ONTARIO—The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) is providing funding to groups like the Manitoulin Area Stewardship Council (MASC) to help with deer save programs taking place in the area.
“We’re sort of at the time when we have a moment to breathe and review the applications we have received for funding for the Deer Save program from groups around Ontario, including MASC,” Mark Ryckman, a senior wildlife biologist with the OFAH, said last week. He confirmed Wednesday, “we have rendered a decision and will be financially supporting the deer conservation efforts on Manitoulin Island and the North Shore to replenish the bank account of all these volunteer groups that are doing so much work to try and save the deer this winter.”
Although Mr. Ryckman did not disclose the amount of funding MASC will receive, Bob Florean (a member of MASC) confirmed, “we have received $4,000 from the $17,000 distributed around the province.”
“We know there are a lot of people in your neck of the woods breaking trails and cutting browse to help the deer,” Mr. Ryckman told the Recorder.
“Deer die every year due to winter conditions, no matter how severe or not they are,” said Mr. Ryckman. “The point of the Deer Save fund and past MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) intervention is to avoid a large scale die-off of deer, especially during severe winters like we are facing this year.”
Mr. Ryckman told the Sault Star in an article published earlier this month, large numbers of deer in the province could be “at the point of no return” as cold weather and deep snow continue to linger. The very low temperatures are not good for deer, but he said what is likely causing real trouble for herds in the area is snow which remains extremely deep in areas north of Lake Huron. He explained that given that white-tailed deer only have about 90 days of fat and energy reserves, it is to the point where they’re going to be entering starvation mode if it doesn’t ‘green up’ soon.
The problem for the deer is largely the snow, which in parts of this area is 50-75 centimetres deep, and the energy they have to expend to get from the place where they sleep to the place where they forage for food. Added to that, in a normal winter a deer will lose 10-20 percent of its body weight because the foods they have access to during that part of the year are inadequate to sustain them, said Mr. Ryckman.
Ian Anderson told members of the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM) at a meeting, “We have had deer save funds coming from a variety of sources, maybe as much as $4,000 from the OFAH, $1,000 from the Gore Bay Fish and Game Club and $2,000 from the Little Current Fish and Game Club, and there have been a number of individual contributions as well.”
Mr. Anderson explained Tuesday, “the money is being used to pay for fuel and volunteers breaking trails where MASC has landowner approval. We hired a bulldozer, owned and operated by Aaron Corbiere of Corbiere Enterprises, to break trails for deer to access food sources on properties where we have permission to do work. We worked in seven different areas in Kagawong last week, and on Bidwell yesterday and South Baymouth tomorrow. Then we will move to Shrigley Creek and onto 400 acres on the west bluff in Gore Bay and then the Walkhouse area in Silver Water and then the Government Road between Tehkummah and Providence Bay.”
“I’ve seen several fawns that have died and one yearling, and there has been a lot of wolf-coyote kills, mostly of fawns,” said Mr. Anderson. He pointed out the deer likely wouldn’t have survived regardless.
“I expect we will lose 20-25 percent of our deer this year,” said Mr. Anderson. “The biggest loss will be last year’s fawns and this year’s unborn deer. There will be a lack of fawns and yearlings.”
“There are quite a few people around the Island feeding deer,” stated Mr. Anderson. “And everything we are doing is independent of the MNR.” He told the club members, “this winter is worse than 1995-1996 and is the third coldest winter ever. Over the last 10 days I’ve seen something I’ve heard about before, but never seen. I found two deer, an adult doe who had basically hung itself trying to reach a branch on a tree and it got caught up in the brush which was in a tight v.” A second similar incident took place involving an adult doe. These incidents occurred “because the deer are having to fully stand up in trying to reach the branches on trees.”
Mr. Ryckman said those wanting more information on how to apply for deer save funding from the OFAH, or tips on helping deer, can do so by checking out the OFAH website, www.ofah.org/about/ofah-deersave
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