

ability of agricultural areas to produce well nourished deer and a large healthy 

 fawn crop which augurs well for future hunting prospects in the eastern counties. 



Elsewhere in agricultural southern Ontario, several counties and townships 

 were open for a three-day deer season — some for the first time in many years. In 

 Lake Simcoe District, the hunt was an unqualified success in the seventeen town- 

 ships open to hunting and virtually no complaints were received from either 

 landowners or hunters. Over 1300 hunters were either checked in the field or 

 contacted later by mail or telephone; these surveys indicated a hunter success 

 of 30.6% which is exceptional for such a short season. 



In Erie District, short deer seasons were enjoyed in four counties and district 

 staff estimate that 5548 hunters enjoyed a success rate of about 11%. Again 

 the hunt was most orderly and landowners constituted a high percentage of 

 participating hunters. 



The Bruce Peninsula in Lake Huron District again enjoyed a six-day season 

 and 2500 hunters checked at Wiarton had a success rate of 12.8% which was 

 very similar to 1963. 



In summary, Ontario deer hunters enjoyed much better success than in 

 1963. Weather during the hunt was much improved and in nearly every area 

 there was evidence that deer were available in good numbers. Except for Sault 

 Ste. Marie and Sudbury, which have been plagued by bad weather, prospects for 

 those hunting white-tails in 1965 are good. 



HABITAT IMPROVEMENT 



Deer in Ontario are at the northernmost fringe of this Continent's deer range. 

 Supplies of food and cover in winter concentration areas are essential if good 

 deer populations are to be maintained. The excellent food supplies which followed 

 the heavy pine logging of the 1850 to 1910 period is maturing and conditions are 

 becoming less favourable for deer. Selective conifer logging also has destroyed 

 winter shelter values in some areas, and there are extensive stands of timber with 

 little commercial value at the present time. 



For the past three years a major programme designed to improve winter 

 habitat for deer has been under way. This programme is a co-operative one 

 between the Timber and Fish and Wildlife Branches. Important wintering areas 

 for deer are located by aerial surveys and inspected subsequently on the ground. 

 Most projects are designed to provide adequate woody browse for deer during 



Table 3 



DEER HABITAT IMPROVEMENT 1964 FISCAL YEAR 



No. No. Acres 

 District Projects Treated Programme 



Parry Sound 7 1925 Cutting and girdling unmerchant- 



able trees to encourage browse 

 production. 



Lindsay 2 326 Cutting pole stand hardwoods and 



girdling larger unmerchantable tim- 

 ber to encourage browse production. 



Sault Ste. Marie 2 300 Clear cutting strips to encourage 



production of browse. 



Pembroke 9 4410 Clear cutting unmerchantable, 



mature hardwoods to produce deer 

 browse. 



TOTAL 20 6961 



29 



