DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES No. 9 (1944) 



MOOSE :^-Conditions applicable to moose showed no important changes during the year. 

 Some slight increase was reported in scattered areas in the northern uortion of the Province 

 which are favourable to their existence, but as a general rule they are not found in sufficient 

 numberfc- to justify any extensive hunting. The protection at present provided would appear 

 to be essential for the continued existence of this species. The usual period of open season 

 provided by the Game and Fisheries Act was in effect m Northern Ontario, while a restricted 

 period of open season, extending from October 15th to 30th. 1942, was established by Regula- 

 tion effective in those portions of the Districts of Nipissing, Sudbury and Temiskaming defined 

 in clau.se (i) of subsection (b) of Section 7, and in the District of Rainy River and those 

 portions of the Districts of Kenora and Thunder Bay defined in clause (ii) of subsection (b) 

 of Section 7 of the Game and Fisheries Act. 



CARIBOU: This species exists only in very limited numbers and in but few isolated 



fAreas. The hunting of caribou is prohibited at all times, and this complete protection would 

 appear to be quite necessary for the majntenance of this species even in its present limited 

 proportion^. 



ELK: — Little improvement has been reported from the various sections in which these 

 animals are to be found. The original stock was brought into the Province several years ago 

 from Western Canada, and limited numbers were liberated on subsequent occasions in suitable 

 portions of the Counties of Bruce and Peterborough, and in the Districts of Nipissing, Sud- 

 bury, Algoma and Thunder Bay. Some specimens are also located on Beausoleil Island in 

 Georgian Bay off the county of Simcoe. • The original importations were placed on the 

 Petawawa Crown Game Preserve- in the County of Pembroke, where numerous specimens 

 still exist. 



BUFFALO: — These animals are to be found only on lands in (he Burwash Crown Game 

 Preserve in the District of Sudbury, where they were placed after being brought from Alberta 

 in 1939. Little increase has been reported. 



BEAR: — Bear continue to be quite plentiful throughout (lie nortliern portion of the Provmce 

 and increased numbers were reported from man5'^ areas. The hunting of this species provides 

 some measure of sport and recreation and as has been stated previously in this report, the 

 Department disposed of two hundred and thirty-two non-resident liceiLses for the taking of 

 bear during the 1942 spring season, i.e., from April 1st to June 15th. 



During the year a regulation was provided to authorize the payment of a bountv of 

 ?10.00 on each bear killed in defence or preservation of live-stock or property. Tiiis regu- 

 lation applied only to bears over the age of twelve months which had been killed in^ any 

 township in which not less than twenty-five per cent of the total area is devoted to agriculture 

 and which are located in Northern Ontario, the Districts of Parry Sound, Muskoka and 

 Haliburton and in the Counties of Bruce, Frontenac, Hastings- Lennox and Addington, 

 Peterborough, Renfrew and Victoria, and was payable only in respect to bear killed by a 

 resident of the Township in which such bear was actually killed. 



RABBITS: — Reports received in the Department would indicate that the various species 

 of rabbit y^hich inhabit the different sections of the Province were quite plentiful, and 

 boeaking generally, there would appear to have been some increase in their numbers in many 

 districts. Cotton-tail rabbits prevail throughout the western and central portions of southern 

 Ontario, the European hare, or jack rabbit, throughout the southwestern counties generally, 

 while hnow-shoe rabbiia, or varying hare, are to be found m tne northeru and eastern portiom 

 of Southern Ontario and tmoughout that portion of the Provmce lying north and west of the 

 Mattawa and French Rivers and Lake Nipissing. In some portions of the south-central and 



