The vast majority of deer hunters or white-tailed deer will enter the forest starting Saturday. At daybreak, rifle hunting season officially opens.
Yes, many hunters use other equipment such as bows, crossbows, black powder rifles or 12-gauge rifles, but the vast majority of the more than 135,000 license holders hunt with rifles. So from Saturday until November 26th you can try your luck at outsmarting your favorite game.
Photo provided by Julien Cabana
This season, hunting dates mean that large males, who are often very cautious, could be more vulnerable. They are in the middle of the rutting season, a time in which they very often take risks just for one goal in mind: reproduction. It goes without saying that calling techniques, rattles and the like can certainly lead to better results than in previous years.
During the mating season, the sound of the feathers of two males seemingly fighting for the favor of a female, or the call of a female in heat will certainly have an impact on the males’ behavior.
Photo provided by Julien Cabana
The hunt comes this fall during the best time for hunters but the most vulnerable time for men.
The reason the season starts so late is the regulatory measures affecting this species. According to the regulations, the season must start on the Saturday closest to November 8th.
If you look at the 2024 calendar, you will notice that the season starts earlier.
The herd
According to specialists from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, Quebec’s white-tailed deer population is doing well.
It is estimated that there are more than 250,000 deer in the entire area, not including Anticosti.
According to the ministry’s dossier coordinator, Ms. Sonia De Bellefeuille, the hunting season is expected to be good again for amateurs.
“The winter was mild in most hunting areas except the North Coast,” she explains. Considering [du fait] That the last four winters have been mild and that food was very plentiful last summer, largely due to the rains we had, looks promising. »
In their opinion, hunters should be successful if the weather cooperates.
A topic that divides
The deer population in Quebec is unevenly distributed. While zones 6 and 7 have very high population numbers, the situation is completely different in zones 1 and 2. This is why the RTLB (Restriction on the Legal Size of Antlers) debate so divides amateurs.
Some are counting on this measure in the hope of increasing their local population, while others do not want this because they are in abundance. The results of the five-year study in Zones 6 North and 6 South demonstrate that there were no biological impacts on the deer population in these zones.
The ministry is currently examining whether this measure will become mandatory in one or more zones or whether it will be eliminated entirely.
Personally, I believe that hunters have a certain responsibility to protect big game populations. In some areas where the population is smaller, there should be some control through regulation. Basically, however, the hunter must feel responsible and let the smaller males pass by on their own so that they can grow and become an asset for reproduction.
Last year, hunting success was 37%, the best since 2007. A total of 55,318 deer were recorded.
The FédéCP petition
Leaders of the Quebec Federation of Hunters and Fishermen announced that their petition on moose management in Quebec is now available on the National Assembly website. They invite hunters affected by this file to sign it. The association is calling on the government, among other things, to increase resources for the aerial inventory program and an annual publication of all data on Quebec’s moose populations.
Wildlife Heritage
The Heritage Wildlife Foundation will hold its annual fundraising dinner on November 24 under the honorary presidency of Mr. Jean-François Samry, President and CEO of the Quebec Forest Industry Council. Funds raised that evening will be used to train the next generation of hunters and fishermen. The event will take place at the Hôtel Plaza Québec. The ticket price is $220. You can obtain it by visiting fedecp.com or calling 418 878-8901, extension 4.
