Double Crested Cormorant, BYE BYE BIRDIE

Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters

Ontario takes important first step in cormorant control

Today the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) announced that they will be introducing a fall harvest for double-crested cormorants.

OFAH members, through two decades of advocacy, have been at the forefront of requesting government control of overabundant double-crested cormorants and this fall season marks the first step in utilizing hunters to help create a manageable population of cormorants and minimize their impacts on other fish and wildlife species, as well as the habitat and ecosystems that support them.

Starting this year, the season will take place from Sept. 15th to Dec. 31st, and allow hunters to take 15 birds a day under a small game licence.

Cormorants

"Provincial government action has been a long time coming in the eyes of many OFAH members, and today's announcement reinforces the need for persistence and determination when there is a conservation concern that threatens our fish and wildlife," says Lauren Tonelli, OFAH Resource Management Specialist.

The OFAH believes that this is just the first step in controlling cormorant populations and that more is needed from all levels of government.

"We will continue to seek additional management actions that will contribute to cormorant control where hunting or discharge of firearms is restricted such as some Provincial Parks, National Parks, and city waterfronts," Tonelli adds. "A small fall harvest will not be enough to adequately reduce the ecological damage that cormorants cause provincially, but is a recognition that something needs to be done and gives individuals a means to begin to reduce local concerns."

For more information, including the full government notice, please visit www.ofah.org/cormorants.

Awesome. I gave up on my trout pond because of these things.

What are you supposed to do with them after you shoot them?

Being that it's against the law to let game spoil, I'd say either eat it or give it away.
Maybe feed your hunting dogs and get their coats all shiny for deer season.
Bear bait? I dunno.

This is good news!! Dog food for me or toss em in the neighbors yard

I heard originally that you could leave them as they are not game birds. Not sure if that is the case now though. i do plan on shooting any that come my way, we have lost a lot of small sand islands to them, as they killed off the trees that had managed to grow there.

Officially...

I have no problem with the culling as I've seen the damage they do to islands and other high density nesting sites.

The only issue I see is the shooting and leaving them there, very definitely a PR nightmare waiting to happen. In todays world of videos and social media, a large number of dead birds floating or washing up on property owner shorelines is not going to go over very well. Further if the shooters are 'yahoos' for lack of a better word and leave dying and injured birds swimming around, PETA or basically anyone with a video camera will have a field day on social media..

Just something to think about... Happy Hunting.

Ok thanks Drew.. This makes more sense. Thank-you!

They’re hard on the trees where they perch. Not to mention all the fish they eat.
This is a pics across the Whitby harbour a few weeks back.

Safely blast away, it's very long overdue..

Some places so thick you might drop your limit on a slug nvm a bird shell. Happy target shooting for all. These birds have no clue what is in line for them. They never been shot at so I bet they will be dumb founded!

I'm looking forward to reading some strategies in how to get them. I personally have not been able to get that close to them where it would be considered legal to knock them down with a shotshell. When they are flying they have always flared from the boat. Question since it's covered by a small game licence can a rimfire or centre fire rifle be used? Even then you would need to be very careful in the direction of discharge and proximity to property.

Nope.
restricted to shotguns, no slugs, and non toxic

3. Allowed firearms: Shotguns (including muzzle-loading shotguns) not larger than 10 gauge with non-toxic ammunition. Shotgun cannot be loaded with a shell containing a single projectile.