If you are looking for some unique tastes for your next wild game meal-consider supporting the OCOA’s fundraising initiative. The non-profit organization will use portions of the proceeds to benefit youth outdoor programs and college bursaries.

For more details read the post from Outdoor Canada’s Editor, Patrick Walsh.

There has not been an elk hunt in Ontario for over 100 years, but the ground work for this new hunting opportunity began ten years ago in Elk Island National Park, Alberta. According to the Ontario MNR website, elk were transferred from Alberta (between 1998 and 2001) and released into these areas: Nipissing/French River, Bancroft/ North Hastings, the North Shore of Lake Huron, and Lake of the Woods. (Entire Article Here)

Ontario Elk - Photo: Ontario MNR Website

An article from the Science Daily shared that the transplanted elk encountered a high mortality rate of 41% during the years of 1998 – 2004 attributed to wolf predation, illegal hunting and stress from the transfer process.

Since that time, the mortality rate has decreased yearly and the population has increased in many areas. The elk population in the Bancroft area is now estimated to be between 330 and 766 animals. (Ontario MNR Website)

The OFAH news announcement shares details about the Bancroft 2011 elk hunt,

“A limited number of licenses and seals will be available through a random draw process for designated Wildlife Management Units in the Bancroft-North Hastings area. The short season is slated to run from the third Monday in September to the following Sunday, which is September 19 to 25 in 2011.”

Some Hunters and residents have reported to me that some elk have been seen in our area.

Muskoka Outdoors salutes all partners involved in this historic announcement.

*Science Daily Article: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. (2007, February 27). Over A Century After Disappearing, Wild Elk Return To Ontario. ScienceDaily. Retrieved

Game numbers in Ontario are varied. Black bears and moose numbers are on the rise. Deer populations are stable to declining depending on your WMU. Grouse populations are still low when compared to other years. Turkey populations are exploding with great success since their re-introduction in some areas of the province. Read the whole article here.

I also noticed that Ontario Out-Of-Doors has their Ontario hunting forecast published in their excellent magazine. They have a breakdown of game population trends in all Ontario’s WMUs. The details of the article were not listed on the web at this time.

To contact the Ontario MNR about hunting concerns or illegal hunting practices contact the MNR’s tip line: 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667)

A Muskoka Black Bear - Photo by Daniel

According to the Ontario MNR website, the changes are as follows:

• Prohibits the use of natural attractants that contain parts or bodily fluids of a member of the deer family for the purposes of hunting in Ontario (e.g., natural deer urine/by-products)
• Restricts the possession of certain higher risk carcass parts (e.g., brain, spinal column, antlers, etc.) of moose and caribou that were killed outside the province. This regulation is the same as the existing regulation that applies to the carcasses of all other members of the deer family which came into effect in 2005.
• Restricts the transportation of live white-tailed deer, American elk, moose and woodland caribou into Ontario unless accompanied by a provincial permit  (Source: Ontario MNR website)

I am somewhat skeptical over the need to ban deer urine attractants especially since no apparent CWD case has been linked to any these products. Perhaps when more is known about the actual transmission vectors of CWD – this could be re-evaluated. The synthetic products are cheaper anyway.

At least, they were.

UPDATE: The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) has since posted a media release about the changes. To summarize their media release,

“Unfortunately, these half measures fall far short of what actions should have been taken, and not only fail to address the problem, they leave outdoors retailers on the cusp of hunting season with inventories of natural deer attractants that can be sold, but no longer be used by hunters, at least in Ontario.” Entire OFAH Press Release Here

Chronic Wasting Disease Fact Sheet

2010 Ontario Hunting Regulations Download

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) has recently announced changes to their Get Outdoors day camps. A recent press release says,

Three sessions of day camps are being offered by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters as part of their award-winning Get Outdoors youth education and outreach program. The new O.F.A.H. Mario Cortellucci Hunting & Fishing Heritage Centre, which just opened in April, will serve as the base camp. Children ages 6 and 7 will attend the August 9-11 session, 8 to 10 year olds are set for August 16-18 and youth from 11 to 13 years will have the last session, August 23-25…Day campers will take part in scavenger hunts, create themed crafts, and learn to recognize wildlife and their calls. Scheduled special guests include the K9 unit (conservation officers and their dogs), and for the younger campers, the Paddling Puppeteers. A BBQ and awards presentation will wrap up every session. The day camps are modeled after the O.F.A.H.’s highly successful overnight Get Outdoors summer leadership camps that take place in July near Huntsville. Entire Article Here

There is currently a waiting list for the leadership camps. Don’t delay because it is expected that the day camps will fill quickly as well.

Watch highlights from last summer below (OFAH sent me some photos and I put them in a video format).

Admission is $5 and to set-up your own display table the costs is $35.

Doors open on Saturday 9 AM to 4PM and Sunday 9 AM to 3 PM.

The Tiverton Sports Arena is located:
King St. (HWY 21 N)
Tiverton, ON

Contact: Jeff at (519)386-5278 or (905) 623-1778
Email: Canadiangunowner@rogers.com