Looks like the 2003 Ontario Hunting and Fishing Regulations are out, you can view them at:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/pubs/pubmenu.html#hunting

And no second tags for Manitoulin,, bummer!!

Guess Ill just have to get a second tag for the area I bowhunt!

[Deleted by Admins]

No not really! the area im bowhunting is pressured much too hard! I believe there is total of about 20 or so guys that bow and muzzleloader hunt that area. Anything brown with 4 legs is killed! Whats going to happen when they find out 2 tags are available to that area??

I wish that property I was hunting in 91 was still available, I know for a fact its just crawling with deer! The farmer there left up 10 acres of corn and its loaded, some friends hunted that cornfield the last day of the 3rd season, both smacked deer in the first 30 minutes,,, they also got charged with the trespass with intent too hunt. Theyre deer ran onto the conservation land before expiring. UTRCA charged them and the mnr confiscated the deer. They kept saying we were hunting the field with permission,, UTRCA said we have authority over those farm fields too! They said you walked on to conservation land with a firearm so its a moot point,, you are trespassing with intent too hunt. I dont know about you but when I go looking for a deer that is shot, I do not leave my gun where I was sitting. It may require a follow up shot!

Law is straight forward on that one, you must get permission from the landowner before recovering an animal that dies on their property. I`ve had trespassers on land i hunt that use the excuse their were just looking for a deer they`d shot on another farm. Turns out it`s an line lots of trespassers use to hopefully avoid a charge. On the flipside our local CO has said that if a landowner doesn`t allow you to recover your deer than the landowner must find it or risk a charge of allowing game to spoil.

The animals were shot on private property that they did have permission too hunt. The conservation authority says, no you are not even allowed too hunt the farm fields,, they consider it to be conservation land also! The problem was when they went on posted conservation land to retieve theyre animals,, granted they shouldnt have taken theyre guns with them. But they did, and it cost them large! The reason weve been told all these properties have been posted is because of ATV abuse!

There was another issue very similar to this in another area I hunt,, the land was posted to all trespassing by the conservation authority. A hunter was stopped and they charged him,, he went to the person that donated the land,, in the contract it clearly states that this land will always be open to the public to enjoy anyway that is legal! The conservation authority decided to make up there own laws on the use of these lands, it did not hold up in court and I wayched them sawsall the signs down!

You want to see a farmer get irate when he was told about it,, he says its a pile of b.s., when does the conservation authority have any right to say what happens on his property!

[Deleted by Admins]

And 84 still only has 1 tag. You guys are scaring me about tracking a deer onto the Board of Ed property next door. I think I' ll be doing a lot of asking before I track there unarmed. It just means that the first shot needs to be more certain before I take it.

Dan O.

DanO I wouldnt be too worried about tracking a deer up where you are hunting(Ive been up in that area fairly often,, and you know what I could bet I could find your place without you even giving me directions,, just to the south of Oliphant just about across the street from the private " zoo" ) Its a way of life up there, especially when all the summertime residents have gone home! I know as well as you 90% of the people there at that time of year are hunting or fishing.

I know on the island during gun season, everywhere you go,, the first question is,, anything big and how many for the camp?

But when you get down around the London area,, its tough! Ive had people literally stop theyre car on a highway when I was watching 2 does in a cornfield below me. They got out of theyre car and started slamming the doors and honking the horn. They really freaked out when they scared them right under my tree!

[Deleted by Admins]