Pest species in Ontario .
- Thread starter The.22guy
- Start date
Dominion Link
CGN frequent flyer
That I'm aware of, the MNR website doesn't refer to many species as pests. Some invading species are addressed, but even then they don't catergorise coyotes or, even opposums, as invading, pest, species.
At one time the Hunting Summary had a list of unprotected species in the Province of Ontario, don't see it in there anymore but from memory it was something like crows, blackbirds, starlings, cowbirds and house sparrows for birds and rats, mice and groundhogs for animals. Pretty much all other animals are only under an open season only or furbearers that can be trapped at certain times. We always understood that feral pigeons were game and had good shoots of them in grain fields, they decoy amazingly well and if from farm stock not that bad on the table. I wouldn't care to eat the city vermin though.
Some of those can be hunted with a small game license.
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@fw/documents/document/239852.pdf
And there is also a season depending where you want to hunt in the province. You really have to read the regs carefully.
- Location
- Eastern Ontario
torontonians can be a major pest and can be found at least as far west as victoria. You're not allowed to hunt them though.
lmfao!!!!
Torontonians can be a major pest and can be found at least as far west as Victoria. You're not allowed to hunt them though.
You need to throw in Gov't grants, Welfare cheques for bait.
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Absolutely true. I suppose I was trying to point out that some of the birds listed in the previous post are specified in the small games section of the hunting regulations.
Specifically the section titled "Game Birds".
You may hunt and possess wild turkey, pheasant, ruffed
grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, spruce grouse, ptarmigan and
gray (Hungarian) partridge. Check the tables (page 80) for bag and
possession limits. You require a special licence to hunt wild
turkey in addition to a small game licence (see pages 29-31).
You may only hunt game birds identified in the tables.
In addition, Ontario residents may hunt American crow, brownheaded cowbird, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, starling
and house sparrows. Chukar is not included in the tables but may
be hunted in some circumstances. Call your local MNR office for
more information.
I take that as there is no special consideration for time of year when hunting American crow, brownheaded cowbird, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, starling and house sparrows. Actually, I would love to know if my interpretation of the regulations is correct.
Cintax, Page 13 (pdf) of the 2012/13 Regs - or use the find tool ((Ctrl+F) - "Grackle". I have a camp north of the French River and no shooting of 'pests' (as identified) in the summer. I asked a couple of CO's I ran into at BassPro a few years back why the exemption and they had no clue.
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
i think you're right, but i'll leave it to you or someone else to decide.
i grew up shooting tons of grackle, starlings and red winged blackbirds and even ate many of them. yes, the breast meat tastes VERY good. even sparrow tastes good, but i'm thinking you'd need a couple dozen per person. it's quite the sight shooting some #8's into a flock of passing blackbirds or sparrows and seeing feathers and birds drop like crazy
i know there has to be someone questioning shooting these birds. the best answer i can give is they're the same as gobies (invasive fish) and we should shoot as many as possible. plus, they're excellent target practice...
Torontonians can be a major pest and can be found at least as far west as Victoria. You're not allowed to hunt them though.
Some might even shoot back....
Good point. I never considered that point since I live south of the boundary. I can't guess as to a reason either.
- Location
- Manitoulin Island
A major PITA since I used to have lots of fun in S-ON shooting woodchucks. Now I live in N-On I can't legally hunt them during summer months. I have been told it is because people would use it as an excuse for illegal big game hunting in N-On, but I don't buy it. Especially annoys me because I am classified as NOT a N-ON resident for the moose draw. WTF?
I think crows are still on that list. We used to drag a dead farm animal carcass, or a road kill deer out into a field near your blind, leave it a couple of days,show up before light in the morning with a few crow decoys, one should be hung as high as you can get it in a tree. Get a crow call and learn a few calls , bring LOTS of shotgun shells , Shoot till your arm is sore, pick up the dead crows, they make a great coyote set, somewhere else. Some of the most fun shooting I have ever done , but I haven't done it for years so check Hunting Regulations. Respectfully Jim
I can only assume that's the only interpretation.
I read about the small game license being not valid during a summer period up north. But I cannot find a single mention of woodchucks or groundhogs in the MNR 2012 regs guide. The MNR has a web site about dealing or living with pests, and they have a section about woodchuck and lethal action (being a legal resort). But it seems to specify land owner or authorized agent(??).
So what's the deal with woodchucks? In the small games sections it says you can only hunt the fur bearing animals listed in the chart in the guide (no woodchucks listed). In the definitions there is a list of fur bearing animals (again no woodchucks).
