SUDBURY—While neighbouring areas have a concern with winter conditions influencing whitetail deer, the winter so far has been good for the Manitoulin Island deer population.
“The deer herd on Manitoulin is doing well this winter,” stated Derrick Luetchford, spokesperson with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) Sudbury district office last week. “I was talking to some of the people we normally talk to on the Island at this time of the winter to see if they are concerned about the deer herd,” he said.
“The deer herd on the Island is doing well, they haven’t even had to yard up so far this winter,” said Mr. Luetchford. He said this is in contrast, “to the North Shore which is in the throes of an old fashioned winter.”
“The deer needed another fairly easy winter, this would be the third fairly moderate winter in a row that the deer have faced,” said Mr. Luetchford. “I was talking to one person in Sheguiandah and he said the deer there are not yarding up and in areas like Gore Bay and Kagawong, we have heard the same.”
Mr. Luetchford added, “unless there is a dramatic turnaround on the island, I don’t think we will do our formal winter call this year to see if deer need assistance. I don’t see anything happening now that would seriously affect the deer.”
