Deer Harvest Planning in the Kemptville District Eastern Ontario Deer Advisory Council Kemptville District May 16 th, 2016

Deer Management in Ontario The Cervid Ecological Framework (CEF) provides strategic policy context on how deer, moose, elk and caribou are managed in Ontario. It consolidates the approach to managing these species in relation to each other when they are found on the same landscape. Broader landscape concepts such as the CEF help to ensure that management efforts occur at ecologically appropriate scales and that allocation decisions are reflective of both biological and social considerations. 2

Framework for Moving to a Broader Landscape Approach Goals: 1. Adopt a modern and sustainable approach to managing Ontario’s natural resources over broader areas and longer time periods. 2. Support, enable and advance ecosystem-based, landscape management approaches in Ontario over time. Elements of the Proposed Framework: 1. Manage at appropriate scales 2. Integrate and coordinate 3. Assess, manage and mitigate risk 4. Focus science and information resources 5. Manage adaptively

Deer Harvest Planning 2016 Deer population objectives are developed to meet broad management guidance described in the Cervid Ecological Framework (CEF) and Taking a Broader Landscape Approach. Status and trends of deer populations are evaluated on: –Information provided by hunters through the Post Card Survey and Hunt Group Surveys (OFAH) –Trends are examined: deer seen per hunter day, deer harvested per hunter day, tag fill rates, and total harvest (enhanced trend through time and spatial data) –Assessment of winter severity and associated impacts on deer populations –Summer and fall food availability and condition of deer entering winter –Non-hunt information such as reports of human-deer conflicts (e.g. agricultural crop damage. –Based on the status of deer population trends relative to objectives, a decision is made to maintain, increase or decrease deer numbers via antlerless tags, controlled deer hunt tags, and additional seals. Regional Operations Division (Regions) approves quotas in consideration of population management guidance provided in the CEF. 4

Role of District Offices Collect data requested by Regional Operations Division Provide comments and advice to Regional Operations Division re. proposed tag allocations based on local knowledge Work with landowners to resolve conflict situations Communicate management decisions to local stakeholder groups

Role of Regional Operations Division Analyze collected data, and develop tag allocations to work towards specific CEZ population objectives.

Data Collected at Kemptville District & Provided to Regional Wildlife Managers for Consideration i.OFAH Zone F Hunt Camp Survey data ii.EODAC tag allocation recommendations iii.Winter severity data (5 snow stations) iv.Deer jaw data (data from 314 jaws across district) v.DRA data results

Snow Depth Index / Winter Severity A critical piece of information used to estimate and predict annual deer population recruitment potential A milder winter with less snow accumulation SDI measurements indicate a very low winter severity index – well below long term average and close to historic low’s in some WMU’s.

Deer Jaw Data Deer age class structure is an important index of population status Fewest number of jaws ever submitted to Kemptville District (312 total for all WMUS combined down from 414 in 2014) Difficult to draw many conclusions from such a small data set Lanark Chapter of QDMA began collecting deer jaws from local butcher shops in bucks and 102 does Average age of deer harvested in eastern Ont in 2015 – 2.2 yrs Median age – 1.5 yrs

Deer Removal Authorizations Number of DRA’s issued to landowners increased significantly in 2015 (41 up from 19 in 2014) Number of authorizations issued increased to 19 Most authorizations issued in SD&G – 42% Most deer removed in Lanark – 61% Biggest spike in authorizations and deer removed was in City of Ottawa Majority of tags issued were for antlerless only deer

Deer Removal Authorization Summary

Coyotes and Deer Predation Data from the Marlborough Forest Deer Study (Keith Monroe and Brent Patterson) indicated that coyotes are a much more prevalent source of mortality on adult deer than previous thought. Predation events not specific to winter conditions Levels of observed predation on adult radio collared deer on par with highest levels recorded in N.A.

Summary Deer management objective is to increase numbers of deer in this region. Deer numbers have declined from winters of and ; populations are in recovery. This past winter will help significantly as it was not considered severe. Over-winter mortality of deer is anticipated to be low. Fawn recruitment is expected to be excellent this spring. Trends in coyotes/wolves seen per hunter day show a decline in predators (with the exception of WMU 65). Deer seen per hunter day in 2015 increased in most areas which may indicate deer numbers are beginning to increase in the region. All available information indicates the populations will begin to increase or stabilize in 2016 in eastern Ontario.