Since the beginning of the season, many hunters, both bow and rifle, have been asking questions about what is happening with the star big game of our Quebec forests.
Following my column last week, several hunters contacted me to explain the misadventures they had experienced.
“This year, during the bow hunting period, the juvenile partridges were very small. I saw some very small hares as well. The moose did not move at all, did not respond to calls and did not vocalize, explained Donald Beaudry of Val-d’Espoir, in Gaspésie, who hunts in zone 1. The current situation contributes to the abandonment of several hunters who find that it no longer makes sense, that it has become a waste of time and money. What does it take to shake things up and bring about some badly needed changes. »
This is a good example of what many hunters have experienced. His opinion reflects many of the messages I received. Our hunter is also aware that the hunt this season took place during a period of intense fall heat due to climate change.
“We find ourselves in the forest, in the Gaspé mountains, when it’s not really good weather. Several hunters who had been successful lost their meat altogether, spoiled by the heat. Rumor has it more than 16 strays. We have to pay a lot of money for the license, the equipment, the trips. We really feel like we’ve been cheated. »
NATURE DECIDE
Unfortunately, no one has control over nature, including decision makers from the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks.
“Climate change is really a big problem,” explains Pierre Caron, instructor at the Quebec Federation of Hunters and Fishermen and former butchery teacher for nearly 40 years. In the old days, hunters were told to gut their animal, hang it up and let the air in to cool the meat because the nights were cool. Today, in September and even in October, the nights when the mercury drops below zero are rarer and the days are warm. We must not forget that the number one enemy is the heat. We must change our habits to adapt to these new conditions over which we have no control. »
He recalls that parades to show his moose and too long exposure to heat make all the difference between healthy and edible meat and meat that has heated up and is automatically lost.
“I advise people to remove the skin as quickly as possible and to quarter the animal, so that the meat can cool. Within 24 to 48 hours, if the hunters do not intervene quickly, the meat will be completely lost, because it will heat up. No more walks in 2022, especially during the bow and crossbow hunting seasons. The animal is taken out in quarters, covered with cheesecloth to avoid dirt and flies. We go to his butcher quickly. »
Hunters who live their excursions in wildlife reserves and outfitters can count on cold rooms that have been set up on the territories, precisely to counter the effects of climate change. Even there, they must act quickly to protect their beasts.
HUNTING MACHINE HAS NO INFLUENCE
Among the testimonials and questions I received, there was one from Mélanie Bergeron, from Rivière-du-Loup, who asked me if there was a difference in the taste of the meat depending on whether the animal had been slaughtered firearm or crossbow.
“Some people claim there is a difference in the taste of meat from an animal shot with a bow or a crossbow. It is absolutely wrong to explain the expert. Everything is related to time [qu’il faut pour] that the animal dies and the stress that it will undergo. If the animal is not fatally affected immediately, it will experience significant stress. At this time, there will be an impact on the quality of the meat. It is therefore necessary that the hunter applies to touch the animal in a vital area so that everything is done quickly, regardless of the type of hunting gear used. »
Other factors can directly influence the quality of meat that people will consume.
“The age of the animal can make a difference, or even when a male is slaughtered during the rut, when the sex glands are very active. Meat tenderness will often be determined by how long the animal was subjected to heat after slaughter. This will directly influence the aging of the meat, which must spend several days hanging in the butcher’s cold room. These are the real factors that will influence the result on the plate, if we can put it that way. »
PRECAUTIONS
This method remains the same for all big game. Currently, the moose hunting season is over or coming to an end in several areas. Deer hunting is started with bow and crossbow or will start for firearm hunters. It will be necessary to take precautions to preserve its game well, once it would be slaughtered if one wants to benefit from it.
A final piece of advice from Pierre Caron before ending the interview: “The butchers who agree to work with game meat are becoming increasingly rare. It is therefore necessary that before leaving for the forest, the hunters reserve a place so as not to be taken unawares. »