100 L.T.
For the 7th consecutive year, with the MNRF’s blessing, the North Hastings Wildlife Association and Coe Hill School have partnered to restock Wollaston Lake, formerly known as Eagle Lake, with its Jewels. Thanks to the North Hastings Community Hatchery which harvested Lake Trout eggs from spawning sometime around Thanksgiving. George Lee of the NHWA picked up 100 lake trout recently and took them to Coe Hill School where staff and students will watch them develop in anticipation of the spring stocking.
EXPLORE ALGONQUIN PARK in the WINTER
In their February newsletter the Friends of Algonquin Park encourage you to explore the park. “We’ve got snow! With a winter of fluctuating temperatures, many visitors are excited to enjoy snowy conditions in Algonquin Park. With the Park’s location at higher elevation than surrounding areas, slightly colder conditions have resulted in more snow than rain events this winter. More snow has created excellent conditions for Nordic skiers, snowshoeing, winter camping, wildlife watching, and more.
If you haven’t had your fix of winter yet, or have never experienced winter in Algonquin Park, come for a visit. You’ll be glad you did!”
THE 2019 ELK HUNT
In 2019, 1803 hunters applied for an elk tag. Of those 155 were eligible to hunt elk. Following is a chart that indicates the number of first choice applications by Harvest Area.
| WMU | Harvest Area | 1st Choice Applications |
| 57 | 1 | 62 |
| 57 | 2 | 438 |
| 58 | 3 | 17 |
| 60 | 4 | 84 |
| 61 | 5 | 668 |
| 61 | 6 | 427 |
| 62 | 7 | 56 |
| 63A | 8 | 51 |
Of the 11 available bull tags 3 were not purchased. Of the 44 cow tags available 5 were not purchased. In total 26 eligible hunters, including tag holders and group members, did not purchase an elk licence.
Is there a noticeable trend that identifies where the applicants live – such as in Hastings County for example? See below.
| 1st letter of Applicant Postal Code | % of applicants |
| K | 58% |
| L | 21% |
| M | 3% |
| N | 12% |
| P | 7% |
In the past the MNRF has been able to identify the number of hunter days for each week thus providing insight as to which week was more favoured. With the changes to mandatory hunter reporting the elk tag holder questionnaire no longer asks for information by date. Perhaps it should?
The data also used to indicate how many elk hunters saw in each week but once again the questionnaire no longer asks for information by date.
In our deer camp we keep a daily diary which goes a long way to helping remember the pertinent information accurately. It’s always fun to recap the day.
The mandatory report no longer asks hunters what challenges they may have faced during their hunt. “We understand from past hunter experiences that finding/accessing private land to hunt elk can be a challenge in some cases.” (MNRF)
As for problems with the new mandatory reporting the MNRF reports that “while a handful of hunters may be experiencing a few challenges, the vast majority are readily adapting to the new online reporting system.”
Additionally, the MNRF adds “While the mandatory reporting requirement for all elk tag holders has been in place since the start of the elk hunt, 2019 is considered a phase-in year for the new reporting system, requirements and penalties. We won’t be applying the automatic licence penalties in 2020 based on compliance with the reporting requirements in 2019. Automatic penalties may be applied in future years based on hunter compliance.”
Following are the results of the MNRF 2-week September 2019 hunt.
Male Female Total
Elk Harvest Area 1: 0 1 1
Elk Harvest Area 2: 1 1 2
Elk Harvest Area 3: 0 0 0
Elk Harvest Area 4: 0 0 0
Elk Harvest Area 5: 1 5 6
Elk Harvest Area 6: 1 3 4
TOTAL HARVEST: 3 10 13
Conservation Officers seized two elk in 2019, one as the result of a “trespass for the purpose of hunting” offence; the other was seized as it was shot during the deer season, mistaken for a deer.
In 2020 expect the Resident Elk Draw Application to stay put at $15.00 and the Resident Elk Licence – $48.25 + HST.
The most recent survey of the Bancroft-North Hastings elk herd during February/March, 2017, recorded a total of 60 adult or yearling females, 17 calves and 15 bulls of which only 2 were classified as mature.
The MNRF continues to encourage the reporting of any elk that you might see via the iNaturalist website at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ontario-elk-distribution. The ministry also says that it appreciates the effort of all hunters in completing their hunter reports. “This contributes greatly to the responsible management of Ontario’s wildlife.”
The Algonquins of Ontario elk hunt didn’t conclude until December 21, 2019. I’ll pass on their results when available.
THE FISHING LODGE
I can think of two examples of men who dreamed of owning and operating a fishing lodge. One was a miner and the other a tourist. The former, once his dream was realized and he was successfully running such a camp, turned to golf. The other still carries on but has his finger in several pies.
Most recently I read about four young boys who years ago were overwhelmed by the trout fishing in northern Ontario’s Algoma Region. As adults, when a nearby fishing camp came on the market, they took the leap and bought into their dream.
The previous owner had initiated a stocking program that involved 5 interconnected lake which involved brook trout, lake trout and rainbow trout. Today these lakes are self-sustaining. Additionally the partners started a similar stocking program in nearby, camp accessible lakes numbering some 4 dozen in total in 1995. Some of the lakes apparently had no fish.
The stocking schedule allows for a fallow period after most of the fish have been caught thus enabling the forage species to recover before new fingerlings are re-introduced. Something similar to letting the land rest every 7th year.
They are still living their dream.
AND FINALLY…
One day while afloat the 75-year old fisherman heard a small voice say, “Pick me up.” Well, he looked around and as he saw noone, continued fishing. Then he heard it again, “Pick me up.”
Floating in his bait can was a frog. The fisherman looked at the frog and asked, “Are you talking to me?”
“Yes,” replied the frog. “Pick me up then kiss me and I’ll turn into the most beautiful woman that you have ever seen and I’ll make your buddies envious and jealous because I will marry you.”
The fisher looked at the frog, gave it some thought, then picked it up carefully and placed it in his shirt pocket.
“What are you doing?” asked the frog. “I said to kiss me.”
To which the fisherman responded, “Naw, at my age I’d rather have a talking frog!”