O.F.A.H. Supports Minister’s Announcement on Proposed Elimination of Hunting Wildlife in Captivity

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (O.F.A.H.) supports the recent proposal to eliminate the hunting of wildlife in captivity by David Ramsay, Minister of Natural Resources.

“The O.F.A.H. supports the proposed elimination of paid hunt farms as a matter of policy– part and parcel of our 15-year lobby to shut down exotic deer and wild boar farms entirely. This is certainly a step in the right direction,” said Ed Reid, O.F.A.H. Wildlife Biologist.

O.F.A.H. concerns against game farms are based on conservation. Wherever exotic deer or wild boar are farmed, they tend to escape and mix with the wild population. Exotic deer (such as red deer) genetically threaten wild elk restoration; escaped wild boar can form wild populations and cause damage to farmland, woodlots, wetlands, and native wildlife habitat; and wildlife diseases can originate on exotic deer farms and spread to the wild population.

“The O.F.A.H. cannot support captive deer hunting facilities when we are opposed to the practice of keeping deer in captivity. It’s as simple as that,” added Mr. Reid.

The O.F.A.H. big game management and conservation system was founded on the 100-year-old principle of removing any price from the head of a deer, moose, elk or black bear. Captive hunting facilities undermine this principle that has made North American big game management, restoration and conservation the most successful anywhere in the world. The proposed changes only affect exotic big game hunt facilities. Hunting native deer or big game in pens is already illegal in Ontario.

“Individual hunters have their own opinions on these facilities. Clearly the vast majority of Ontario’s hunters choose not to use them,” said Mr. Reid. “For the O.F.A.H. it’s a matter of conservation. Eliminating canned hunting facilities helps protect our native wildlife.”