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Advocating for Change through a United Voice
Government policy is under constant influence from special interest groups, and these special interests serve to shape Ontario's wildlife management agenda. In Ontario, deer management policy reflects efforts of lobbyist organizations representing interests such as the insurance industry, agricultural organizations (e.g., lobbying by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture 22-07-01 - Memo to OFA Board .pdf), cities and municipalities, conservation organizations, and hunter advocacy groups, such as the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. Currently, there is no organization that advocates specifically for a healthy and resilient deer population capable of sustaining the growing interest in deer hunting in the province.
Without an organization voicing the specific concerns of deer hunters and deer enthusiasts, we are left with the policies currently in effect. These policies, by and large, aim to manage for chronically low deer herds at population densities that are well below what the habitat can sustainably support and well below densities considered reasonable in other similar jurisdictions. This policy of over-exploitation was initiated in the early 2000s and caused a deteriorating quality of our herds and hunting experience across large areas of Ontario. Not only is this harmful to recreational hunting, but it also prevents deer from fulfilling their ecological role across Ontario's natural landscapes, and diminishes potential of our herds, including the abundance of fully mature deer, especially bucks.
Of Canada's deer provinces, Ontario easily ranks among the worst, whether it be the quantity of deer supported per unit area of habitat, the abundance of mature bucks, and the availability of deer viewing opportunities. This is not an accident, but rather a direct and predictable outcome of how Ontario manages its white-tailed deer population.
Furthermore, Ontario's mapping and regulation of critical deer habitats, especially winter concentration areas, are dated to work from the 1980s and fail to reflect current habitat use and needs by deer. As Ontario's human population grows, more and more critical habitat is being developed for industrial and housing projects, failing to safeguard areas needed for Ontario to sustain long-term deer populations.
By becoming a member, you can help support the critical advocacy work that is needed so that Ontario's deer management policy aligns with the immense value these incredible animals bring to all of us that enjoy deer and deer hunting.
#1: Scrap the Paper Tags - A Return to a "One-Use" Tagging System
Since Ontario abandoned the tried-and-tested single-use sticker tag system (in favour of self-printed tags that can be illegally duplicated without limit), there has been widespread concern over how this system enables poaching. This is recognized by many deer hunters and is a major concern among Ontario's Conservation Officers. Unfortunately, to-date, the MNR has ignored the calls of Ontario's Conservation Officers to abandon this failed experiment and return to tried-and-tested methods of ensuring that a deer tag is used once, and only once.
A top priority for ODSA is seeing the current system of tag issuance rightfully discarded and replaced with a reliable single-use tagging system.
#2: Re-Align Antlerless Quotas with Herd Size and Growth Potential
How many deer does Ontario have? What are the herd sizes and population trajectories of specific WMUs? What is the target population density of deer for particular WMUs? These are questions that we expect the authorities regulating our deer hunting seasons and antlerless license quotas to have answers to. But the truth is, that Ontario currently has no method of estimating the deer population size either within WMUs or across the province. And, perhaps as a result of no adequate population monitoring, the MNR cannot provide an indication of what its deer abundance targets are. Instead, a policy of over-exploitation has been the result, particularly in regions experiencing severe winters and high hunter participation.
The current issues arose in the early 2000s. At this time, deer herds across much of Ontario were growing, and in response the MNR began a policy of escalating antlerless deer quotas across much of Ontario. Since that time, antlerless quotas have not been adjusted dynamically to account for herd declines that have occurred, in particular in regions of Ontario's snowbelt and areas subject to severe winters. In fact, in many cases antlerless quotas have increased even as populations have declined well below levels seen prior to the year 2000. As an organization, ODSA will be advocating for significant changes to antlerless quotas in WMUs that have suffered severe declines and been at chronically low population densities. To assist in this effort, we aim to establish WMU-specific herd monitoring programs using thermal drone surveys (see "Initiatives" page for further details). By implementing herd monitoring efforts, we can further support our advocacy for growing herds back to sustainable levels in over-exploited WMUs.
#3: Public Disclosure of Deer Density Targets and Prescriptive Actions for Deer Under- and Over-abundance
As highlighted in "#2: Re-align Antlerless Deer Quotas with WMU-specific Herd Densities and Limiting Factors", Ontario does not have defined deer density targets across the province's WMUs. ODSA will be advocating for the MNR to publish WMU-specific deer density targets so that their management approach can be judged objectively on how well it meets its targets. Without an objective target, there is no way to determine what management actions are required (e.g., raise, lower, or maintain antlerless quotas). With a target in place, prescriptive actions can be defined that determine the response to populations falling outside the range of their target. Therefore, ODSA will be requesting the MNR to update its deer management policy with prescriptive actions to take when (measurable) population objectives are not being met.
#4: Better Protections for Deer Wintering Areas
Prior to the 1990s, the MNR spent considerable resources in understanding deer populations across Ontario. Of particular interest were deer winter concentration areas (often referred to as 'deer yards'). In northern, central, and southwestern Ontario snowbelt regions, deer winter concentration areas are especially important. These regions can experience very severe winters that challenge the ability of deer to exist. Critical habitats in these areas are ancestral winter areas, passed down through generations and re-used on a yearly basis. These areas usually contain microclimates (areas of more moderate snowfall or extensive thermal cover such as hemlock, cedar, and balsam fir forests) that allow deer to exist in otherwise unlivable environments.
Unfortunately, the MNR has not kept these records up-to-date, in spite of the fact that deer yards affect the type of industrial and housing development that can occur in Ontario. Winter concentration areas and suitable concentration areas have changed over time, and there is a need to update the records to adequately protect this key deer habitat in Ontario. ODSA will be working on a member facilitated and 'citizen science' initiative to update Ontario's records on deer winter yards so that Ontario offers the necessary protections for critical deer habitat.
#5 (for input): Requirements around Party Hunting to Prevent Illegal and Detrimental Practices
Ontario's party hunting rules were established to allow hunters to share deer tags between members hunting together. Over time, however, and in-spite of the practice being illegal, party hunting in practice has evolved to mean "Tag Transfers". A "Tag Transfer" involves a deer tag being transferred from a person not actively engaged in hunting (e.g., spouses with a hunting license but that do not actually hunt) or transfer of tags among people not actively hunting together. By engaging in illegal tag transfers, these individuals obtain unfair access to the deer hunting resource and in effect, steal opportunities away from law-abiding hunters. This is particularly problematic in areas where there are few deer to begin with as it results in over-exploitation of the deer herd (through illegally increasing hunting pressure). The practice also discourages quality herds, as a hunter may choose to shoot a buck that they would not be satisfied ending the season with, but since they know they can continue hunting after being successful, they may shoot a buck that even in their eyes would be more desirable if allowed to live additional years.
ODSA aims to discuss among its membership how these issues might be best addressed. At this stage, engagement among membership is needed to determine the most desired recommendations for the MNR to revise its party hunting rules, potentially with different rules for different WMUs/regions.