Since the season began, many hunters, both archery and rifle, have asked questions about what’s happening to the star big game of our Quebec forests.
Following my column last week, several hunters have contacted me to explain the misadventures they have experienced.
“This year, during the bow hunt, the juvenile partridges were very small. I also saw some very small rabbits. The moose didn’t move at all, didn’t respond to calls and didn’t speak, explained Donald Beaudry of Val-d’Espoir in Gaspésie, who hunts in Zone 1. The current situation is contributing to the abandonment of several hunters who find that it no longer makes sense that it has become a waste of time and money. What does it take to shake things up and bring about some much-needed changes? »
This is a good example of what many hunters have experienced. His opinion reflects many of the messages I’ve received. Our hunter is also aware that this season’s hunt took place during a period of intense autumn heat due to climate change.
“We are in the forest, in the Gaspé mountains, when the weather is not really good. Several successful hunters have lost all their flesh to the heat. Rumor has it that there are more than 16 strays. We have to pay a lot of money for the license, the equipment, the travel. We really feel cheated. »
NATURE DECIDES
Unfortunately, no one is in control of nature, including decision makers at the Department of Forests, Wildlife and Parks.
“Climate change is really a big problem,” explains Pierre Caron, an instructor at the Quebec Federation of Hunters and Fishermen and a former butcher instructor for almost 40 years. Hunters used to be told to gut their animal, hang it up and let the air in to chill the meat because the nights were cool. Today, in September and even October, the nights when the mercury falls below zero are fewer and the days are warm. We must not forget that enemy number one is heat. We must change our habits to adapt to these new conditions over which we have no control. »
He recalls that parrying to show his elk and overheating make the difference between healthy and edible meat and meat that’s heated and automatically lost.
“I advise people to remove the skin as soon as possible and quarter the animal to allow the meat to cool. If the hunters don’t intervene quickly, the meat will be completely lost within 24 to 48 hours as it heats up. No more walks in 2022, especially during bow and crossbow hunting season. The animal is removed in quarters and covered with cheesecloth to keep out dirt and flies. We’ll quickly go to his butcher. »
Hunters who spend their excursions at game reserves and outfitters can rely on cold storage rooms set up on the reserves to precisely counteract the effects of climate change. There, too, they must act quickly to protect their beasts.
HUNTING MACHINE HAS NO IMPACT
Among the testimonies and questions I received was one from Mélanie Bergeron of Rivière-du-Loup, who asked me if there was a difference in the taste of the meat depending on whether the animal was slaughtered with a firearm or a crossbow be.
“Some people claim that there is a difference in the taste of meat from an animal shot with a bow or crossbow. It is absolutely wrong to explain to the experts. Everything is related to time [qu’il faut pour] that the animal will die and what stress it will experience. If the animal is not fatally affected immediately, it will experience significant stress. At this point there will be an impact on the quality of the meat. It is therefore necessary for the hunter to touch the animal in a vital area so that everything is done quickly, regardless of the type of hunting equipment used. »
Other factors can directly affect the quality of the meat people consume.
“The age of the animal can make a difference, or even if a male is slaughtered during the rut when the sex glands are very active. The tenderness of the meat is often determined by how long the animal has been exposed to heat after slaughter. This has a direct effect on the maturation of the meat, which has to hang in the butcher’s cold room for several days. Those are the real factors that affect the outcome on the plate, if you can call it that. »
PRECAUTIONS
This method remains the same for all big game species. Currently, the elk hunting season is over or nearing its end in several areas. Deer hunting is started with bow and crossbow or started for firearm hunters. It will be necessary to take precautions to take good care of your game once it is slaughtered if you want to benefit from it.
A final piece of advice from Pierre Caron at the end of the interview: “There are fewer and fewer butchers processing game meat. It is therefore necessary for hunters to reserve a spot before heading into the forest so as not to be caught off guard. »