A pheasant-hunting program unique to Norfolk County may be losing some funds to other municipalities that don’t have pheasants but still issue licenses to hunters.
Jim Greenwood, the president of Long Point Hunting and Fishing Game Club, reported to council last week that his organization has kept the popular program running with no cost to the taxpayers.
“Volunteers go out on a weekly basis to pick up pheasants and release them,” Greenwood told council.
And 57 per cent of the 418 licenses sold last year were to non-Norfolk County residents who came from 86 different municipalities, spending money on gas, food and, often, staying in the area.
“That’s an extraordinary increase,” from the first year when there were visitors from 38 other municipalities, he said.
“They come in the fall and, if they like what they see, maybe they come back in the summer for fishing or to tour wineries. The club has received a number of positive comments and new memberships because of the pheasant hunt.”
But, Greenwood said, some other municipalities – despite not having pheasant programs or releasing pheasants – are selling pheasant hunting licenses to hunters who then come to Norfolk to hunt.
“It’s nothing more than a cash grab,” said Greenwood.
He noted county staff has plans to speak to those municipalities about not selling licenses.
“But it’s free money from hunters, so why would you walk away? Still, it’s not fair to those of us doing the program.”
All funds from the pheasant-hunting licenses go back to purchasing birds for the next year so licenses sold outside Norfolk aren’t contributing to the program.
Councilors thanked Greenwood and the club for the work they do to maintain the 50-year-old program, which was in danger of being cut a couple of years ago due to costs.
Pheasant season opens on Sept. 25 and more information on the program can be found at www.longpointareafishandgameclub.ca
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