About Us

ODSA was founded in 2025 by Daniel Andres, a big game biologist, deer hunter, and resident of mid-western Ontario. Having experience with deer herds across Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia, and south of the border, Daniel has a broad perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of Ontario's deer management and herd potential. What is clear is that Ontario is nowhere close to achieving its deer herd potential, both from a herd health perspective, sustainable resource for recreation, and herd size in balance with habitat and non-hunting interests (e.g., agricultural concerns). After years of frustration seeing local herds in WMU 84 decline (and in some cases, even completely disappear), while simultaneously seeing harvest quotas increase, Daniel sought to bring together serious deer enthusiasts to help remedy the situation. After hunting in various other WMUs and engaging with hunters across other areas of Ontario, it became apparent that the deteriorating quality of deer herds extends across many different regions of Ontario, sometimes with contrasting issues (lack of deer vs. localized herd imbalances and high deer densities). In response, ODSA is being led by and experienced team of volunteers, all exceptionally knowledgeable hunters that span across Ontario's contrasting regions. From the wildlands of the Northwest through central and eastern Ontario, to the agricultural snowbelt and far south, we are led by a team dedicated to the prosperity of deer and our hunting heritage.