The Haudenosaunee deer harvest is scheduled to commence next week within two specified regions of the Dundas Valley Conservation Area, according to the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA).
This harvest will take place from November 2 to December 3, following an agreement between the HCA and the Haudenosaunee Wildlife and Habitat Committee. This agreement is valid until 2027.
A total of up to 60 deer may be harvested across the two areas combined. The harvesting activities will occur from Monday to Thursday on lands owned by the HCA.
The designated regions consist of the Headwaters Trail area located between Paddy Greene Road and Martin Road, and an area situated west of Weir’s Lane and south of the railway, near Governors Road. The second area will not have public access or a trail system.
The HCA has announced that the designated regions will be closed during the harvesting period. Signage will be placed along the trails, and local residents will be informed.
Consultations have also taken place with Hamilton police, municipal law enforcement, and enforcement personnel from the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding public safety and the closures.
“Deer harvesting has been a deeply rooted tradition of the Haudenosaunee for thousands of years, playing a crucial role in their cultural practices,” the HCA stated in a press release.
The HCA has indicated that the Nanfan Treaty, also referred to as the Treaty at Albany of 1701, affirms the Haudenosaunee’s rights to hunt and fish within the Dundas Valley Conservation Area.
In 2011, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs in Ontario acknowledged and endorsed the treaty, promoting ongoing collaboration between the Haudenosaunee and the conservation authority.
That same year, the board of the HCA ratified a protocol that outlined the procedures for deer harvesting on lands owned by the authority.