Dan Andrews Posted December 5, 2007 Report Share Posted December 5, 2007 Short Hills deer study may end with cull http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDi...THEW+VAN+DONGEN The province will count deer in Short Hills this winter to see if a cull is needed to protect the park from four-footed foragers. Ministry of Natural Resources biologists will use helicopters and infrared cameras to track deer in the over-populated park, said superintendent Mark Custers. "We've had a lot of complaints (about too many deer) over the years, but we don't have the data to back them up," Custers said. Nearby farmers like Jim Smith say the deer are literally eating their livelihood. They've called for a ministry-controlled cull for years. "I hope they do it. (The deer) do cause so much damage," said Smith, who watches white-tailed deer gnaw away at hundreds of seedlings at his Ridgeville Christmas tree farm every year. "I don't think there has ever been a lack of concern on the ministry's part. They just don't have a lot of options at their disposal that are politically correct." No one disputes the fact that too many deer call the park home, said local ministry biologist Anne Yagi. Yagi said the ecologically sensitive, 1,800-acre park can safely support between 75 and 100 deer in the winter. She estimated the population now exceeds 400 deer, thanks, in part, to a succession of mild winters. The ministry's new research should provide a more accurate head count, said Custers - but not necessarily a mandate to hunt. "It doesn't necessarily mean a cull," he said. "It's premature to say that at this time." Custers said he and senior ministry staff would have to recommend a cull to the minister, Donna Cansfield, who would also need to approve the controlled hunt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reardrag Posted December 5, 2007 Report Share Posted December 5, 2007 Maybe the MNR will let Ontario hunters with already purchased licenses participate in the hunt not like the BS that is going on at Navy Island. Just a thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Andrews Posted December 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2007 The MNR will gladly let any licensed hunter harvest on Navy Island. It is part of WMU 89. The problem however is that it is owned by Parks Canada as it is a National Park. As you may know Parks Canada does not allow hunting in the National parks. Seeing as you need documented landowner permission to hunt on Private Property, your out of compliance if you hunt there. Is a National Park private property? This is the question I have. Is Parks Canada a public asset making all their lands public and can they legally stop someone from hunting in a National Park? Another hunter called it crown land but even if so, it's not the only crown land you can't hunt on. I see this as not only a political game of dodge ball (Parks Canada vs animal rights) but on the positive side I see our foot in the door. Parks Canada has not only admitted the deer need management but that hunting in a National park is necessary and beneficial. Ed Reid OFAH wildlife biologist said he wants to communicate with Parks Canada (now that the door is open) as he believes that bow hunters will be hard pressed to remove a sufficient number of deer necessary to achieve the target. If there are future hunts he wants licensed hunters to be able to join the aboriginals. If you do or don't agree with this make sure you pick up an OFAH membership and contact your zone rep or local affiliate club to voice your opinion. Ed Reid can be contacted through http://ofah.org Dan P.S. Watch and see if Aboriginals are used for Shorthills. If they are expect a loud bloody backlash from hunters. If licensed hunters are used expect the same noise from the anti's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightfisher Posted December 6, 2007 Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 P.S. Watch and see if Aboriginals are used for Shorthills. If they are expect a loud bloody backlash from hunters. If licensed hunters are used expect the same noise from the anti's! Shorthills is minutes from my place. Hunting in that area could be a disaster. You have the boy scouts on that property, and hundreds of people hike there weekly all year long. I for one hope hunting never takes place there. Use dogs or whatever to clear the area of deers. Arrows, bullets and hikers don't mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Andrews Posted December 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 Hey Dan I hear ya but...... If you read up on deer you'll find they have a home range of about one square mile. You can trap and relocate them miles away and they'll come back. 6 foot fence - doesn't stop em. <iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=43.088448,-79.282837&spn=0.255241,0.461426&t=h&z=11&om=0&output=embed&s=AARTsJqzARj-Z8VnW5pkPMLMmZbqrJcYpw"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.ca/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=43.088448,-79.282837&spn=0.255241,0.461426&t=h&z=11&om=0&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small> See that dark green spot in the middle? That's Shorthills. Where else are they going to go? If you need to set your mind at ease I suggest checking out the hunters safety coarse text book to see how hunting has changed. It is now the safest outdoor activity one can participate in. I would hope a "Simcoe County Forest" model could be followed where only OFAH (insured) hunters could participate. Dan you should get your Daughter the coarse and a hunting license. She'll never experience nature like you do when you have to blend in with it. If there's a person nearby when your hunting, you know long before they do. The main people who have to be careful are other hunters who are also blending in or making calls. If a cull happens I would hope public announcements would be made and that all hunters are made aware they are not the only users in the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bliz Posted December 6, 2007 Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 Whenever I hear something like this come up it brings back memories of when they did a deer cull down at Rondeau Provincial Park. The were so many deer in the park that their growth was being stunted. On one family trip down there we saw a bunch of deer. They looked like a dwarfs! Late last fall I did a walk through of Shorthills. I had never seen such a heavy brows in such a small area. I was very suprised, with the number of people using the park that the deer population could be so high, although its not like there is all that much unbroken woodlot in the area anymore. This past spring while coming home from picking the wife up at work, traveling back towards Shorthills on 8th AVE, on two separate occasions I had to stop to let deer that were out in the fields cross the road back onto the parks side of the road. I counted the second time, it was close to 60 that were out in the open. I'm not a hunter, never have been but I know the importance of a sustainable population. Without the natural predators of the deer and the snow fall amounts of the past, their numbers will continue to rise. Nothing good can come from that. Public property damage, starvation, disease and perhaps even a surge in Lymes Disease cases from a increased population of deer ticks could happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Andrews Posted December 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 Ed Reid told me about Rondeau also. He said the perfect call for the deer was the sound of a car door closing. They'd run right out because people were feeding them as the natural food was that depleted. What were those people thinking? Education goes along way as these people actually thought they were helping the deer. Same goes for Navy Island a few years back. Not sure if it was MNR or the Parks but they had to threaten to charge this guy who was bringing boatloads of hay to the Island to feed the starving deer. Guess what? Well wintered/fed deer can have twins. Starving deer don't give birth (always). He was compounding the problem and taming the deer. That didn't help did it. About what you said of the deer crossing. The area farmers are pushing the hardest. If you read my thread about the "Hunter/Farmer Connection" you'll see that one of those farmers had to abandon the crop he knows best, that he grew for years as passed down from his Father, and he now grows indoors, HYDROPONICALLY! About the Lyme's disease. The ticks in Fort Erie are seriously heavy near or in the "No Fire Zone". One of the girls in my Sons class got a confirmed case of Lyme's this summer. This no fire zone is only hunted by the law breakers and there are plenty of deer. I've seen deer in the middle of the subdivision on a rainy day. The neighbours have problem keeping vegetable/flower gardens etc. If they can do this in a populated area such as Crescent Park, imagine what they do to Shorthills or Navy Island. I need to take a walk in the Shorthills park to see for myself I guess. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_feelgood Posted December 6, 2007 Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 I'm not a hunter, but I do not think the aboriginals should be chosen over legitimate hunters. Put up a draw and close short hills for the weekend. I know a few hunters that were not able to fill their tags, why not let them have a shot at it? Why not get the MNR to release cougars like they just did up in Janetville (near Scugog). Don't get me started on rights of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest canadadude Posted December 7, 2007 Report Share Posted December 7, 2007 The problem I see with gun hunting the ShortHills is the urban area it's bounded by .....There seems to be a large population of homes and such surrounding it's borders which poses a problem for gun hunters!!! I can see it being a tragedy waiting to happen if a bunch of shotgunners go on a deer killing spree!! I do however think bow hunting should be allowed in the Park and perhaps a certain area or areas of the park could be designated to this and a controlled hunt could be developed!!!! Perhaps even a controlled gun hunt is possible .......there is a ton of hikers and bikers using this park on a regular basis aswell that should be considered the deer population is a problem!! I don't think the public would be to happy with a bunch of cougars roaming the shorthills, I already think theres a small population of 2 legged kind using the park already You twenty somthing dudes keep your eyes peeled never know when a cougar attack may happen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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