Any hunters in here

[Dan Andrews]

I talked to Rick and asked if this was the appropriate place for a hunting thread. Guys used to get snotty about hunting stuff here but lately they seemed a little more receptive thanks to excellent puppy & duck pics . That could lure any kid into going hunting

So anyway I'll start with one thread. If we get some good hunting posts or even some some wildlife photo's we may consider starting a sub forum in Outdoors & Environment. I'll start with a deer siting this summer on the friendship trail in FE. If you book it I think you could actually hit one of these with your bike.

Dan

[jwl]

that's cool Dan, you never know what you might see some times.deer..turkeys, pheasants..foxes, coyotes,..all things I have seen around here..I saw a martin once..beavers..ctaually we have alot of wildlife/game around here that people would.nt even think we had alot of

[Guest Bubba14]

I will be going north to my camp in a weeks time for the annual second week of deer. Was up there a couple of weeks back for the moose hunt. Didn't get one but it was still nice to get out. Saw 18 grouse, 12 deer and had a HUGE fisher within about 30 yards of me as it crossed a beaver damn. Wish I'd had the camera with me. It didn't even know that I was there.

[Dan Andrews]

I actually almost walked right into about 20 turkeys that were cornered. I backed up and stood still while they slowly and catiously passed me. I thought "Oh I wish I had my camera". Then I remembered it was hanging on my shoulder. I got it ready, zoomed in and clicked. Damm it's on video mode. By the time I got my head out of my @55 they were gone. Got a quick video clip but can't post it cause I was swearing

[Dan Andrews]

Hey start wearing your orange tomorrow if taking to the bush. It's hunting season. Post your results and be careful. Attached is a letter from the Conservation Officers Union.

[jwl]

ah and I was going to buy a new brown parka with a white furry collar then wear a brown touque with a nice white pompom on top..for any hunters out there..have a good safe opener, and PS don't shoot the bright orange things hopefully anyone out there hunting is sensible enough to fully identify thier target before pulling the trigger..and around here we don;t have to worry about rifle hunters..not really any where all that close to us that you can hunt with a rifle...and ya have to get pretty close to a deer to knock it down with a shot gun and a slug..close enough to tell what it is for sure

[Dan Andrews]

Hey Jack I picked up a copy of a Map of Fort erie hunting areas Friday from Town Hall for $5. It's basically a map of the "No firearms discharge" areas. Now I know a cross/compound bow is considered a firearm because it goes by feet per second of the projectile. I'm pretty sure my spud canon is a firearm . From what I've heard though the locals, the town and the police are pretty lax with this Bylaw when it comes to bows. The Mayor himself told my 10 year old Son he knows people hunt in "no fire" areas but wasn't concered.

BTW the OFAH has helped to open up Sunday hunting here in Fort erie

I hit my favourite wetland today to see how the deer made out through the storm. Lots of trees down everywhere. Tree tops and branches blocking all the regular foot paths but guess what. The deer trails have all changed . The forest is incredibly see through because the snow crushed down all the scrub. The deer have already begun scraping the moss off the ground and it looks like it's going to be a tough winter for them (foodwise). This after a phenominal year and an extraordinary breed.

I guess what I'm trying to say is there are more deer, they need to be harvested or they'll starve and with all the downed trees they are unfamiliar with their surroundings. This year should be the easiest year to harvest a deer in Fort erie. If you haven't got a hunters licience now is probably a good time to take the coarse. John Kellaway is full for the year but Roger Galloway told me you can pick up the coarse in St Annes over a weekend.

Good luck on the hunt this week and hope to see some pics.

[jwl]

well lots of people already think that there are too many deer around here anyways, that's why sometimes they have to have a controlled cull..it is better for the deer population..if the activists against hunting did the "right research" they might actually learn that harvesting a few deer is good to keep a healthy herd...a good feed of game sounds pretty good come by my house and get all the apples that are all over from the now broken all up apple tree in my back yard Chilli..take a couple sacks out for them...seems the coyotes are all goofed up from this too..sounded like there where tonnes of out by where I put my minnow trap tonight..and all over near ICC near my father-in-law's in Stevensville when I was out tonight I heard lots of them gathering up for the night..and been seeing a few good sized rabbits around there too.they would be good on the BBQ

[Dan Andrews]

Those Rabbits won't be around for long. Like I said the grass and scrub have really been pushed down and as you've pointed out the coyotes are thick around here. Too bad you can't eat them . That place you've been putting your trap......... well the local trapper sais the population there is excessive. No surprise to him to read about missing cats in the paper. I see them during the day now right in my yard.

As for the idiot ARA's sure lets just take the animals land, push them into little pockets and leave them alone, nature will take care of itself . Come get a deer before they starve.

[jwl]

the only time you usually see coyotes during the day is if they have been having a hard time getting food...for example if it is too hot and dry in the summer..or sometimes if they are rabid, I am sure that thier habitat is all goofed up right now...and game in the area is also all mixed up due to the huge change in their habitat...there might be alot of incidents of people hitting deer this season...they are already moving around alot in the rutting season and at the same time they will have to look for new forage and bedding areas as well....with all the scrub being squashed to the ground like you said it is going to be hard for hunters to find the matted down areas where they are bedding.I know lots of good recipes for game if you need some tips as well..I love eating game, and some of the deer from around here are nice and fed on corn, pumpkins and soy, makes for alot better eats than some remote northern places where animals eat alot of evergreen foliage.

[smerchly]

Just talk to area farmers about the damage deer do the new saplings etc. and with too many deer around ,there will be many vehicle collisions , some can be fatal to a family especially in a small car .I saw over 20 dead deer along a highway going to Pittsburg years ago ....I wonder how many more were dead or wounde in the nearby bush ? We don't want the population to get out of hand like that here .........but as the housing keeps expanding into our wildlife habitat , you will only see deer in a zoo .

[Dan Andrews]

I spoke with the bylaw officer today at Town hall. I wanted to clarify some of the fine print about exceptions to the no fire zone. He stated that in his determination of the wording, there are no exceptions however he can see it being read another way and we agreed there needs to be some slight alterations to the document. I'll be calling the town clerk in the near future and hopefully have these exceptions added into the law where currently they (probably) are not.

One thing the officer asked me is why are so many people calling from out of town about Sunday hunting and then the copies of bylaws and hunting maps are flying off the shelf. I said to thank the OFAH then explained.

Dan

[Dan Andrews]

So what do you do when you know someones poaching?

I've recently been hearing about some yahoos poaching. These nimrods are in a no fire zone before daylight with rifles. On one hand I was told to gather as much information as possible (names, times, plate numbers etc.) because the MNR is so short of staff, but on the other hand I was told to call the police immediately.

Not wanting to create a circus I was leaning toward option #1. I heard all about it but haven't heard the guns myself. Hunters and neighbours are my only anonymous witnesses. On the other hand the police are trained to deal with this, as it's a gun violation and the neighbours are growing anti hunting .

If you hear someone fire their gun before daylight hours call the police.

If you hear someone discharging in a no fire zone, call the police.

Unless the gun fire is coming from a farm, gunsmiths, or licienced facility (trap range), call the police. If they feel they need the MNR or they discover a poached animal, they will call the MNR.

Never approach an armed poacher!

They are an armed criminal and should be treated as such and as I have recently learned.........never call them hunters

[nittro]

The last information provided at the St. Catharines Game & Fish meeting was that the MNR is short on funds (due to the usual government re-direction of allocations).

There have been lay offs leaving only one C.O. to cover from Bronte to Niagara.

Therefore calling the MNR hotline is not expected to prompt a follow-up.

Many unscrupulous individuals are taking advantage of this information and flaunting the regs.

As mentioned earlier, call the police with any firearm infractions!

For other discretions, hope that the individuals get their dues.

If you want to get an update and add a voice to make a difference, attend the next S.C Game & Fish meeting Monday November 27 @ 7:30 at the clubhouse in Port D.