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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-11-11, Page 1212 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, NOVEMBER 11, 1888 Accidents happen when the hunt is on BY MATT SHURRIE Goderich Signal -Star Staff More than 2,500 deer hunters descended on Huron County last week for the 19th annual week-long Ministry of Natural Resources controlled deer hunt. "We haven't had any instances this year," explained 25 -year MNR officer Jack Overholt. "In the 19 years of hunting I can recall two injuries that were probably serious - one guy got shot 'in the leg and one guy got shot in the heel but both were accidental discharges." Last Tuesday (Nov. 3) Ontario Provincial Police in Wiarton along with the MNR began investigating the death of a 38 -year-old Minesing man. While hunting with three others in an area west of the village of Spry in Eastnor Township, Bryon .Myles was accidentaUy shot by a member of his party. Myles was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Overholt, the shooting in Eastnor Township was an intentional discharge meaning the hunter shot intentionally thinking Myles was an animal in the hush. "Obviously there is no excuse for that but accidents happen," noted Overholt. "It's always a series of events -that make that happen but unintentional discharge where a guy stumbles around and pulls the trigger or gets caught on a twig are unavoidable unless you keep the gun unloaded and the safety on all the time but that's not practical when you're hunting."., In Ontario. ;'you can probably count the number of deaths resulting from deer hunting on one hand," 'said Overholt. "Injuries occur for sure hut anybody that wants to get a new license has to take a hunter safety course and has to pass it. it's a fairly stringent test." Last year a total of 1,113 deer were harvested or a success rate of 42 per cent amon.Bunters during the Nover hunt. Last December the success rate was just '29 per cent. .The MNR deer hunt is restricted to Ontario residents only with hunting tags distributed through a lottery system. Hunters must apply to.the MNR in late August specifying which arca of the province they would prefer to hunt. A lottery draw held each September in Toronto determines where they will be permitted to hunt. "We've allowed thc number of hunters to go up because of the larger (deer) population but it's a controlled number," explained Overholt. "We set some arbitrary (deer) .numbers initially and we Ministry of Natural Resources officer Jack Overholt (left) inspects the license of hunter Paul Martin last Friday. More than 2,500 hunters took part in the 19th annual controlled deer hunt. kind of adjust them to what harvest would allow. According to Overholt part of setting the arbitrary deer numbers includes the increase or decrease of road kills involving deer. "It's a random thing, cars aren't selecting to kill deer,;' Overholt added. "More kills indicate the population is obviously up but with fewer road kills odds are that it's down. "It's a very safe hunt with very few problems. There ate lots of animals being taken and the other aspect of it is to thin the population to avoid road kills and crop damage." For hunters, thc annual pilgrimage means restrictions on everything from clothing to weapons and in the future on communication devices. Hunters participating in the Ontario hunt arc restricted to using shotguns with a three 'shot maximum. "It's safer," noted Overholt on the restriction of shotguns. "The range is extremely less. an ogtside shot would be 100 yards." In Bruce County, rifles are permitted meaning a range of between 200 and 300 yards if sighted properly. A second' restriction on hunters is clothing. All hunters must wear what is referred to as hunter orange. A crossing guard -style orange coloured vest along with an orange hat. Some hunters refuse to wear hunter orange because they say they are the only hunters in one particular arca Overholt said. Hunter orange became legal three years ago but Overholt admitted that it just makes sense to wear it and for the most part thc transition wasn't much of a problem. A third restriction is that deer numbers .are restricted to one per hunter. That does not necessarily mean that only one hunter can kill one deer. Each hunter carries his own tag but a fellow hunter can kill a deer and credit the tag holder with the kill. There is a fine of about $250 for hunters that kill more than one deer. Finally, an element soon to' he implemented is the restriction of communication methods or electromagnetic devices (radios and cellular phones). "Traditionally party hunting has beer) allowed meaning one guy might have a ,tag and the other two don't." explained Overholt. "To avoid three guys shooting a ,doe they have to remain in communication with each other so they don't kilt more than,one. "It's gotten stressed now with radios and cell phones that guys can be several miles apart and'conimunicate but that wasn't the original intent of the party system." According to Overholt the electromagnetic ban being discussed could be in place within the next two years. Former Colborne Township resident Paul Martin. now of Atwood, explained that the annual deer • hunt has been something passed down through the generations. "My father andmy grandfather both hunted," Martin explained. "I think it was more of a handed down thing when they hand you a shotgun and let you play with it in the backyard as a target. My whole family has been hunting." For Martin, 33, and his friends from' Goderich, hunting has always proyided them with good luck but this year success was a :little more difficult to find. SHURRIE PHOTO "We always have pretty good luck but this year we have to work a little harder," Martin noted. "They usually seem to pop right out in front of us but we actually have to chase them a bit now." Martin's group, consisting of 10 hunters, is the average size of a deer hunt group. According to Overholt some regulation nray be needed for extremely Targe groups. "I can't recall seeing a group larger then 12 or 14 this year," noted Overholt. "Certainly the bigger the gang translates into higher success hut there's no limit on the size of the gang. "We are getting some backlash from the landowners and the public that the gangs arc getting too big (as big as 20 or 25 guys in some instances) and just the optics of it is offensive to a lot of people. It gives the appearance that the deer have no way to escape and by in Targe they don't." • Although the hunt has increased in duration over the 19 years (Saturdays were included to allow harvesting' farmers an opportunity to participate). Overholt had, few prohletns during the- course hecourse of the week. "I charged three guys for not having hunter orange. four charges of hunting without a license and two charges of using rifles on the edge of Huron `County." noted Overholt. "The hunt has been around for 19 years. the guys know the system. they know they have to get a draw and they know they have to have the proper stickers (tags). "There'sreally no problem with it, there's lots of deer around and we don't think it's threatening the herd by any stretch or we wouldn't have the. second hunt (in December)." , New administrator's role is evolving BY SCOTT HILGENDOR.FF Expositor Editor • Two months into his term as acting administrator for Scaforth Community Hospital. Andrew Williams has been appointed on-site administrator for Seaforth and Stratford General Hospital. Williams, who shares duties between both hospitals., replaced Bill Thibert who accepted an administration position at a hospital in Campbellford in September. Williams was assistant administrator at Stratford General Hospital but was appointed administrator there at the end of October. The new appointment was made effective Nov. 1 and was one of the first actions of Bo`nnie Adamson, president of the new hospital partnership formed by the eight hospitals in Huron and Perth County. "It's a very exciting time. The whole area is going through a lot. It's unique in Canada with eight hos-pitals coming together to create a partnership," Williams said. Administrators at all the Andrew Williams hospitals have been appointed the title, "on-site administrator" for.a three- month interim period while Adamson becomes familiar with the partnership and a joint executive committee prepares to establish the details of how the partnership will work. "I'II be spending a Targe portion of my time working with the team," said Williams. On the agenda is .the streamlining of the roles management plays in the partnership. That could mean a new job description for Williams at, the end of the interim period. Also at the top of hislist is preparing for accreditation with the Canada Council of Health .Facilities Accreditation scheduled to be at the hospital on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27. Williams is working to • balance his schedule between the two hospitals. In the two months Williams has been in -Seaforth, he said. "i've been extremely impressed with the quality of care provided." He said there are great medical teams and staff at both hospitals. "which makes all the difference." He has been ,impressed by the work of thc board, staff and auxiliary at the Seaforth hospital. Seaforth is headquarters for partnership FROM Page I • She is willing to collaborate with London in situation if that's the direction the partnership chooses to go. As the partnership develops its "mission," Adamson said they will all have a chance to participate with input in what direction thc partnership heads. • Adamson said among the goals of thc partnership are the elimination of duplicate services and increasing efficiencies. By the end of January, the hospitals will be operating under one budget with each hospital submitting its own to be rolled into one for the partnership. Other immediate goals include medical manpower planning in Which' the hospitals will assess where its medical needs are and work to recruit and keep doctors and staff that fill specific needs. Adamson warned of a pending staffing shortage the partnership will have to address. "There's a critical care nursing shortage on the horizon," she said, adding there could be a nursing shortage in general. Adamson said she wants to be prepared for that situation. While the headquarters is in Seaforth, in the next few weeks, Adamson plans to spend time at each hospital getting to know staff and the community members including each town's mayor. Adamson will spend the first week of December familiarizing herself with Seaforth. She said Seaforth has become the headquarters for the partnership because it is geographically' in the centre of the eight hospitals. Senior management meetings will he held in Seaforth and on Monday, the first planning meeting took place. NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING Hensall South Huron Agricultural Society Monday, Nov. 16/98 at Hensall Community Centre. Pot Luck Supper 6:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Mary Lynn MacDonald with information on the Huron Harvest Trail. Everyone Welcome For more info. call Anne @ 236-4558 1 BRODHAGEN CRAFT $ GiFT SHOW Sat. Nov. 14 10 am-4pm Brodhagen Community Centre Santa visits 1 - 3 pm Lunch Booth Admission: Non -Perishable Food Item or Donation SHORT FALL PROGRAM November 23 -December 24 1 / The Time 2 The Cost Fitness Classes starting at s21 00 CHILDREN'S PROGRAM 532.00 Aquaquest Levels • Children Swim Twice A Week For 4 Weeks • CALL FOR DETAILS 482-3544 Fall Luncheon at Northside United Church Nov. 18th 12:01 Tickets- $6.50 available from UCW members or phone 527-0752 or 527-1989 Hwy 21, Bayfield Country Market BRING IN THISAD & F for 1 U% ABRIC Plus... We Pay the GST! Wed. to Fri. 10-4; Sat. 10-12:30 565-5909 Featuring fabrics, yarn and crafts by local artisan' J HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAM! Rosalind Higgs - � , � .ice 4. . Love: Holly and Sherrie Saturday Canada's #1 AC/DC tribute 'A Place to Remember" DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS BUFFET & ENTERTAINMENT EVERY SATURDAY I ti• ,'. ,mail i t.a■' ••-n•t+ Come enjoy our cosy decorated inn! j Located at St. Joseph on Hwy 21 between Grand Bend and Bayfield Call for Reservations 236-7707 Clinton Lions Club & Clinton Minor Hockey Association present CHRISTMAS. HOME TOUR '98 featuring o - 6 homes plus and 1 church decorated for the holidays Friday, November 27 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. • Tickets $18.00 (Includes Wine & Cheese Served at Clinton Town Hall During & After Tour) Saturday, November 28 • - 10 am-4pm Free Refreshments . at the Clinton Town Hall Tickets $10.00 - Available at Groves T.V. - Clinton; Sunset Blinds - e r Goderich; Hildebrand Flowers -.Seaforth or call Darlene Prouse 482-7849 URBAN LEGEND f"NDS THURSDAY i{ {' ANTHONY I'll l HOi'KINS MEET JOE BLACK ‘i1( N1K MI 1AltR FRI. - THURS. NOV. 13 -19 7:30 PM NITELY ♦4tl14:...-.., LONG DISTANCE? 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