limited. In many localities, decreased logging makes deer 

 hunting more and more dependent on improvements 

 through the deer range management program. 



This program has been greatly expanded in the past three 

 years as indicated by the number of acres treated. In the 

 winter of 1966-7, 225 acres were cut to supply browse. This 

 was increased to 2,260 in 1967-8. 



In 1968-9, 3,350 acres were treated in nine forest districts, 

 and this had the effect of improving wintering possibilities 

 over some 130,000 acres of winter range. In summer, deer 

 will range over an area about 10 times as large; it is thus 

 clear that considerable hunting range is now benefitting. 

 The cost was $184,500. We intend to continue treatment on 

 this scale to assure the survival of many more deer for the 

 use and enjoyment of the people of Ontario. 



When old conifers disappear, deer will disappear with 

 them. Measures are now being developed to increase and 

 manage the type of coniferous stands that deer need for 

 winter shelter. It is expected that a planting program, to 

 establish such a cover, can be undertaken on a meaningful 

 scale in 1973. 



Successful hunters weigh moose at Red Lake Road checking 

 station, Sioux Lookout Forest District. 



BROWSE PRODUCTION (acres), 1968-9 



MOOSE HUNTING 

 AND MANAGEMENT 



Ontario's moose management program aims at providing 



1) a moose population as large as can be reconciled with 

 timber production and forest management in general, and 



2) as much hunting and viewing as the population will sus- 

 tain. We are constantly seeking ways to improve our col- 

 lection of data for a management program cannot be sound 

 unless it is based on accurate information. 



For the first lime, in 1968, a computer was used to assist 

 in the annual, mailed survey of moose hunters. The many 

 difficulties involved in this new method have delayed pro- 

 duction of a final report. Despite the delay, we are con- 

 vinced of the value of this type of survey because 1) a great 

 workload has been lifted from district staffs which previous- 

 ly had to handle all the questionnaires by hand, and 2) it 

 allows the collecting of information which could not be 

 handled otherwise. Although statistics concerning the 1968 

 moose hunt are still fragmentary, those we have suggest 

 that, as with deer hunters, weather was the greatest obstacle 

 to moose hunters. For some reason, hunting by boat or 

 canoe is never as effective when water levels are high, and 

 water levels were at record heights during the fall of 1968. 

 In addition, weather in northeastern Ontario was so mild 

 and rainy that it seemed more like summer time than moose 

 hunting weather. This apparently reduced the respbnse of 

 moose to "calling". This was not so much the cas^ farther 

 west. 



In spite of the difficulties, many hunters were successful, 

 and success rates varied from slightly below normal in 

 Sioux Lookout to slightly above normal in Port Arthur. In 



