Staff
The Ministry of Natural Resources has provided a hunting forecast detailing what district hunters can expect for this season.
Deer populations are in excellent shape across all Wildlife Management Units in Rainy River District, primarily due to the recent spell of mild winters.
There have been no severe winters for deer since 1996-97. The area had six-consecutive mild winters with below normal severity while the last four winters were only moderate severity based on snow depths.
The winter of 2008-09 was severe in all WMUs, with the exception of WMU 10 in the west end. Although there may have been limited impact from over-winter mortality of deer, there may have been reduced recruitment and fewer fawns.
Hunting prospects for deer still are excellent in most WMUs (especially in WMU 10).
Meanwhile, moose populations are in reasonable shape across the district, with populations declining in WMUs 9A and 9B, stable/increasing in 11A and 12B, and stable in 12A.
Although calf composition appears to be improving, there are widespread concerns with reduced bull numbers and imbalanced bull-cow ratios.
Aerial moose surveys were completed this past winter in 9A, 9B, and 12B. Moose densities were down in 9A and 9B, and up in 12B, with calf numbers improving in all three WMUs.
A survey in 11A was completed in 2007-08, and calf numbers looked promising.
But wildlife managers continue to be concerned with the expansion of white-tailed deer and potential sources of non-hunting mortality, including parasites (brainworm, winter tick, and liver fluke), climate change, and predation.
Still, hunting prospects for moose are good for this season, except towards WMU 7B, where deer numbers are exceptionally high.
Bear populations also are stable to increasing in all local WMUs, and hunting prospects for resident and non-resident hunters are good to excellent.
Baiting opportunities are good based on an extended warm weather and late-season reductions in natural foods.
On the other hand, ruffed grouse are on the down-swing and past the peak of their normal population cycle.
The number of birds in the Fort Frances area appears to be lower this year after good seasons in 2007 and 2008.
Cool and wet conditions existed throughout Northwestern Ontario this past spring and summer, and likely contributed to reduced recruitment and late hatches.
Decent numbers of young birds still are being observed, but overall brood sizes are down.
Hunting prospects are listed as fair to poor.
Meanwhile, higher water levels in wetlands and beaver ponds produced good habitat and breeding conditions for waterfowl this year.
The abundance of waterfowl appears close to average, and should provide good early-season hunting prospects for ducks and geese.
Waterfowl brood survival appears to be better than expected (especially for mallards and wood ducks) despite the cool weather and higher water levels that existed this past spring and summer.
Local hunters often benefit from fall flights of birds from Western Canada and Northern Ontario. Despite favourable wetland conditions, duck production was slightly lower than expected in southern Manitoba because of harsh spring weather.
On a positive note, a strong re-nesting effort was observed in CWS/DU surveys, and good numbers of late-hatched broods appeared in June/July.
In addition, wet weather delayed haying operations, which also should have benefited re-nesting ducks.
The outlook for waterfowl production was mixed in Northwestern Ontario, which also had an unusually cool and wet spring and summer.
Wetland conditions generally were good to excellent, but sightings of early broods were limited.
Resident Canada geese numbers continue to expand throughout the Fort Frances District. However, harsh spring weather in the Far North had an impact on many Mississippi and Central Flyway goose populations.
A smaller fall flight of Canada and snow geese is expected
Hunting prospects for ducks and geese generally are fair to good in the local area.
