As a long time deer hunter…

As a long time deer hunter in Ontario I have witnessed many changes over the years and the trend is not good. We have hunted with a gang on the same parcel of land for over 60 years and for the last 4 years we did not harvest a buck during the 2 week rifle season. A number of factors have led to the decline in the herd including over harvesting of antlerless dee, liberal season lengths, predation from coyotes and bears plus fawn mortality from winters and cold and wet springs, and the targetting of mature post rut bucks. In my opinion the season is to long. Most of the mature bucks are being shot in the last 2 weeks of the season when they are feeding heavily after the rut and many of these deer are in their wintering grounds. We hunt in 63a and I had a deer on camera for a month in November to early December. He was killed by a friend on the 24th of December in Zone 63B over 12 km's away right next to a wintering yard. Also the technology for the hunters has increased by leaps and bounds especially for bow hunters but not for the deer. Many are using crossbows with scopes that can accurately shoot 75 yards or further. That's a far cry from not that long ago when most people would not try a shot over 25 yards. The bow season, and I am a bow hunter as well, should be at minimum, reduced by 2 weeks to protect post rut mature bucks for the future of the herd