Hunting

          Hunting and trapping for my ancestors was their main source of meat. It was also a source of income as they sold furs. During that time in the early 1900’s, there was only one cottage on Muldrew Lake (Muldrew Lake's Cottagers' Association, 2014). Of course, as development has taken over, more and more human disturbances have affected the wildlife populations. Today, on our small lake, there are close to 400 cottages (Muldrew Lake's Cottagers' Association, 2014). This development has disrupted the food change and has impacted both small and large game populations. According to one source, cottage development, which reduces the amount of natural vegetation, has had varying affects on different species (Racey & Euler, 2014). Some are classified as tolerant to development while others are not (Racey & Euler, 2014). These changes and the growing human population have made deer, beaver, bear, and rabbit less abundant and as such hunting and trapping becomes a harder game (Racey & Euler, 2014). According to my ‘Ontario’s Hunter Education Manual’ human disturbances such as farms, cottages and towns have altered and destroyed wildlife habitat (2014). My manual also says that while deer population may not be as abundant as they were in the 1900’s many species, such as deer, raccoon, coyotes and geese have learned to co-exist with human developments (2014).

My Gredad Jack Hunting at the cottage

My Gredad Jack and his Father in Law Hunting

With deer season closing, many members of my family have just returned from hunting the same land that my Granny and Gredad used. My younger brother Justin just shot his first deer and I will soon be going for my licence. My family believes that Hunters and Anglers are among the first conservationists. We believe that their dependence on and love of wildlife and lands contributed to the need to make conservation a priority. They are the people who want to protect our lands and animals, so that it will be available for future generations to enjoy. This is very obvious in Muskoka. Hunting puts meat on the table for so many families. For example, the year my Aunt Jaime was pregnant with my cousin Riley, she primarily ate venison, because her and my Uncle were struggling to afford anything else. In Muskoka hunting is also a very social event. It not only bounds generations of family, but creates great business relationships and friendships that last life times. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters share this belief (Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, 2001). According to them, it was hunters who made the first push for seasons, tags and regulations (Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, 2001). Of course when my Great Great Grandparents were hunting there weren’t the same regulations there are today. Surveys of fish and wildlife populations, performed to begin regulating hunting and fishing, didn’t even take place until the 1930’s (Ontario Federation of Anglers and HUnters, 2014). So obviously in the early 1900’s regulations weren’t a factor. 

My brother Justin hunting