After many years without a…

After many years without a spring bear hunt, it was great to see it come back. I am a tourist outfitter in Northwestern Ontario and we have a very healthy bear population in our area. The 200m from a road or trail has been very challenging to deal with. Our baitsites have been established for years and not all of them were 200 m from a road. (not many established trails up here). Unfortunately, most bait sites are near clear cuts, because they surround us up here. It is very challenging to find a clump of trees standing in a good area that is 200 m from a road. We operate in the Trout Forest and they cut everything in an area for 20 years. If your bear management area is in one of these blocks there are no trees and lots of roads that prohibit bait site locations. By reducing the distance a bait can be to a road or trail will greatly improve our bait locations and we will be able to start using some of the old sites again.

Safety is number one for our guests and others in the forest. We always have our tree stands situated so the hunter is shooting away from a road. Also all our hunters are up in the air so they are shooting down and which is safer than shooting from the ground for stray bullets.

For years we have been baiting close to roads for the fall hunt and have never had an accident. Or heard of one for that matter. Spring isn't any different. Actually probably easier to see because the trees don't have leaves on them yet.

Reducing the distance will also reduce unwanted trails in our area and reduce the use of atvs to put out bait. Helping with less emissions.

It would be a great law to change.

Thanks