some people need to read regulations

[welsh]

The flip side is wild pheasant populations or places which do pheasant stocking (Hullett) are going to get smashed even more.

The limit in WMUs with release programs in place is still 3.

[Dythbringer]

The limit in WMUs with release programs in place is still 3.

I stand corrected. I guess it is only the wild populations which will get smashed. You know the populations we should be trying to help.

[JBen]

Werner, the thing with the magazine, is that they are in the business of selling the news, stories, techniques, etc.

There was a big brouhaha in the news yesterday, because some female golpher went to pick up her ball. She placed the coin an inch or so away from the ball, put the ball down beside the coin. No spectator, no offical there saw or said anything. But some viewer did, he or she felt she had broken the rules by putting the ball back down .5in to 1in further away from where it originally lie.
Next day, she's assessed a 4 stroke penalty that cost her the championship.

Its one thing for a private citizen, hunter, angler to do something that isnt strictly what the letter says. Its another for a magazine. If the MNR says we cant delay to take a pic of a OOS fish...OOD, OFAH etc cant be doing that on the cover of the magazine/here.

IMO only, the letter does not say those waiting cant begin to dress it. Only that the tag holder cannot delay. There are plenty of other laws where they do make it clear...."spectators cant aid in a hunt"....In fact most laws if not all, instruct us what "not to do" vs "what is permissible", hunting and other. It might be splitting hairs finely but I guess at the end of the day, worst case scenario.

"Your honor, can you see in the regs where it says, we cant begin to field dress it, while waiting"?

[GW11]

I wonder if some of the difference of opinion on the issue of "immediately tagging" when is comes to party hunting is because of how it's done in the big woods compared to farmland...etc. Party hunting to some might mean a group of two or three on a 100 acre farm where hunters are a never more than a few minutes away from each other and the walking is easy. A lot of people are strictly solo hunters. Some of us hunt big woods camps where groups of 12 or more are common and the sheer logistics involved in getting a tag to the animal is sometimes a big chore in itself. I've hunted in these large groups and there are many factors involved in whose tag goes on what animal and in what order. There's the question of who is able-bodied enough to get to a certain spot, how many antlerless tags the group has, whose antlerless tag will be used first, what happens when a buck is shot and so forth. A deer (or moose) could lay for hours before it all gets sorted out and the tag finally gets where its supposed to. The idea of "immediately" is almost laughable unless the shooter is also the tagger. That's the exception rather than the rule most of the time because the folks that only hunt one week of gun season are usually the first to give up their tags.

As with so many disagreements on this site, it's important to remember that Ontario is huge and it's not done the same all over the province. It's also important to remember that certain things are enforced more heavily in some areas where it's not such a big deal in others. I imagine that tagging "immediately" would be enforced more strictly in SW Ontario than it would in the Haliburton Highlands.

[Dythbringer]

I wonder if some of the difference of opinion on the issue of "immediately tagging" when is comes to party hunting is because of how it's done in the big woods compared to farmland...etc. Party hunting to some might mean a group of two or three on a 100 acre farm where hunters are a never more than a few minutes away from each other and the walking is easy. A lot of people are strictly solo hunters. Some of us hunt big woods camps where groups of 12 or more are common and the sheer logistics involved in getting a tag to the animal is sometimes a big chore in itself. I've hunted in these large groups and there are many factors involved in whose tag goes on what animal and in what order. There's the question of who is able-bodied enough to get to a certain spot, how many antlerless tags the group has, whose antlerless tag will be used first, what happens when a buck is shot and so forth. A deer (or moose) could lay for hours before it all gets sorted out and the tag finally gets where its supposed to. The idea of "immediately" is almost laughable unless the shooter is also the tagger. That's the exception rather than the rule most of the time because the folks that only hunt one week of gun season are usually the first to give up their tags.

As with so many disagreements on this site, it's important to remember that Ontario is huge and it's not done the same all over the province. It's also important to remember that certain things are enforced more heavily in some areas where it's not such a big deal in others. I imagine that tagging "immediately" would be enforced more strictly in SW Ontario than it would in the Haliburton Highlands.

I agree. I think with technology in this day and age, everyone having a picture of the seal to show a CO on their cell phone (or even a printed copy of a picture of the seal) would go along way if you run into a situation where spoilage is going to become an issue before the seal gets to the animal. Also, there is a huge difference in explaining to a CO why you are field dressing an animal in 25 degree weather without a seal on it while you are waiting for the seal holder to get to the kill site versus a group which has dropped a moose and all the members are at the kill site and the CO comes across it and they start to scramble to explain why the moose isn't properly sealed.

[rick_iles]

I think most of these alleged or perceived offences come from rumour and possibly bad charges laid by CO,s.
It's one thing to read the regulations as the OP stated, but it's an entirely different matter than actually reading the sections in the Act, and understand what they mean. Most come down to definitions actually in the Act, common law definitions and/or previous case law. It's not a simple matter of reading the yearly regulations, which are only a summary of the various Acts.

[terrym]

I guess my point was what's the difference? If you are waiting for the tag holder why can't or shouldn't you be able to start field dressing on site?
As some have said, it may be against the law, but doesn't make sense. How does the beginning of field dressing a deer/moose on site hinder the tag holder from arriving in a timely manner? It would just be common sense, start skinning, take pictures until the tag holder shows the up.

The tag holder will still require the same amount of time to arrive whether you start field dressing or not. I mean if you are caught without a tag in the area (party hunting) you will be guilty whether the deer/moose is gutted or not.

I think the reasoning was that with moose especially too many "tags" were at work and not actually out hunting with the group.

[redd foxx]

I think the reasoning was that with moose especially too many "tags" were at work and not actually out hunting with the group.

Not sure what gutting an animal immediately while waiting for a tag to arrive would change in these possible scenarios. If the tag holder wasn't there or didn't "immediately" make an effort to attend the site and seal the animal, an offence would have been committed either way for which an officer could investigate and charge.

[jaycee]

On and On It goes , where It stops no one knows, Wow! 15 pages of at times silly discussion.
Have to go out for more Popcorn.

[Hardman]

Maybe reading the Ontario Hunting Regulations has us thinking it is ok to field dress an animal immediately after the kill, it is recommended.

copied from 2016/2017

Field Dressing, Transporting and Preparing Wild Game
Proper handling of harvested game will help ensure a quality
food product for the table. Always use a clean, sharp knife
and cutting tools and wear disposable gloves.
Big Game Field Dressing
Field dressing, or gutting, is the process of removing the
entrails (internal organs) from the animal to promote cooling
of the carcass and prevent the meat from spoiling.
• Always field dress game immediately after the kill.
• Move the animal to a clean site before field dressing.
• Roll the animal onto its back or side with head higher than
the rump.
• Cut a line up from the crotch to the tip of the sternum
(where the rib cage ends and the belly starts).
• It is best to cut with the blade up and out of the cavity to
prevent cutting into internal organs.
• Free the colon by cutting around the anus and then tie
a string just in front of the anus to prevent feces from
entering the body cavity.
• Cut around the diaphragm.
• Free the windpipe at the throat and free any internal organs
by cutting the tissue attaching them to the backbone.
• Do not cut open the rumen, intestines or bladder. If
punctured, wipe cavity with paper towels.
• Position carcass to allow blood to drain out.
• Do not wash cavity with water from the field. It is often a
source of bacteria.
• Prop open the body cavity to allow air flow and cooling.
• In warm weather remove the skin and apply cheesecloth
to help keep meat clean and cool. In cold weather you can
leave the skin on.
Transporting
• Avoid dragging game through water, mud or dirt.
• Wipe out body cavity with paper towel if dirt enters.
• Use cheesecloth to keep meat clean if quartering animal.
Never use plastic or tarps.
• Keep carcass away from engine heat, gas, road dust and
sun. Allow air circulation.
Hanging and Cooling
• Game carcasses should be cooled as soon as possible to a
temperature not exceeding 7oCelsius (45o F).
• Hang meat in a place that is cool and dry with good air
circulation.
• Remove areas of blood clots or tissue damage with a clean
knife.
• Use pepper and cheesecloth on carcass to deter insects in
warmer weather.
• If you are not processing your own meat, make butchering
arrangements before your hunt.
• I