Additional deer seals 2016

[GW11]

I hunted with a bow and a rifle in 82A and 80 throughout the fall not just the controlled hunt. The numbers are down from the two extreme winters four years ago. The MNR is just really slow to react and the tags have been cut two years too late. I'm sure numbers are fine in the extreme southwest but not in central Ontario. It's the right decision just very delayed. Remember they haven't cut the antlerless tags as far as I know just the additonal seals. In some jurisdictions in Ontario there are no extra tags. One hunter =one deer.

There have been plenty of cuts to antlerless tags in Central Ontario. A few of the areas that I hunt are down to 60 or 70% from 100% in the past couple of years. Again though, the cuts are late. Numbers have been way down in these areas for 5 years or so now.

[DanO]

You're right GW. I do remember that thread now that you mention it. So nobody should be surprised the additional seals have been cut as well. The big surprise is WHAT TOOK SO LONG??? I hope the herd rebounds quickly and let's hope the MNR is quicker to reinstate additional seals than they were to cut the seals. It must be hard managing a herd with virtually anecdotal data.

[MikePal]

One hunter =one deer.

been like that here (66A) for 6-7 yrs..

[Farmer G]

Are you implying these hunters should lie and say they saw deer? I don't understand the point. If someone hunts a week a year and doesn't see any deer they shouldn't be lying on their reports just so we can all get more tags . . .

No body implied that anybody should lie? It's just the truth. 10% of the deer hunters shoot 90% of the deer. It's been the same for 30 years which clearly most haven't been around for. The reality is the system used is flawed as there is no funding to pay for counts in every region.

[JBen]

You're right GW. I do remember that thread now that you mention it. So nobody should be surprised the additional seals have been cut as well. The big surprise is WHAT TOOK SO LONG??? I hope the herd rebounds quickly and let's hope the MNR is quicker to reinstate additional seals than they were to cut the seals. It must be hard managing a herd with virtually anecdotal data.

"What took so long"

puts on "sarcasm" hat.
Because lots of hunters are deer whisperers (they don't actually see lots but....) or lie on their returns so the MNR thinks there's a ton of deer in WMU x, and they can keep getting 2-3 tags each year.

Ive been hunting 47 now for 5 years. The guys I hunt with 15 years and the family member who owns the property and lives there day in and day out. Talk about seeing 20-40 deer a day each (do the math 7x7x10or 20) not many years ago. And each year I've been going (2010) we're seeing less and less, and as a group that's normally 6-8 in camp for 5-8 days, we didn't see 20 total in 2014 or 2015 let alone filling tags.

the guy who lives there sees the deer in the winter yards, was part of the feeding programs back in the day. Last spring he came across a good number of winter kill, but what really had him worried during the summer was a lack of fawns. He also runs rifle hunts. Last year for 2 weeks hard hunting they hung

THREE

so residents and migrators are/were way down. Hopefully there's more fawns this year.

and just incase.
one of the group was a writer for OOD, and is a highly known/regarded hunter. Has probably shot more deer in his life than many. Hardly weekend warriors or part of the 90%. He and his family who live there have been hunting the area since the 60s. His cousin, the land owner also runs 2 BMAs. They know the bush.

In early 2000 the group would tag out by mid week (last week of archery always) so the deer are in. The most we've hung as a group was 3. That was 2013.

[gbk]

I agree with DanO about the LONG LAG,and the comment-what took so long? I mentioned here 2 years ago,how hard the herd was hit in"my area"of interest in WM80 after the long winter AND the ice crust which came down in Dec 2013 and stayed for months.

Now-i have no idea how-but somehow it would be great if US hunters(we are the beneficial or the losers)and the MNR(authority and "manager" of the herd)would be able to share our observations,which would perhaps take away the LAG,so timeliness of decision making would improve. We would be able to "have a say"yet we would "not to cut the limb off,we are sitting on "either.

[JUDGE]

What's the big deal one deer a year is all we need .
Greed will kill hunting, no matter what the species is.
Be thankful we don't have to go into a draw for a deer tag.
Oh ya, it will not be long, before they figure they can make us pay to go into a draw, just to increase their revenue.

[Species8472]

Historically 82a has had 1 or 2 additionals available per hunter but last season and this season none are available. I have no problem with this except last year there were 6100 anterless tags and this year there are 6300. Success rate of essentially 100% for those that apply. If there was that much concern about numbers I'd be happier with far fewer "doe" tags and a number of "antlered only" additionals for the bow season.

As it stands I have traditionally purchased 2 to 3 additionals plus my primary. Typically the additionals were spread between 78CDE, 80 and 82a. With 80 and 82a off the list (for additionals) it looks like I am going to travel further west this year to 85 and 86. Not necessarily a bad thing as it means I'm going to meet some new people and see some new territory. Plan is to do some google earth recon and than head out on a couple of weekends and knock on doors. I am going to bring my excavator with me and offer any interested parties machine time in trade for permission. It's going to be more work but I think it should work out in the end.

And for what it is worth I am seeing more deer this year on camera in 82a than I have since I bought my camp there in 2009. Also it if the number of blossoms are any indicator it's also going to be a bumper crop of apples at the camp this year.

[Species8472]

What's the big deal one deer a year is all we need .
Greed will kill hunting, no matter what the species is.
Be thankful we don't have to go into a draw for a deer tag.
Oh ya, it will not be long, before they figure they can make us pay to go into a draw, just to increase their revenue.

Actually most of us don't need any deer. I just like it better than buying red meat from the store and in order to feed my family for the year it takes 3 or 4.

[Ahuntr300]

I hunted with a bow and a rifle in 82A and 80 throughout the fall not just the controlled hunt. The numbers are down from the two extreme winters four years ago. The MNR is just really slow to react and the tags have been cut two years too late. I'm sure numbers are fine in the extreme southwest but not in central Ontario. It's the right decision just very delayed. Remember they haven't cut the antlerless tags as far as I know just the additonal seals. In some jurisdictions in Ontario there are no extra tags. One hunter =one deer.

I hunt 82A and can confirm this. Deer numbers are way down and have been down for 4 or 5 years.

I can only blame the obvious, the years of multiple extra doe tags decimated the herd - I think this is exactly what MNR wanted.

Thankfully this year MNR pulled all the extra tags although probably 3 years too late.

Hopefully the populations will come back in 4 or 5 years.