Scoping out the proposed Ontario elk hunt

Nov 04, 2010

Photo: Steve McNevin, Cam McCauley and Mike Allan

With the growing frequency of elk sightings in the County of Frontenac, hunters in these parts may soon be aiming their scopes their way - that is, if the MNR's proposed one-week elk hunt in Ontario goes through. Through their current Elk Management Plan the MNR is hoping to provide an opportunity for hunters to harvest elk through a proposed elk hunt in parts of Central and North Frontenac.

It was with that in mind that Cam McCauley, coordinator with the Frontenac Stewardship Council, invited MNR wildlife research technician Mike Allan to the Storrington Community Hall in Sunbury to speak about the history, reintroduction, current status and future research of elk in Ontario.

Joining Allan was Steve McNevin, a senior fish and wildlife specialist with the MNR, who was also on hand to take questions after the talk.

Though millions of elk once existed North America, by the early 1800s, due to over-hunting and decreased habitat as a result of land clearing, elk were extirpated from the province until the early 1900s. In the early 1930s, 24 Rocky Mountain elk were reintroduced to the province and in the 1940s that population grew to over 300 animals. However, a devastating liver flu that spread through cattle herds was blamed on elk and those animals were culled, leaving just two remnant herds existing in the Nipissing French River areas of Ontario.

In 1997 the MNR decided to reintroduce elk into the other parts of the province and from 1998-2001 a total of 442 Manitoba elk species were introduced to four different Ontario locations: Kenora, Lake Huron North Shore, Nipissing and Bancroft. The latter location received 120 animals. Though a soft release was planned, with the intention of the herd spending months in a pen in order to become acclimatized to the habitat, they broke through the fence upon arrival and immediately dispersed. The release was classified as a hard release. A second soft release took place and in 2001 another 120 were released in the Bancroft area.

Roughly a decade later the Bancroft herd is thriving and out growing the other three original herds. It has now reached 450 head as a result of low predation and mild winters. The herd has since split off into four major groups covering roughly a 2000 square km area.

It is due to this thriving population that the MNR are now considering introducing an elk hunt. But before that can happen, research has to be done to establish where the self-sustaining populations exist.

To accomplish that the MNR has set up the Ontario Elk Research Program and is currently carrying out research with two aims: first, to determine the environmental and inter-specific impact of restoring elk in the province, and secondly to initiate various research projects from which data will be used to assist in managing and optimizing the herds’ maximum growth and survival rate as well as defining a long-term general management plan.

Allan pointed to three main studies that have been done so far. One looked at the feeding habits and preferred habitats of elk, which concluded that elk and deer can successfully co-exist together. A second study looked at the dispersal of the elk in Ontario and found that a high mortality rate prevailed after the first hard release. The study concluded that soft releases would be undertaken in the future.

A third study looked at the affect of a disease called brain worm on Ontario elk herds, a disease that can be compared to heart worm in dogs. The disease is acquired from a parasite present in white tail deer feces and is spread to grasslands where the elk feed. The study concluded that the problem is exacerbated by people feeding animals, since deer and elk herds will come together to feed, and that though brain worm will always have an impact, it could be lessened greatly by educating residents about the dangers of feeding these wild herds.

Allan summarized the research and stated, “Elk and deer can definitely co-exist as long as we can maintain the growth and health of the elk populations.” One of the ways to do that is through hunting.

Allan also admitted there are definitely gaps in knowledge and more research will need to be carried out. Allan then spoke of the research he personally will be carrying out, namely the study of elk movement patterns and their chosen calving sites in the Bancroft area. By using various techniques like GPS satellite radio collars and vaginal implant transmitters Allan will be collecting data that will help him to map out these sites.

“What I really want to do is to define the calving sites using these methods and want to compare the areas where the elk are choosing to calve verses areas where are they are not calving to see if they are choosing sites based on habitat characteristics. This information will be important down the road when we try to use land use practices where elk exist so we can better protect and manage them.”

Allan also stated, “Kingston and the Ottawa Valley have very excellent elk habitats so it is not surprising that elk seem to be finding their way over here and it wouldn't surprise me if in the future they begin to establish themselves here because of the habitat.”

An information package put together by the MNR states that before a hunt can take place two key things need to be established. First, an Elk Harvest Management Strategy needs to be put in place, and second, an Elk Harvest Allocation System (i.e. a draw) needs to be established in order to distribute the elk seals to hunters who apply. The proposed season would take place from the third Sunday in September to the following Sunday. To be able to hunt elk in Ontario a hunter would require a Resident Outdoors Card and elk license and seal. Quotas are yet to be determined and only adult cows and bull would be harvested.

Hunters hoping to participate in a future elk hunt can find more information at the MNR website at www.mnr.gov.on.ca