Outdoors Notebook: U.S. visitor bookings to Ontario decline, industry survey shows

Yahoo

2 days ago

May 31—TORONTO — Ontario's tourism sector is preparing for a unique summer season shaped by Canadian patriotism, cross-border uncertainty and rising costs, based on results from a new survey conducted by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). In a news release, the TIAO said the survey reveals stable domestic bookings, declining U.S. bookings, shifting consumer habits and increasing costs related to trade and tariffs.
The survey, conducted in May, provides a snapshot of industry sentiment as the province heads into peak travel season — and offers early indicators of where the sector is headed — according to the TIAO news release.
Among the highlights:
* Domestic demand leads: Ontario remains the top source market, with most operators noting booking pace that is either the same or better compared to this time last year.
* U.S. visitation slows: 32% of operators report lower bookings from U.S. visitors for summer 2025 vs. last year.
* Shorter booking windows: Last-minute booking behavior is on the rise due to cautious consumers.
* Cost pressures intensify: 37% of operators cite cost increases due to U.S. tariffs and supply issues; 28% regularly source goods from the U.S.
On the web:
tiaontario.ca
.
onX Fish Midwest, a digital mapping and discovery tool for anglers has expanded into North Dakota, according to an item published on the Fishing Wire online news platform.
"North Dakota was an obvious next choice for us," Joel Nelson, onX Fish marketing manager, told the Fishing Wire. "Given the state's year-round angling options for several key species in a host of remote environments, our app helps anglers both understand what's in the lakes and the best ways to get there."
To mark the expansion, onX and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGF) have teamed up to give new customers a free three-month onX Fish Midwest membership for anglers who buy their fishing licenses through the Game and Fish Department's online licensing platform. After making their purchase, anglers will receive a message in their NDGF online account with a free access code to unlock their onX Fish Midwest trial.
onX Fish Midwest debuted in Minnesota in early 2024. In addition to Minnesota and North Dakota, the app is currently available in Wisconsin and Michigan, and will continue to expand across the region and nationally, the company said.
ST. PAUL — Wildlife researchers with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources are getting ready to begin the final year of a five-year fawn study, fitting newborn white-tailed deer with GPS-tracking collars in southwest Minnesota.
With the aid of a contracted drone pilot, the research team locates fawns that are usually one to five days old in their natural habitat. From there, a team of three to four people navigates to the fawn on foot to locate and capture the fawn.
Once captured, researchers measure length, weight and overall health before deploying an ear tag and slipping on an expandable GPS collar that grows with the fawn.
The whole capture process is typically completed in about four minutes to minimize stress on the fawn. The team has collared about 100 fawns each year and plans to do so again this year.
The GPS collars assist in providing information about fawn survival rates, primary causes of fawn mortality, types of habitats they prefer and long-distance movements.
The collars are designed to break away from the deer around 18 months of age, at which time the collar provides an exact geolocation for retrieval. While in use, the collar's attached transmitter alerts the team when a fawn remains stationary for multiple hours straight — indicating the fawn may have died. The alert is helpful for the team to quickly locate the fawn and find clues in case of the animal's death.
For updates on this year's effort, follow the
Minnesota Fish and Wildlife Facebook
page.
ST. PAUL — Targeted culling is a management action the Minnesota DNR uses to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease where it is known to exist. In a news release, the DNR said it does not cull deer across a broad area; all efforts are focused within 2 miles of recent positives within the past couple years. All culling is conducted with landowner permission. Nearly 30% of all CWD-positive deer found in Minnesota since 2010 were removed through culling.
Targeted culling efforts in the south metro (Deer Permit Area 605) were conducted in February. Efforts also took place during March in Crow Wing County (DPA 604) and near Grand Rapids (DPA 679). In total, these culling efforts within three areas combined resulted in 201 samples, with one result (from the Grand Rapids area) indicating a positive CWD detection.
All deer culled are processed by a licensed meat processor and the venison is stored until test results are received. Deer that receive a "not detected" test result are given back to participating landowners or donated to food banks for distribution to local food shelves. All deer that test positive are brought to the University of Minnesota Diagnostic Laboratory for disposal in an alkaline digestor.
The DNR website
at
mndnr.gov
has more info about targeted culling and CWD test results.
ST. PAUL — Does typically give birth to fawns from mid-May to mid-June, which allows fawns time to grow and prepare for the winter. However, people may encounter fawns later in the summer and wonder what caused that.
In a news release, the DNR said a doe cycles into estrus every 28 days, and it has been observed in captivity for a doe to go into estrus up to six times a year. The majority of does become pregnant during their first estrus cycle, but if you have ever observed a fawn with spots that was clearly born later in the summer, it is likely a result of a late-bred doe. Some reasons for this include uneven buck-to-doe ratios, a doe having a miscarriage and cycling back into estrus, or fawn females becoming of age and size to be bred. The latter is likely the most common reason in areas with good nutrition.
ST. PAUL — The DNR is seeking people with a range of perspectives and experiences, including local fishing guides, local anglers, anglers from across Minnesota, local businesses and local resorts, and water-based businesses, to serve on two fisheries input groups: one for Lake Winnibigoshish and the other for Rainy Lake.
The groups work closely with the DNR to provide input on fisheries management activities on these lakes, including any activities that are authorized, licensed, permitted or otherwise regulated or managed by the state. Minnesota residents can apply online through Tuesday, June 24, to serve on the fisheries input groups for Lake Winnibigoshish or Rainy Lake.
The DNR supports the groups by supplying information relevant to their discussions, including standard fish population assessments, creel (angler) surveys, status of invasive species or other available information requested by the groups.
Detailed committee and application information for each group is available on the
Rainy Lake page
at
mndnr.gov/rainylake
and the
Lake Winnibigoshish page
at
mndnr.gov/bigwinnie
.