Hunting Season for Black Bear

THUNDER BAY – Outdoors – On August 15 2013, the hunting season for Black Bear opens across much on Ontario and the Ministry of Natural Resources are reminding hunters and outdoors enthusiasts that FireRangers are still working in the bush. Safety is everyone’s responsibility! While the forest fire season seems to have diminished across much of Ontario, FireRangers are still actively working in the bush and forested areas. Forest fires do occur in the fall and it is very important that hunters be aware that FireRangers may be actively working in hunting areas.

Here are 10 Things Hunters Should Know about FireRangers

• FireRangers are briefed on safety precautions to help prevent any sort of hunting accident.
• FireRangers wear an orange long-sleeved shirt, green pants, and a yellow or red hard hat.
• FireRanger crews are made up of four people, so expect to see more than one person in the area.
• FireRangers are trained to handle bear encounters, and will blow whistles to alert other FireRangers of a bear’s presence, or to scare the bear away.
• FireRangers have access to areas via boat or truck
• FireRangers have access to remote and isolated areas via helicopter or fixed-winged aircraft such as a float plane.
• FireRangers have a good working knowledge of the local area; if you see a FireRanger while hunting, you can ask them where they are working, what area is affected by the fire or if there are any kind of road closures.
• FireRangers have radio contact with their Fire Management Headquarters and carry satellite phones.
• FireRangers may be camping, cooking, sleeping and operating equipment in the bush for up to 14 days.
• FireRangers can suppress forest fires on both Crown and private land.

Where can hunters get more information?

While planning your hunting trip make sure to visit Ontario.ca/forestfire to find out more information about forest fires and to see a map of active forest fires in northern Ontario. The location of these fires may affect your hunting trip. Take time to program 310-FIRE (3473) into your cell phone, that is the Forest Fire Reporting Hotline.