Finally, A Cormorant season announced

[smitty55]

Here's the summary. https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/013-4124

Now to try and figure out a strategy, no one has hunted them before.

I also wonder if they would be good bear bait, goose carcasses certainly work well.

[misfish]

FUNNY THING

 

They bring it out now, yet I have not seen the numbers like they use to be. Here on Simcoe anyways. Use to see hundreds. Now see a flock of maybe 10 max. I see more singles now.

 

Blast away I say,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Terry]

Cool

but I have no where to bury them 

[irishfield]

Oh.. there wasn't a season already.. oops...

[kickingfrog]

double post

Edited July 31, 2020 by kickingfrog

[kickingfrog]

1 hour ago, Terry said:

Cool

but I have no where to bury them 

mishfish's garden.

[Chris J]

It's about time.

[captpierre]

I’ve seen less on Pigeon Lake this year than last few. 

Thought the boys have bin at them.   🤫

[BillM]

Would be nice to blast and cast for these out on Gbay.  But I'm not bringing them into the boat and I'm certainly not taking them back to land to bury. 

[Headhunter]

If they accidentally got run over by a boat on the way to retrieval, it might be difficult to bury them on shore.

HH

[BillM]

3 hours ago, Headhunter said:

If they accidentally got run over by a boat on the way to retrieval, it might be difficult to bury them on shore.

HH

The OPP/MNR will be on your in a hurry when pleasure boaters see you out there with a shotgun, no doubt about it.   And these things don't sit still very long either    It will be interesting to see how this plays out.   I definitely haven't seen many of them this year, some years the Bay seems to be full of them.

[misfish]

1 hour ago, BillM said:

The OPP/MNR will be on your in a hurry when pleasure boaters see you out there with a shotgun, no doubt about it.   And these things don't sit still very long either    It will be interesting to see how this plays out.   I definitely haven't seen many of them this year, some years the Bay seems to be full of them.

In the fall and spring as you know Bill, they are a few in the marina. Once filled up,they like to stand and stretch on the docks. I can see a 22 silencer doing a fine job. Tinted windows will help hide the face of the shooter.  Shoot, drop,shoot,drop. Problem will be,they float and some OMG the birds are dead passer by, will call the cops. LOL

[dave524]

45 minutes ago, misfish said:

In the fall and spring as you know Bill, they are a few in the marina. Once filled up,they like to stand and stretch on the docks. I can see a 22 silencer doing a fine job. Tinted windows will help hide the face of the shooter.  Shoot, drop,shoot,drop. Problem will be,they float and some OMG the birds are dead passer by, will call the cops. LOL

I believe as migratory birds they require a Migratory Game Bird Permit and steel shot, definitely no rifles and the same rules as ducks and geese as far as shooting from a power boat, motor off and fully stopped.

Edited August 1, 2020 by dave524

[...]

I don't see the numbers I did about 7or8 years ago but still a problem. The shoreline damage these critters have caused in southern Ontario is ridiculous..

[smitty55]

7 hours ago, dave524 said:

I believe as migratory birds they require a Migratory Game Bird Permit and steel shot, definitely no rifles and the same rules as ducks and geese as far as shooting from a power boat, motor off and fully stopped.

They are under the small game license, no migratory license required. Non toxic shot.

[mitch seguin]

People can hunt cormorants in accordance with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and small game hunting requirements. The following additional rules apply with respect to hunting cormorants:

1. Open seasons in all Wildlife Management Units: September 15-December 31.

2. Harvest limit: 15 birds per day.

3. Allowed firearms: Shotguns (including muzzle-loading shotguns) not larger than 10 gauge with non-toxic ammunition. Shotgun cannot be loaded with a shell containing a single projectile.

4. Use of vehicles: Hunters are permitted to hunt double-crested cormorant from a stationary motorboat (motorboat is not in motion and the power to the motor has been turned off).

5. Hunter orange: Consistent with hunting migratory game birds other than woodcock, hunters are exempt from the requirement to wear hunter orange during the open season for:

• deer
• elk
• moose

6. Retrieval and disposal, hunters must:

• have adequate means of retrieving any bird that is shot, and
• immediately retrieve the bird, dispatch the bird if it is alive when retrieved, and include it in their bag limit

If hunters choose to not use the birds they harvest, they must dispose of the birds by either:

• delivering it to an approved waste disposal site that permits the disposal of dead animals
• delivering it to a disposal facility, or using the services of a licensed collector, under the Disposal of Deadstock Regulation (Ontario Regulation 105/09) made under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001
• burying it on private land owned by the hunter, or on private land occupied by the hunter with consent of the land owner

All other relevant federal, provincial, and municipal laws/rules related to hunting apply (e.g. trespassing, municipal discharge of firearms by-laws, federal firearm licensing requirements, etc.).

[Jon]

I don't support this and know I'm in the minority on this site when it comes to this proposal. Regardless of whether this is a good or bad mangement approach, I think this will end up reflecting poorly on hunters (and to a certain extent anglers) as not everyone will retrieve what they shoot and uncollected birds will wash up on shorelines and beaches and then the complaints will start. Birds that die of natural causes will also contribute to the poor optics for hunters as people won't differentiate between culled birds or natural death. Gun owners already have their backs against the wall and I fear this will be more ammunition (pardon the pun) for the anti-gun lobby.

Jon

[captpierre]

14 minutes ago, Jon said:

I don't support this and know I'm in the minority on this site when it comes to this proposal. Regardless of whether this is a good or bad mangement approach, I think this will end up reflecting poorly on hunters (and to a certain extent anglers) as not everyone will retrieve what they shoot and uncollected birds will wash up on shorelines and beaches and then the complaints will start. Birds that die of natural causes will also contribute to the poor optics for hunters as people won't differentiate between culled birds or natural death. Gun owners already have their backs against the wall and I fear this will be more ammunition (pardon the pun) for the anti-gun lobby.

Jon

You make a good point, Jon.   I only hope that the majority of the public is fed up enough with the environmental destruction of these birds,  that there will be minimal blowback.  I’m glad that cormorants aren’t “cute”. If they were the outcry would be huge. My neighbour feeds the chipmunks and we have a population explosion now. They are cuties but still destructive.  I’ve had a chat the the local fox for population control services. 😎

[cisco]

News article says proposal is to only hunt cormorants the same time main season of waterfowl is allowed. Sept 15 to Dec 31. We have early Canada goose season so why not for cormorants as well? This 'hunt' is complete tokenism. I expect zero impact on their population.  
'Bangers' at nesting sites when nesting to disrupt their natural process of reproduction is needed. No other way IMO.

I waterfowl hunt and will not be looking for any cormorant decoys to purchase even if they come available. I seriously doubt anyone will buy them.  Decoys will be needed to attract the birds to big water hunters or else pass shots are about all that can be done with a bit of success IMHO.  Sure duck hunters could take passing shots at them but why would a hunter chance scaring away intended prey by shooting at cormorants which must then be 'not wasted'? YECK! They eat fish. Would you rather buy a chicken that ate fish or one that ate corn?

Gov't via OMNR has lost touch with what is going on out there...except it knows it wants votes next election.

Also northerners are not happy at southerners visiting and scared about the virus coming up with them. For sure as things open up there will be some tourist area virus incidents. This 'hunt' will help get some tourist area residents happier with gov't.  

I have also noticed a drastic decline in cormorant numbers. Nature has caused natural population control but what is it? Disease, parasites, food shortage?? OMNR should have an opinion but have heard nothing. 

[tomkat]

It would be nice to get them out of Burlington Bay. The smell from the nesting islands is horrible. I’m willing to bet any of the people who want to protect them don’t live in the immediate vicinity. 

[SirCranksalot]

I don't see it as being an effective way to reduce numbers because they spook so easily it's hard to get close. I guess if you are an avid hunter you know of effective techniques.

 

[DanD]

Here's a way to reduce flock size. LOL