Deer Hunting In Ontario
Ontario’s Whitetail Deer Hunting is Best Kept Secret?
For hunters in the know, Ontario’s whitetail deer hunting is often referred to as Ontario’s best-kept secret. Body size is like no other, and rack size compares to any! Deer hunting in Ontario produces the most desirable of the species. Every year thousands of hunters, especially Americans, are lured to deer hunting in Ontario in hopes of harvesting a big Ontario buck.
Thick pine forests, open grasslands, miles of connected pond systems, and hundreds of lakes have created the perfect habitat for Whitetails to proliferate in great numbers and get huge. Certain locations in Ontario have a reputation for Bucks with massive racks. One characteristic of Ontario bucks is they have massive bodies with thick necks and big heads. The size and power of our Ontario Whitetail Bucks are why hunters keep coming back!
Species: Whitetail deer
Scientific name: Odocoileus viriginianus
Status: Common
Description:
● They have a reddish-brown to grayish-brown body
● White belly, throat, chin, and bum (under the tail)
● Whitetail deer have large ears
● Bucks have large antlers that they grow every year in late spring
● Antlers start covered in velvety tissue and will peel off in late summer
● Antlers are shed when all females have bred in December/February
● Fawns are spotted white at birth, and the spots fade as they get older.
Habitat:
● Ontario Whitetail deer prefer a mixture of open areas and forest
● Woodlands, meadows, abandoned farms near streams
● In Summer, they are found in thick forest areas where there is abundant food
● In Winter, deer will concentrate in “ deer yards,” where there is food and shelter from winter storms
Diet:
● Whitetail deer are vegetarians
● They feed on leafy material from trees, grasses, and herbs
● In Winter, they will switch their diet to twigs and buds
● Whitetail deer will eat, on average 2-5 kg of food per day
Threats:
● Wolves
● Humans deer hunting in Ontario
● Coyotes will prey on sick and young deer
● Harsh winters
● Disease
White-tailed deer are named for the bright white underside of their tail, which they will raise when it is alarmed. Raising their tail signals to other deer that there is danger and provides a guide to follow away from danger.
Nature is cruel, yet deer are remarkably resilient. Natural selection seems to be making our northern Ontario deer larger and more able to rebound from harsh winters. As the moose herd pushes ever further north, it seems clear whitetail deer will be the primary ungulate on the northern Ontario landscape.
Deer hunting in Ontario will never get boring. They get tougher, bigger, and smarter every year, making the challenge a rush every time you hit the woods. We look forward to the fall hunting season every year, but our preparation for whitetail hunting is a year-round endeavor. We monitor our hunting areas with game cameras and track our target bucks throughout the year, and once fall hits, it’s game time! We go to great lengths to scout the best locations for our ground blinds and tree stands, and we diligently monitor our cameras, waiting for the season to begin. As the fall hit and deer season began! Whitetail deer hunting in Ontario is, and I hope for many years to come, Ontario's best-kept secret!
