Muskie and walleye ? Anything else ?

Are the hunting and fishing regulations normal there when compared to bein up north or tighter or looser on average?
What about the surrounding provincial parks ? Hunting and fishing allowed in them?
2007.05.23_09_Recollet_Falls_French_River_Ontario.jpg
 
If your moving to Sudbury, look north of the city for good hunting and fishing not south. The French River area was a dream area for hunting and fishing in the 50's. The area has been hunted and fished out for decades. The hunting is so so. Moose you'll be hard pressed to get tag for; deer, there around but you will hunt for them; bear should be okay; ducks should be okay. Fishing will be better than the hunting in the area. The French was noted for it's pickerel fishing.

The issue in this area it is very accessible now to the weekend warriors from Toronto. They get on the 400 with a trailer load of toys, set the cruise and it's 4 lanes all the way north of Parry Sound. A lot of city folks own cottages and property to the area, many of them tree huggers. Like I said go north of Sudbury, you will eliminate a lot of Toronto folks and encounter mainly Sudbury people who have a different mind set than the clowns from Toronto.

Regardless your move from Toronto to Sudbury will be exciting and a total culture shock from what your used to in Toronto. The hunting and fishing will definitely be better than what your used to, but the reality is the Sudbury French River area is very accessible and has and is heavily hunted and fished, and as such the game animals won't be standing around like cattle, and the fish won't be jumping into the boat.
I lived just south of the French River in the 50's before there was a bridge across the French, and highway 69 was just a rough gravel road. And again in the mid 60's for another stint after the highway and bridge was built and paved so I know of what I speak. Good luck, and when you get up there keep your mouth shut and your ears open and try not to act like your from Toronto or the locals may deposit you tits up in some local beaver pond.
 
Lol thanks. I found a property that backs Onto the French River (the north side ) and its west of highway 69. 2 Kms down the road it's all crown land for hundreds ( if not thousands) of square Kms . I'm wondering if this a good place to plant my roots. There is also a lake close for fishing and swimming ( French River is to dangerous to swim In due to current ? Do ppl casually swim in the French River?)

While looking in Sudbury I noticed it's hard to find more then 10 acres , on water and aroun crown land . It seems like a lot of the land is actually private unless u really want to go north.

This area looks very lightly populated by a few cottages/ homes but generally doesn't seem all that busy. I 'THINK' the area u are describing as hunted and fished out more and frequented by outsiders might be east of hwy 69? Towards big wood or alban?

The area I'm looking at is going more towards where the French River leads to Georgian bay, not where the French River follows into the mainland .

I really do appreciate the advice and info. I've been saving since being 19 and finally can afford to buy and move at 31. I really do want a complete change of scenery and I'm use to cottaging in the Georgian bay/ carling area so this seems to be similiar to what I'm use to and love .
 
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Well your obviously not moving to Sudbury proper. Yes the French River area is very nice. Your looking at property down Hartley Bay Road. Yep there is crown land in the area. Much of it inaccessible by any practical means. That whole are area is striated by glacier activity which has resulted rock ridges and beaver ponds in between. Lots of beaver ponds, that can be a night mare to hunt in. There always seems to be a beaver pond in the path of where you want to go, especially late in the afternoon when your cold wet and tired and trying to get back to camp or the truck.
The area is very, very busy in the summer with cottagers, campers, boaters and canoeists. Also in the fall during deer season. Hartley Bay marina is a bee hive of activity, there is also a provincial park in the area as I remember buying park passes to canoe from Hartley Bay marina out to Georgian Bay about 5 yrs ago.
I admire your financial tenacity to acquire sufficient funds at your age to purchase the real estate, as property in the area is not cheap. Follow your gut feelings, and if is what you want buy it. If after a few years you don't like, sell it as you can't loose on water front real estate, you will make money on it.
 
Ha Ha...No no, you can't hunt in the park! I got him about a mile outside the boundary. There seem to be a good number of deer as lots of guys hunt the area with regular success. Grouse can be hit and miss, but there are a number of new side/logging roads that have been opened up, allowing more opportunities. Again, lots of guys hunt grouse there and get birds regularly. I've seen a few guys hauling moose in the back of pick ups as well.
 
mrgoat said:
Well your obviously not moving to Sudbury proper. Yes the French River area is very nice. Your looking at property down Hartley Bay Road. Yep there is crown land in the area. Much of it inaccessible by any practical means. That whole are area is striated by glacier activity which has resulted rock ridges and beaver ponds in between. Lots of beaver ponds, that can be a night mare to hunt in. There always seems to be a beaver pond in the path of where you want to go, especially late in the afternoon when your cold wet and tired and trying to get back to camp or the truck.
The area is very, very busy in the summer with cottagers, campers, boaters and canoeists. Also in the fall during deer season. Hartley Bay marina is a bee hive of activity, there is also a provincial park in the area as I remember buying park passes to canoe from Hartley Bay marina out to Georgian Bay about 5 yrs ago.
I admire your financial tenacity to acquire sufficient funds at your age to purchase the real estate, as property in the area is not cheap. Follow your gut feelings, and if is what you want buy it. If after a few years you don't like, sell it as you can't loose on water front real estate, you will make money on it.
Click to expand...

An OPP officer used to run sporting clays shoot at one time at Hartley Bay. I don't know if he still does?
 
The French and Pickerel rivers are great, my dad and I would do an anual fishing trip up the French when I was 10 till I was in my mid twenties. Bass, pickerel, pike, perch, catfish were all in abundance. Muskie and sturgeon are there as well, I can't comment on the hunting but I remember seeing a moose once as we were fishing in a small pond off the main channel. It came out of the edge of the marsh, man it was a big ####er lol.

Enjoy yourself up there if you buy and move, as a kid I lived in Parry Sound for three years. It's a beautiful part of Ontario, I have lots of good memories as a kid in northern Ont. as well as fishing the French with my old man.
 
Cool sounds like it's a good area ! Maybe not quiet at good as northern Sudbury area but still good. It helps with my 'where to move' criteria. I have till end of August to Find a place and close , it's crunch time .
 
Yea I've noticed taxes are higher in the new, closer to downtown areas, but I don't like those areas, no crown land around them .
 
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