ANNUAL REPORT, 1942-43 



Kent and Elgin, where the extension was limited to two days, thereby permitting such 

 shooting over New Year's Day (1943). 



WOODCOCK; — These birds as a general rule are quite scarce throughout There are but 

 few sections in which they can be hunted with any degree of success, which areas may be 

 stated as located in some of the counties along the shore of Lake Erie and one or two 

 adjoining counties to the north thereof, as well as in a few of the eastern counties. The 

 period of open season established by the Migratory Birds Convention Act which governs, 

 viz : — October 1st to 31st, applied throughout the Province. 



SNIPE: — It may be stated that this species as a general rule is not too plentiful, though there 

 are some scattered localities in which successful hunting prevails, principally in the more 

 southerly counties of the Province. The reguJations for their protection and shooting thereof 

 Lre provided by the Migratory Birds Convention Act, and in 1942 the bag limits were reduced 

 fiom twenty-five per day to twenty per day and not more than two hundred for the season, 

 which extended over a period of two months, from September 15th to November 15th in 

 the northern division and from October 1st to November 30th in the southern division. 



PLOVER: — Reports would indicate that plover are not at all plentiful in any section of 

 the Province, and while some improvement was observed in a few sections, conditions 

 generally were such that the protection of an entire closed season again prevailed throughout 

 1942 with respect to this ^species. As in the case of wild ducks, wild geese, woodcock and 

 snipe the regulations which apply are provided under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. 



FUR-BEARING ANIMALS 



The following . information with reference to the various species of fur-bearing animals 

 which inhabit Ontario has been assembled from reports submitted by members of the 

 Departmental Field Service Force: — 



BEAVER: — In the southwestern and southeastern counties these animals are not at all 

 plentiful due to the lack of favourable habitation. In the remaining sections, and more 

 particularly to the north, there is every indication that beaver are fairly plentiful, with some 

 improvement in their numbers being reported from numerous areas. This condition may be 

 attributed in some measure to the protection they have received in past years when a 

 cflmaplete closed season' prevailed and in more recent years when only a limited period of open 

 season has been provided in suitable areas during the first part of December. A regulation 

 was adopted which provided an open season from December 1st to 21st, 1942, for the taking 

 of beaver in that portion of Ontario lying north and west of the French and Mattawa Rivers 

 and Lake Nipissing (excepting therefrom the District of Rainy River and portions of the 

 Districts of Kenora and Thunder Bay lying south of the main transcontinental line of the 

 C.N.R. and west of the line of the C.N.R. running south-easterly from Superior Junction to 

 Fort William), in the Districts of Manitoulin, Parry Soiind, Muskoka and that portion of tht 

 District of Nipissing lying south of the Mattawa River, and in the Counties of Victoria, 

 Haliburton, Peterborough, Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Froatenac and Renfrew. All 

 persons who trapped beaver during this open season were required to have proper trapping 

 licenses and each trapper was authorized to take not more than ten beaver. In addition, 

 and in view of complaints regarding damage to property by beaver, an open season extending 

 from November 1st to 30th, 1942, was provided in the county of Grey. Only residents of 

 this county were permitted to trap during this open season, and each trapper was permitted 

 to take not more than ten beaver. In this case the pelts were disposed of by the Department 

 and the pioceeds were remitted to the trappers concerned. Departmental returns show that 



