The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has a long-standing interest in issues pertaining to elk, particularly the relationship between elk and agricultural operations. In that context, OFA welcomes the opportunity to provide its comments on the proposal to extend the Fall 2012 elk hunt in the Bancroft-North Hastings area from 1 week to 2 weeks.

The OF A welcomes the proposal to extend the open season for hunting elk in Ontario from 1 week to 2 weeks. We view it as a positive step. We support the extended season. We anticipate an extended season will reduce elk predation on standing crops and stored feed in the Bancroft-North Hastings area, by maximizing hunter success.

A key objective of the Bancroft-North Hastings area hunt is to reduce the population of elk preying on area farms. A longer hunt, with more hunter days in the field, should serve to restore the elk’s natural fear of mankind to animals that have faced no hunting or harassment for many years as well as to reduce elk numbers in the Bancroft-North Hastings area.