Looks like there’s a small group of people that want to start an Ontario chapter of pheasants forever in Ontario. There looking for new members to get things started. More information can be found on there Facebook page.
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Looks like there’s a small group of people that want to start an Ontario chapter of pheasants forever in Ontario. There looking for new members to get things started. More information can be found on there Facebook page.
Not a facebooker. Care to share their goals?
If number 1 isn't changing to a rooster only season there is no reason to have 'em.
I thought there was a southern Ontario Chapter already. Is this another chapter?
There is only one chapter in Canada currently, that being Calgary Chapter. It is interesting to note that the Calgary chapter is the largest fund raising chapter of Pheasants Forever. They have also restored habitant in the Brooks County area. There were three chapters in Ontario at one time, but lack of government support led to them eventually folding. Good luck to the new organizers.
There was a link posted to there page recently on the Canada upland hunting Facebook page. That’s how I found them. Looks like a very recent group trying to start a new chapter in southern Ontario. From reading some information they have provided on the page sounds like there looking for members and there main goal is to restore/create grasslands habitats for upland game birds. They will be holding found raising events to help found there projects. But from previous attempts at forming a chapter here sounds like it’s going to be tough to accomplish. Who knows maybe if we all get together we can make it work.
Good luck to them. From my observations we can't even get the grouse and woodcock habitat turned around in Southern Ontario that we have and that's for a native bird that would benefit from managing the woodlots that we have currently. I don't see a way in getting the type of habitat and keeping it to produce and maintain a reproductive pheasant population. Until we have a government program similar to CRP we are just throwing our money away. Farming as it is currently ie large scale monocropping has anyone seen how much waste grain comes out of the current combines is next to nothing.
The removal of fence lines and the draining of poor areas that traditionally held grasses and pathways to other areas of land are gone.
When my grandparents and dad farmed we had fence rows and we didn't or couldn't farm the poor spots. We had a old massy combine that dumped grain out the back like it was a bird feeder . We had rotating grazing and would occasionally leave a field fallow and plow it under the next year. And my Dad still remembers having quail around into the 1990s What changed?
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I was involved a bit with the PF Niagara Chapter back in the mid-2000s, before they merged with the Hamilton Chapter to create the (now I see former) Southern Ontario Chapter. Others on this board put a lot of work into that chapter. There was a lot of momentum back then, with the Province's pilot project with wild Saskatchewan birds, and the expectation that a Provincial pheasant strategy would follow. It's a common misconception that the pilot failed because the birds all ultimately died out. But the pilot was a success. Those first 600 birds were never expected to have long-term survival nor were their numbers ever intended to be adequate to establish a breeding population. 600 birds were released, tracked and studied in their new habitat, and much was learned about what it would take to sustain wild pheasants in Ontario. The environmental assessment verified that pheasants as a non-native naturalized species posed no ecological risk in Ontario. The next step would have been to move from a pilot towards a reintroduction program (e.g. Pennsylvania: 10,000 wild birds per year over 10+ years). However, the government's priorities then changed almost exclusively to native species at risk.
I say all this because I would have great interest in learning what the goals and objectives of a new chapter might be above and beyond pheasants, or is there reason to believe that a Provincial pheasant strategy might be on the table again?
Was there ever a study as to why or what caused the existing "native" population to basically plummet to nothing and us being reduced to hunting realesed bird and a few remaining pockets of old stock. What kind of land was the 600 bird study done on ie wine country, fruit orchards ? I'm all for reintroduced huntable sustainable birds but I'm sceptical of long term government support and basically throwing our money and time away.Quote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
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We have a few thousands birds released here in Essex county every year for quite a few years, and we have no population of birds down here breeding or making a come back, habitat loss and farming practices, and penned raised birds that are not hard wired for survival, will prevent them from establishing themselves
In my background summary I omitted the most important step before embarking on an introduction: habitat, habitat and more habitat.Quote:
Originally Posted by trkyhntr21
The pilot took place in Haldimand-Norfolk. My recollection was it was on the massive rural, undeveloped landholdings of Stelco and OPG which were determined to offer among the best existing habitat in Ontario.
Why did our naturalized birds from the old days all but disappear? Most of those birds were not successfully breeding or surviving, but once upon a time every locality had a fish and game club that received Township License revenues to purchase and release birds. We were throwing a lot of pen-raised birds on the landscape all across southern Ontario for many years. And yes, some pockets hung on (and still do) as small feral breeding populations. Beyond that, name your threat. Primarily habitat loss. Pesticides/herbicides? New predators (or in new numbers) arrived on the scene, such as coyotes and opossums.
Turkeys, for example, were relatively easy. Nothing needed to be done from a habitat stand-point for them to take hold and thrive.
Pheasants, are not so easy. But the same (or similar) habitat conditions needed to sustain pheasants are also much needed for many native species at risk (e.g. meadowlark, bobolink, northern bobwhite) which are supposed to be a Provincial priority. Perhaps that's the driver this time? All speculation until we know more.
I’d rather see resources directed towards bobwhite quail.
Agreed it definitely could be a win win for alot of species and definitely a overlap of needed habitat for quail and pheasant.Quote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
Getting sustained commitment of funds over multiple years or decades would definitely help.
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That in a nut shell would be the driving force. Was the reason to fund the atlantic salmon program. Should be the hammer to draw government resources to the problem of land management.Quote:
Originally Posted by outdoorlife
Since northern bobwhite quail are a species at risk, the Province has a legal commitment to a recovery strategy under the Endangered Species Act. That strategy starts with Walpole Island.
Seem to recall reading about their strategy a couple of years ago. Think their goal was doubling the population in 20 years. was it something like 200 birds to 400?. With a rate of recovery like that Don't think my great grandkids will know of them.
Hi all. we are indeed starting resurrecting the Ontario Chapter for Pheasants Forever. We are just in the preliminary stage currently obtaining our Articles of Incorporation and Charter from PF. Ultimately we would like to see the proliferation of land management and friendly habitat for both native species (ie. Bobwhite) and non native upland species (ie. Pheasant) that can one day be used to promote/facilitate sustained populations and hunting opportunities. That is a long road and we to start we will be focusing on building up our presence, membership and funding. Right now we are mainly a group from the younger generations of hunters and anglers but we hope to have interest and support from all segments of the outdoor community. If you are interested in supporting our chapter the first thing you can do is obtain a PF membership. Right now we are working through the Calgary chapter until our chartership is finalized and our website up and running. We look forward to having your support and thank you advance for same.
Link for membership is below.
http://www.pfcalgary.ca/membership/?...Ok-9fv4_zM25M4
My point exactly! Pheasants forever already tried to reintroduce pheasants to southern Ontario and it failed! I can’t support these groups and groups like the Ruffed Grouse Society. Unless the MNR and these groups collaborate with farmers and property owners and do the same thing as the States. And that is protect habitat for small game I can’t give my support! To me it seems that MNR is more worried about protecting big game than anything else. I raised my concerns to the MNR in the summer and got laughed at. They want to protect game here in Ontario but as a long as one person has a bow tag for deer an infinite amount of people can hunt for that one deer. What chance does the deer population have???
The MNR said that people have bought deer licenses so they can hunt under one tag . So I guess... I have a small game license so let me shoot as many rabbits and grouse as possible?? So stupid!
Anyway ,Ontario hunters need to put there focus on fixing the lack of habitat that is on our Southern Ontario farms
Before thinking about reintroducing any other game.
Unfortunately since most farms in Southern Ontario are single crop operations (corn & beans) and a large number are owned by multi national's who couldn't care less about anything other than their share holders.
The only saving grace is the growth of the green movement where small farms are being used in a similar fashion to the old family farm my parents and grandparents ran.