SUDBURY—The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) does not support a proposal from the Little Current Fish and Game Club (LCFGC) regarding the club’s concerns with deer baiting practices being carried out on Manitoulin Island. Currently there are no provincial regulations in place.
“The (Manitoulin) Island fall deer hunt was successful,” stated Glen Polsky, big game chair and first vice-chair of the OFAH board at the Zone D annual meeting held in Sudbury last Saturday. At our meeting the concerns with baiting deer, brought forward by the Little Current Fish and Game Club (LCFGC) was discussed. The recommendation was not endorsed.”
“On behalf of Bill Strain, (president of the LCFGC) and the club their main concern with deer baiting is that you will get hunters from other parts of the province with trucks full of food that are being used to bait deer on their property. They drop off these truckloads of food to bait deer. Meanwhile other areas end up not seeing any deer on their property,” stated Seija Deschenes. “And then they are encouraging other hunters to come on their property to hunt.”
“If there was a proposal in place for baiting, it would end up systematically being put in place all over the province, and not just for deer,” said Rolly Frappier. “And if it was allowed for deer, then regulations would be put in place for other animals as well.”
“It’s not that the LCFGC is against baiting but they are against property owners bringing in huge flats of food to bait deer in an area,” said Ms. Deschenes.
As reported previously the LCFGC passed a motion and sought support from other fish and game clubs-members of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Zone D, in regards to their concerns on baiting deer practices being carried out on Manitoulin Island.
Mr. Strain explained in a story in the Recorder May 27, 2016 the concern, “relates to a problem we’ve had in certain areas, where people from off-Island bring truckloads of things like potatoes, carrots etc. before the season to bait deer. They bring them from areas like the Holland Marsh in Barrie, Ontario and these food items attracts deer from all over.”
“Meanwhile neighboring property owners are ticked off, because, even in some cases where they have 200-300 acres they don’t see any deer,” Mr. Strain told the Recorder. “Our club just feels this is unethical. We have no problem with someone for instance putting out a pail of apples prior to the season, but not this large scale baiting.” He pointed out in many US states this practice has been banned. He said the club agree with deer plots and are not against farmers who produce alfalfa in their fields.
There are no regulations at all in the province of Ontario against deer baiting.
Mr. Strain had explained the practice of deer baiting has been going on for several years and one thing he has heard is that certain landowners on Manitoulin are selling two or three day hunts on their property of say 300-400 acres, over their bait piles. After they are done their hunt, the next group comes in and has the same opportunity. Meanwhile neighbouring property owners are seeing this taking place over their fence, with deer being baited with a huge bait pile for deer.
In its letter to the OFAH, the LCFGC requested that the provincial government develop and implement regulations dealing with the baiting of deer in Wildlife Management Units 43A and 43B. “Although the majority of hunters on Manitoulin do not bait excessively, are respectful to hunters around them and value a healthy sustainable deer herd, there is a minority that show no apparent regard for the environment, social and cultural impact that excessive baiting may have. (Environmental refers to the impact on deer populations and the spinoffs from that. Social refers to the divisiveness and unrest it creates within the hunting community and by extension, the community at large. Cultural refers to traditional ethical deer baiting practices and the likelihood that if this does not stop, other hunters, with no viable option, may be led to engage in the practice in order to experience some measure of hunting success. This can only exacerbate the situation.”
“Over the past several years, thousands of kilograms of bait have been dispersed annually over small parcels in sections of WMU’s 43A and 43B,” continues the letter. “This practice of baiting with excessive quantities creates not only unethical hunting advantage but results in a harvest rate that cannot be sustained by the herd. No less importantly, it creates a potentially unhealthy situation, one that facilitates the spread of disease when large numbers of deer are occupying a small area.”
“The LCFGC is suggesting that the regulations include, but not be limited to the following: 1-the quantity of bait that can be placed at one site; 2-the proximity of each bait site to the other bait sites. 3-the timing of when baiting may occur. We also recommend that any regulations exempt legitimate farming practices and cultivated food plots. We further suggest that the province seek input from the Manitoulin Island community before any regulations are enacted.”
At the OFAH meeting there were concerns raised as to how these regulations would be enforced. One suggestion was municipalities could pass bylaws putting regulations-limits in place on baiting of deer. In Alpena, Michigan for instance this was put in place and limits of using a five gallon bucket of food to bait deer is in place.
Brian McRae of the OFAH noted that MNRF conservation officers don’t enforce municipal by-laws.
