Post by Dan on Oct 19, 2007 8:39:33 GMT -5
Well the hunting season is upon us with good deer harvests already being reported in Niagara but for those just starting to hunt it may be impossible to find a location to legally partake in a sport you've probably spent allot of money to prepare for. I've discovered that the hardest part of hunting seems to be finding property to legally hunt on.
Here are some tips to get you started.
Hunting in NPCA Conservation Areas
There are several NPCA properties that allow hunting. There are strict guidelines to follow though and a permit must be obtained before entering the conservation areas to hunt. For more info on the NPCA hunting opportunities visit: NPCA Wesite
Hunter/Farmer Connection
Farmers need hunters help. One example is a farmer on the Niagara Escarpment who hasn't grown his pumpkin crop for the last 2 years due to the high rate of damage caused by an excessive deer population. The farmer was spotlighting well over 100 deer a night in his field but the Ministry of Natural Resources would not issue him more than his alloted 6 cull tags. By growing the crops he's only supporting a bigger deer population. People need farmers to be able to do their thing. If farmers can't control the damage then they won't grow.
This is where the farmer needs us as much as we need the land to hunt on. A win win situation Here is a handy little website put together by the OFAH. It's called the "Hunter Farmer Connection" Both hunter and farmer sign up and the farmers can browse through the hunter listings and decide if they want to make contact by phone or email to invite hunting to their property. In the case of the farmer in the above example, he needed hunters willing to hunt mornings only as he has school tours daily and evening public activities.
Become a member of the OFAH
When you become a member of the OFAH not only are you returning good deeds to the resources but your automatically getting liability insurance in case of an accident or injury while hunting or fishing. This leaves landowners more open to inviting hunters onto their properties because they don't have to worry about OFAH members suing them. The OFAH landowner/hunter permission form has a disclaimer right on it ensuring the hunter will not hold the landowner responsible.
This program has been so successful that some landowners are only allowing OFAH members. Check out this website about the 'Simcoe County Forests" Finally the OFAH's web site is the best one stop hunting resource in the Province. Visit www.ofah.org/hunting/index.cfm for everything you need to get started on your first and every successful hunt after.
I sure hope you use these tips wisely and bag a buck before years end. Ideally this should make life as a hunter quite a bit easier and perhaps encourage you to bring your kids into a sport that is tragically disappearing before our eyes. Don't let it. Get out and hunt and fight to protect your right to do so for future generations to enjoy as have our Fathers since the beginning of man ;D
Dan
Here are some tips to get you started.
Hunting in NPCA Conservation Areas
There are several NPCA properties that allow hunting. There are strict guidelines to follow though and a permit must be obtained before entering the conservation areas to hunt. For more info on the NPCA hunting opportunities visit: NPCA Wesite
Hunter/Farmer Connection
Farmers need hunters help. One example is a farmer on the Niagara Escarpment who hasn't grown his pumpkin crop for the last 2 years due to the high rate of damage caused by an excessive deer population. The farmer was spotlighting well over 100 deer a night in his field but the Ministry of Natural Resources would not issue him more than his alloted 6 cull tags. By growing the crops he's only supporting a bigger deer population. People need farmers to be able to do their thing. If farmers can't control the damage then they won't grow.
This is where the farmer needs us as much as we need the land to hunt on. A win win situation Here is a handy little website put together by the OFAH. It's called the "Hunter Farmer Connection" Both hunter and farmer sign up and the farmers can browse through the hunter listings and decide if they want to make contact by phone or email to invite hunting to their property. In the case of the farmer in the above example, he needed hunters willing to hunt mornings only as he has school tours daily and evening public activities.
Become a member of the OFAH
When you become a member of the OFAH not only are you returning good deeds to the resources but your automatically getting liability insurance in case of an accident or injury while hunting or fishing. This leaves landowners more open to inviting hunters onto their properties because they don't have to worry about OFAH members suing them. The OFAH landowner/hunter permission form has a disclaimer right on it ensuring the hunter will not hold the landowner responsible.
This program has been so successful that some landowners are only allowing OFAH members. Check out this website about the 'Simcoe County Forests" Finally the OFAH's web site is the best one stop hunting resource in the Province. Visit www.ofah.org/hunting/index.cfm for everything you need to get started on your first and every successful hunt after.
I sure hope you use these tips wisely and bag a buck before years end. Ideally this should make life as a hunter quite a bit easier and perhaps encourage you to bring your kids into a sport that is tragically disappearing before our eyes. Don't let it. Get out and hunt and fight to protect your right to do so for future generations to enjoy as have our Fathers since the beginning of man ;D
Dan