by Councillor Doreen O’Sullivan
Hunting season is upon us. Make room for everyone in our natural resources.
North Grenville is a mix of rural and urban areas with roots in both cultures. We need to respect the varied uses and users of our trails and forests. Remember that the forests are also home to wildlife.
While enjoying the lovely forests and trails we are so fortunate to have, we need to be aware that hunting is happening, and I feel it is
important to educate people about safety and the values of sustainable hunting.
In response to public questions about hunting, Ed Patchell, retired CEO of the Ferguson Forest Centre provided me with the following information.
Bow hunting has been going on in the nursery and surrounding crown land for many years. This area actually has its own designated wildlife management unit (66B) with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).
The Ferguson Forest Centre is designated for bow hunting and for only one week, the second week of November. The hunt is a controlled hunt to manage the herd population, and a limited number of licenses are given out each year. Bow hunting is a much more controlled form of hunting, the range of the firearm is only about 30 meters and must be clear of obstructions that could impede the travel of the arrow. So the hunter must have a clear line of sight to the animal being hunted and must be fully aware of what they are shooting at.
The purpose of the bow hunting season is to control the deer population on the property so that it doesn’t adversely affect the regeneration of plants in the crown forest and on the nursery property. Controlling the population also helps to ensure a healthy deer population. At one time the nursery had a resident herd of over 50 deer and you could easily see deer in the evening throughout the property. The herd was known to do significant damage to the nursery crops. The nursery has experienced the complete destruction of White Cedar crops over the winter in the past and this has had a disastrous effect on the nursery’s ability to supply its clients. In the past, the herd had a much larger land base and roamed from where the Colonnade mall is now through all the new sub divisions (eQuinelle, Settlers Grant and Tempo) with plenty of habitat and food. Now there is only the nursery and crown land that are suitable for the herd, and there have been deer in a number of the nursery fields this year.
Without the hunt, there is once again potential for significant damage on the nursery crops, it could impact the health of the deer population, it could attract more carnivores that could also impact other animals, and it could result in more dangerous vehicle interactions.
The City of Ottawa allows hunting with both guns and bows within the rural areas which have intensive trail systems.
Limerick Forest allows both types of hunting and at various times of the year. This is also a multi-use forest with an extensive network of trails.
There is No Hunting allowed on the Kemptville Campus, and so I recommend that residents explore those trails. The Sugar Bush and Discovery Trails in there are wonderful and full of potential. There is some work to be done to enhance them with trimming of branches, creating connections and marking the trails. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Director Mark Guy at the Municipality of North Grenville or myself. mguy@northgrenville.on.ca, or dosullivan@northgrenville.on.ca.
Safety is paramount as is etiquette while sharing the trails with other users:
- During hunting season, avoid the trails where hunting is allowed and dress appropriately with bright coloured orange or red clothing
- Dogs on the trails must be kept on leash. The Dog Park is an option for letting your dog run loose.
- Pick up after your dog and don’t toss ‘poop bags’ in the bush
- Respect horse riders on the trails. There recently was an incident in the Limerick Forest where an ATV spooked a horse and the rider was thrown off. Similar incidents have been reported with off-leash dogs spooking horses.
- Don’t litter – Take out whatever you bring in. Garbage not only looks bad, it is a risk to the health of the wildlife.
The Ferguson Tree Nursery generates revenue that is used to support the Ferguson Forest Centre, including the trails on both its property and the MNR lands. With the winter season upon us soon, the trails will bring more opportunity for enjoyment. Walking, XC skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and riding fat bikes – let’s enjoy the wonderful trails we are so fortunate to have and share them with all users.
