MNRF mishandled wolf hunt proposal, retired ministry biologist says

A retired Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry biologist from Kenora says managing wolves as a big game species would be good for both tourism and moose management in Ontario.

Bruce Ranta told CBC News he also believes the ministry mishandled its recent proposals regarding wolf and coyote hunting in the province.

Earlier this week, the MNRF said it was rescinding a plan that would have seen the need for a dedicated wolf licence dropped in the north, and the limit on coyote removed.

The MNRF said public comment was largely against the changes, including three petitions with 200,000 signatures opposing the move.

Manage wolves like bears

Ranta said proposing to ease the regulations around predators raised the ire of those who like wolves, and aren't pro-hunting.

"It just seemed like a weird thing to do, because it didn't address some of the major issues, which is you can't hunt them during the big game season, if you don't have a valid big game licence," he said.

"And I was thinking, 'well what kind of dumbness is that?'"

Ranta said the ministry would be better served managing wolves like they do bears, with defined management units.

He said most wolf hunters in Ontario are from the United States and Europe, and the present regulation requires a wolf hunter buy three licences during the hunting season, including one for small game.

Ranta said non-residents should be able to buy one stand alone licence to hunt wolves, even if it's an expensive one.

"For most of the Americans, the dollar is not the big issue." he said. "They just say 'I want a wolf licence and that's all I want to hunt. Why do i have to buy the small game licence?' It just causes confusion, you know?"

'Stupid way to manage wolves'

Ranta said non-resident hunters already spend hundreds of dollars to buy the licences required to hunt wolves.

"At present a non-resident would have to buy a $272.41 wolf tag and a $120.93 small game licence," he said.

"And they still can't hunt a wolf during the deer or moose season without also having a valid moose [$483.48] or deer [$241.61] license. And that moose or deer license can't have been used to tag a moose or deer prior to hunting a wolf. This is a crazy, stupid way to manage wolves."

Ranta said non resident wolf hunters should also be required to use the services an outfitter.

He added he believes there are areas in the north where having fewer wolves on the landscape would help moose numbers rebound and hunting the predators would help achieve that.