The cottontail rabbit, European hare and, in some areas, the 

 snowshoe hare, continued to supply a very large amount of 

 quality recreation. Populations of cottontails and "jacks," 

 as European hare are called, were at particularly good levels 

 across much of southern Ontario. For example, field checks 

 of 1,388 rabbit hunters in Peel, Ontario, Simcoe and York 

 counties, in Lake Simcoe District, indicated a harvest of 

 259 cottontails, 235 European hares and 96 snowshoe hares, 

 and an average daily success rate of 2.43 animals per 

 hunter. 



All available information indicates that hunting pressure has 

 little influence on the annual status of most resident small 

 game species. Thus, management aims to provide informa- 

 tion to the public relative to annual availability of small 

 crops and to establish the most liberal seasons possible, 

 consistent with other uses of land in agricultural areas. 

 Since a high proportion of small game hunting takes place 

 on private lands, the development of good hunter-landowner 

 relations is important. 



Many small game species, such as woodcock, snipe, squirrel 

 and raccoon, are neglected by a large proportion of Ontario's 

 hunters. Although these species were present in good num- 

 bers across much of Ontario, only a very small fraction of 

 the available surplus was taken by hunting. 

 WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT 



Ontario's waterfowl management objectives are designed to 

 maintain waterfowl populations at or near the levels which 

 occurred during the favourable 1955-57 period, and to pro- 

 vide opportunities for quality recreation so that hunters and 

 non-hunters alike can utilize and enjoy the resource, now 

 and in the future. Specifically, management is designed to 

 determine and predict trends in the annual abundance of 

 important species produced in Ontario, and to keep the 

 public informed on important facets of waterfowl manage- 

 ment. The utilization of under-harvested species is desir- 

 able, and reduction of the kill of those species exhibiting 

 lesser abundance due to habitat conditions is essential. 

 Development, protection and improvement of habitat im- 

 portant to waterfowl is necessary to improve waterfowl 

 production where possible. The management program 

 includes development of additional hunting opportunities 

 for waterfowl in areas where public access is limited or 

 where certain species of waterfowl are not now available to 

 Ontario residents. 



Waterfowl banding continues to be a most important man- 

 agement technique in assessing the status of important 

 waterfowl species in Ontario. Many agencies co-operated in 

 the 1966 banding program, including this Department, the 

 Canadian Wildlife Service, the United States Fish and Wild- 

 life Service, and interested private agencies such as the 

 University of Guelph, Sportsmen's Clubs, and the Ontario 

 Bird Banders' Association. In total, 12,778 ducks and geese 

 were banded prior to the season in 1966. Of the 28 banding 

 stations, Department personnel operated 15 and provided 

 direct or technical assistance to five others. 



Table 11 



PRESEASON WATERFOWL BANDING IN ONTARIO — 1966 



SPECIES NO. BANDED 



Mallard 3,964 



Black 2,045 



Blue Wing Teal 4,852 



Wood Duck 807 



Other 1,110 



Total 12,778~ 



Seasons and bag limits were established in consultation 

 with Federal authorities. Wood ducks continued to increase 

 and a daily limit of four again was allowed; restrictions on 

 red heads and canvasbacks were retained with a limit of 

 two of either species. After October 14, hunters were allowed 

 an additional two scaup or goldeneye since, at present, 

 these late migrants are hunted very lightly. 

 The Department co-operated fully in the institution of a new 

 Federal migratory game bird hunting permit which is de- 

 signed to facilitate surveys of waterfowl hunters and to 

 obtain, for the first time, accurate information concerning 

 the distribution of hunters in Canada and their harvest of 

 waterfowl. First year permit sales are listed below and indi- 

 cate the importance of waterfowl hunting in this Province. 



Table 12 



SALES OF CANADA MIGRATORY GAME BIRD 



HUNTING PERMITS IN 1966 



Resident Non-Resident 

 PROVINCE of Canada of Canada Unknown Total 



Total 



363,649 14,631 1,779 



380,059 



Field staff continued to evaluate hunter success and to col- 

 lect biological information during the open season. Opening 

 day hunting success for important southern waterfowl 

 Districts were as follows: 



Table 13 



OPENING DAY WATERFOWL HUNTING SUCCESS 



SELECTED LOCATIONS, SOUTHERN DISTRICTS 



No. Hunters Ducks 



Checked No. Ducks per Hunter 



