Have Ontario Whitetail numbers recovered yet?

[eaglemountainman]

When I was researching a whitetail hunt there 4 years ago, a few Ontario residents, and even some local outfitters, advised me to save my money and book elsewhere for a few years until the herds rebounded some. I'm wondering if 4 years was enough to increase the herd back to previous levels, or should I give it a few more years.

Also, does anyone have any personal experience and recommendations for a quality outfitter up that way?

 

[mmanincor]

Numbers are recovering very slowly. Talked to several people from up there as well as a few people from my home area that went up there this past season 2021. I would wait at least 2-3 years with good winters. Wolves sound like a big problem also.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Thank You

 

[12wander]

I have a friend in NW Ontario north of Vermillion Bay that has a resort (camp) and they got smacked with snow early and keep getting more. I don’t thinks he has ran deer hunts for the last 3 or 4 seasons now due to the low deer numbers. He said he won’t again this year. He said if they don’t get a early warmup it could be another large winter kill.
He also said the wolves are eating well with the deep snow. Which sucks as I was hoping to get up there this fall.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Reviving this old thread.

It's been a couple more years. Can anyone comment on the present state of yhe deer heard up that way?

 

[wind gypsy]

It’s a big province but I assume at least the parts north of MN are hurting bad like northern MN is. Finally caught a break last winter with it being extremely mild but they’ll need a lot more than one mild winter at least in northern MN.

 

[mt terry d]

A friend and his son went up and got 3 wolves. Lots of wolves , not much
other game. The specific area I do not know, just north of Minnesota.

 

[Macintosh]

Were the past several winters worse than they historically were, or was there a period of abnormally warm winters that grew the deer herd? Seems odd that it would be attributed to the winters in an area that historically has had bad winters? Or is a abnormally mild winter just what folks are looking toward for a big recovery year?

Aware of wolves, thought that area had had wolves fairly continuously over the past several decades though (??). Has the wolf population across ontario increased so much that its mostly the wolves?

 

[Cady Creek]

I went for a number of years during the "hay days" early to mid 2000's, but stopped when things slowed down. Sioux Narrows/Kenora area. I have a couple buddies who have continued going religiously every year. They have been struggling the last few years. Aside from some nocturnal cam pics, they've been returning with tag soup.