The Municipality of West Grey has voted against allowing Sunday gun hunting, bucking a growing trend in southern Ontario.
In a 4-3 decision on May 6, council rejected a motion after hearing a mix of support and opposition, including arguments long dismissed by hunting advocates as outdated and inaccurate.
Delegations in favour included representatives from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), South Grey Hunters Association, Sydenham Sportsmen Association, and a veteran hunter safety and firearms instructor. They highlighted hunter safety in general and the growing number of municipalities embracing Sunday hunting.
Motion narrowly defeated
Opponents cited safety concerns for hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts, along with potential impacts on wildlife. One local hunter also shared how hunting enriches her family’s life and how the extra day would provide more opportunity to hunt on their property.
When the motion came to a vote, two councillors spoke in support, four — including Mayor Kevin Eccles — opposed it, and one did not comment.
Coun. Joyce Nuhn voiced concerns over safety.
“Six days is quite sufficient, I feel,” she said, suggesting approval could bring an “influx” of hunters and contribute to the suffering of wildlife.
“Like if some people aren’t paying attention and they just walk away from that animal,” Nuhn said. “We don’t need hunting in West Grey, on Sundays.”
OFAH urges provincial action
OFAH Wildlife Biologist Matthew Robbins expressed disappointment at the outcome, particularly the repetition of what he called long-debunked arguments.
“Although any decision against hunting opportunity is disappointing, what is most alarming about this result is the continued use of old and long since disproven arguments,” he stated after the decision. “We know hunting is not a threat to conservation or public safety in Ontario, and this information is freely available for any who seek it out. We also know that hunters are not ‘just walking away’ from injured wildlife and that, if they were, this would be an issue any day of the week. With these things in mind, the OFAH is renewing our previous calls for the province to take ownership of this issue and make a province-wide allowance for Sunday gun hunting.”
Mayor: Province should lead
Deputy Mayor Tom Hutchinson said Sundays should remain open for other activities like hiking, birdwatching, and fishing. Mayor Eccles, himself a long-time hunter, also voted against the motion, citing tradition and the belief that hunting policy should be managed provincially.
“I’ve been deadly opposed to downloading … and this is another time where the province needs to be taking their ministerial responsibilities where it belongs,” Eccles said. “If Sunday hunting is good in Ontario, then own it.”
Currently, the Ministry of Natural Resources does not individually approve Sunday hunting requests but includes them in regulatory updates twice per year.
In April, Frontenac Islands Township joined the more than 180 municipalities south of the French River to permit Sunday gun hunting. Puslinch Township also recently passed a resolution that should be in place September 1.
West Grey, located in northern Grey County and surrounding but not including Owen Sound, carries the tagline “Nestled in Nature.”
Click here to watch the meeting
Click here for more outdoors news
Leave A Comment