2 for the main deer districts south of the French and Mattawa Rivers. 



Tweed District was blessed with a three-inch fall of snow which provided 

 excellent hunting conditions for the first three days of the season. Since the snow 

 was crusty, it was difficult for deer to move without detection and the kill during 

 these three days represented 56.9% of all deer harvested. Success as tabulated at 

 checking stations was 24.5%, up 4% from 1961. Success as reported by the 354 

 co-operating hunt camps was 47.8%, a healthy gain from the 40.1% reported 

 last year. Weather and a good fawn crop produced good hunting throughout most 

 of the Tweed District. Fawns comprised 34% of all deer checked; this was the 

 highest percentage of fawns checked since 1955, and an increase of almost 5% 

 over last year. 



In Pembroke, most hunters coming through the checking station wore broad 

 smiles, and complaints concerning the hunt were few and far between. Again, 

 sportsmen could thank the weatherman. Up to 5 inches of snow fell prior to the 

 season and remained in most areas durings the first week of the hunt. Some areas 

 had snow into the second week. Hunter success as measured at checking stations 

 was 26.6%, up a full 8.5% from 1961. Hunt camp rep>orts indicated a 42% 

 average success, a startling change from the 26.1% recorded last year. 



Kemptville District's success rate once again was higher than in most southern 

 Ontario districts, although the 35.0% success reported by 254 "camps" was 

 slightly lower than last year. Less effort was required to take a deer this year, 

 however — 13.3 man-days of hunting opposed to 15.9 days last year. 



In Lake Simcoe District, in a three-day season on the crown lands of 

 Matchedash Township and in a 12-day season in Baxter, Wood, Rama and Mara 

 Townships, success for the 571 hunters checked was 23.6%. This is a slight gain 

 from 1961's 22.3%. 



In Huron District, the regular six-day season prevailed on the Bruce Peninsula. 

 At the Wiarton checking station, 1,480 hunters were interviewed. Hunter success 

 was 15.2%, up slightly from last year's 14.3%. Elsewhere in Huron District, 

 several Counties had a three-day season. Weather was not favourable and this 

 reduced the harvest. Hunter success for the 1,941 sportsmen interviewed was 

 10.7% with 12.2 days of hunting effort required to take a deer. 



In Erie District, four Counties enjoyed a three-day season, after many years 

 of closure. An estimated 7,882 hunters participated and took 818 deer for a 

 success rate of 10.3%. Five and one-third man-days of hunting were required to 

 bag a deer. The weather was good for hunting, hunters were most orderly and 

 few complaints were received from landowners. A substantial proportion of the 

 deer hunters were farmers and the season was a popular one with many landowners. 



In Southern Lindsay District, the Counties of Durham and Northumberland 

 were also open for three days. Although poor weather and lack of knowledge 

 concerning the deer runways may have reduced the kill, most hunters and land- 

 owners were pleased with the results. One "cornfed" buck, weighing in at 285 lbs. 

 dressed, was taken in Durham and may have been the largest deer taken in 

 Ontario this year. 



In Table 3, the age class composition of the deer checked from each district 

 is tabulated. One of the most significant aspects of this table is the low percentage 

 of 2i/2-year-old deer in the kill. Although, we know that this age class is the 

 most difficult one to age correctly, it is also true that in several districts, the 

 2 1/2-year-olds were produced after a second consecutive severe winter, e.g. Sud- 

 bury, North Bay, Pembroke. It is likely that many fawns failed to survive because 

 malnourished does could not give them proper care. This showed up as lower 

 than normal percentages of yearling deer last year and will be apparent again 



63 



