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019-0405

Comment ID

33802

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Thank you for your review of Moose management in Ontario. There appears to be some opportunity for improvement in the process of the draw process but reading the proposal I see it as very difficult to understand if the hunter is not extremely attentive to detail and the intricacies of the system will leave many confused or frustrated. . However, I am absolutely opposed to a calf validation tag application across the whole of the Province in 2021. It is clear that the CVT proposal is not specific to a sustainability related concern in many areas and to take many hunters out of the game because they have no association to a tag seems unpalatable to me. Not only does it impact the hunters who are not fortunate enough to secure a tag or find someone with a tag to be associated but it will also impact hunters in the field and in many cases could make otherwise legal hunters unable to hunt or even illegal.

There has been zero data to demonstrate how going to a CVT system will add new opportunity. There is no information to show what the total cost of an AVT OR CVT will be. We are lacking a clear understanding of how many of us will no longer be able to hunt or more precisely how families and future generations of hunters will no longer be interested in moose hunting, hunting at all.

The realities of implementing a CVT and how it will impact hunters? No longer can a resident of Northern Ontario simply hop on their quad and go out for a hunt, no longer can a family just go for a weekend hunt, no longer can a resident grab a neighbour and go for a hunt, no longer can the many solo hunters head out into the field to enjoy a day calling or in search of moose, no longer when a hunting party goes afield , when their tag holder gets a call to go home for a family need or other will the remainder of the party be able to be in the field, no longer when the tag holder is sick in camp will the others be able to go out, no longer after a day of organized hunting will the members be able to go out to their favourite watch and sit until dark calling and scouting (this is totally legal with the present system as long as they do not shoot an animal they do not have a tag for and many groups use this as a scouting strategy for the following days hunt.) no longer can you go to more than one WMU. (Hunters presently do go to more than one WMU for moose hunting at different times depending on weather and time available to travel, Also, many camps and hunter reside in areas where several WMU's converge or are within close proximity. WMU;S 28, 29, 40 are good examples where Kirkland lake, New Liskeard, Elk Lake, Matachewan resident might hunt without an AVT. Many of these people hold a moose license and enjoy the great outdoors for the "off-chance" they might have an opportunity. This will no longer be an option unless they can find someone with a tag to be associated with. Where is the incentive for a young or new hunter to enter the system if the point system appears out of reach and the random draw is their only hope . Realistically we know those tags available will be limited and people need to book vacation time well in advance in many cases. Presently they can book holidays and know they can plan and go for a hunt. This new system totally eliminates that predictability.

Again, while there are potential improvements in the proposal communication and education are critical key points to address. Evidence or data to support the proposal of a province wide CVT is weak, or non existent. It is not being implemented broadly as a conservation need and it will impact many hunters and communities both socially and economically not to mention the potential impact to the SPA. The net economic loss will impact MNRF, Communities and displace many present and future moose hunters in the Province of Ontario.