O.F.A.H. Zone J                    Quarterly Meeting Summary                        Apr. 2, 2006

Tavistock Rod & Gun Club

53 members present as Dave Featherstone, president of Tavistock Rod & Gun Club welcomed the OFAH Zone J.

Minutes of Zone J Quarterly meeting of Jan 8, 2006 read by Secretary/Treasurer Wilf Cassidy. 

Chair Felix Barbetti encouraged everyone to contact their local council to support Sunday hunting initatives by the OFAH. 

Dr. Scott Petrie, Director of Long Point Waterfowl & Wetlands Research Fund (LPWWRF), professor at UWO, OFAH Director and a great asset to our Zone interests.

Funds research through out the lower Great Lakes for a variety of reasons: contributes to science, develop useful information for management purposes, to increase public awareness & education, and to provide a voice for conservation & hunting.  Funding comes from the hunting community.

At Western, they are teaching Waterbird Ecology and Wetland management through a summer course at Long Point. This provides a hands on opportunity for students from around the world.  They operate the Avian Energetics Lab at Long Point..  There are currently 10 ongoing research projects. During 2005  studies of diving duck ecology on eastern Lake Ontario were completed.

Studies of the clay plains and corn crops near Long Point for waste corn availability and quality during the spring and fall were done. Waterfowl need the critical spring corn.  The fall corn is very available.  Today’s harvesters are more efficient, post harvest tillage and treatment has a significant on the amount/quality of corn left in the fields.

A study was conducted on the intentional running over of amphibians and reptiles at Long Point on the causeway.  A student put rubber decoys, Styrofoam cups, and sand on the centerline to see if vehicles intentionally run over things on the road.  A large number of animals have been found run over on or near the centerline.  It was found that male drivers hit things on the road twice as often as females.  It made no difference if there were passengers in the vehicles.  SUV drivers ran over the most items.

They are investigating the long term population dynamics of Mourning Doves in Ontario and if harvesting our native species in Ontario is viable.  There are no significant population differences in the survey circle of Michigan, Ohio, Vermont, New York and Ontario.  Some of these states allow hunting Mourning Doves. 

Is Hunting accepted as a society?  10% say no, 10% say yes, 80% are neutral.

A Mallard Hen House feasibility study is being conducted.  Artificial hen houses are being installed to try to entice Mallard nesting.

Common Loon artifact ingestions, contaminant burdens and conditions during fall migration thru the lower Great Lakes is being studied.  Some biologists are saying the Loon die off is due to lead sinker contamination.  So far 100 have been looked at and zero lead sinkers have been found.

Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup are being studied as to why there is an increase in Selenium in their bodies.  Their migration is being tracked thru implanted radio transmitters at a cost of $2,900 US per transmitter. If the Zone donated $1,000 we could support one such tracking.

Logging Companies and Farmers need to be influenced to assist in research and management.

Feral cats are wild cats living in the bush.  They are very good predators killing grouse, cottontails, chipmunks, songbirds, etc.  There is an estimated 11,000 feral cats living in Norfolk County.

Chair Felix Barbetti thanks Dr. Scott Petrie and his son Noah for a wonderfully informative presentation.

R.J. DeGroote and Ian Deslaurier, Member Services OFAH.

Ian discussed the member benefit of the OFAH Insurance.

R.J. discussed sustaining membership.  Life members contribute more money each year than individual members.  OFAH will also be offering a property insurance package for clubs that can take effect upon policy renewal

Dave Featherstone described the significant difference that the new insurance package has made for Tavistock R&G in one year savings.

Dan Elliot and Pud Hunter, MNR

The great attendance today is very encouraging.

The major concern at the moment is the financial situation the government is in and the position it has put the Ministries in, not just MNR.  Funds are being redirected to Health care and Education.  The MNR can no longer deliver things they have historically delivered, and non-government agencies are trying to pick up the slack.

The MNR is becoming a policy and monitoring agency.  There is no money for field operations and client service offices are being closed.  Currently Stewardship councils are bringing more funding into the MNR than is received from the Provincial Government.

The question posed is “As stakeholders, what do we do to make the Province listen to us and to have money put into the MNR coffers?  We can’t take our tools of the trade to Parliament Hill!”

Please see attached reports:  Zone J Chair Report; Alternate Director Report; Fisheries Report; Environment Committee Report; Big Game Report; Director In Training Report;

Small Game Report by Wilf Cassidy

Wilf reports good Jack hunts occurring in Norfolk area.  The extended hours on Turkey hunt were enjoyed by hunters but the extra time had no effect on the numbers.                                               

Youth Camp Out Report by Don Fairbairn –

Youth Camp Out will be held June2, 3 & 4 in Port Colborne, Ontario.  Lure making and black powder will be featured activities.  Camping is available but there is no hydro and water/toilet are available at the clubhouse.  Saturday lunch is included. Please contact Alf Marinelli or Don Fairbairn to be involved.