Dear MNRF, …

Dear MNRF, Feb.12. 2020

Proposed changes to black bear hunting regulations. The spring black bear hunting season is a positive
idea. It will spread out the hunting pressure and give the existing guides much more opportunity to service their clients. If the black bear population is greater than the habitat will sustain, it gives the MNRF a tool to control the population.

Why didn't the guides ask for the Whitetail Deer to be put on the list that non-residents couldn't hunt without a guide service?

The proposal to force non-residents land owners to hire a guide service is a negative idea. My first bear hunt in Canada was Northeast of Peterborough about six years ago with a guide. The Camp was just off a good gravel road and okay. Their was myself and a friend plus 4 other guys there when we were there. The guide and his helpers kind of smothered all of the hunters. The guide after morning hunts pretty much wanted us all to hangout at the Camp until afternoon/evening hunts.

We would have gone to explore the area, big Provincial Park near by, a couple Trading Posts and small town. In this situation we would have spent much more money at the local businesses if we had owned land in that WMU. The guide was the only person that made money! We left after 3 days on a 6 day hunt package. We harvested one bear about 130#. We saw several small bear that we were encouraged to shoot in the 100# range, maybe yearlings. The more bear you shoot with a guide, the better his ratio is, even if it a 90#er.

There is a big difference between being a hunter and a SPORTSMAN. The guides all rate themselves on success of kills verses number hunters. The forcing of Guide Service on non-residents is going to create more friction between guides. Sometimes leaving somethings that works alone is better trying to change the "wheel"!

The last 4 years I have purchased properties that we use for outdoors recreation, including black bear hunting. Most of us bring our spouses, children and even grand kids. This is our method of getting the younger family members interested in going fishing, hunting, hiking or any outdoor activity. Most hunting guides are not setup to handle families and particularly younger children. We rent cabins or camp at modern campgrounds. We normally make 5 or 6 trips to Bruce Mines area yearly and hunt during the week days to lessen conflict with guides or residents that are also hunting black bear.

The tourism activity is one of the main sources of money for many of the smaller towns and "mom and pop shops", and part of that revenue comes from non-resident land owners!

I'm sure most of the WMUs are similar, but guide services and number of guides per area differ. Where we hunt in the last 4 years we haven't seen a guide. Where I come from fairness is a "give and take thought process"! Let's not give it all to the guides.

I complement the MNRF for their continued management and research of the Black Bear and the Wildlife Habitat that Ontario has for all its Wildlife! I saw several research areas with barbed wire and sardines last spring! Always nice to see and know what they are! Good Job!

Respectfully,