Hiking or camping with a firearm, legal?

[memaquay]

Wow! Missed all the action! I live about 300 k northeast of Thunder Bay, so I am in the boonies. We only have 3 CO's to cover an immense area, plus the government limits their mileage with some ridiculous gas budget...however, despite the limitations placed on the CO's, I still get stopped at least once a season. Just to clear up some misunderstandings... I can drive for five minutes and be on Crown Land. There are three or four sand pits close to my house where most people go to target shoot, site in rifles etc. Although I am sure I could convince the CO's that I was only target shooting if I took out my SKS, or Enfield, or Mosin during big game season to one of the pits, I prefer not to be bothered with the hassle, and have my tags.

Once big game season is over, there is no limitation on the calibre of rifle you can carry in the bush up here. You can shoot rabbits with your SKS if you want too. I carry either my 870 or my Baikal 7.62 x 54 from May till the middle of August on all my canoe trips, and the CO's know it. They don't have a problem with it, they know it's for the occassional bear I might need to scare off.

The CO's up here are pretty good guys, they have a fairly onerous task...our bush is invaded every October by 100's of hunters from down south and across the border, and some of them are unsavory characters....not to mention some of the locals who live to flaunt the rules....if i've got to spend an extra forty bucks to carry my rifle for a couple of months, I don't really care. I'm not paying any range fees, my shooting is free all year round.

[DVX]

*wrong thread*

[sunray]

"...Now that's brutal!...have the actual section..." It's not a law. It's policy. This is what happens when civil servants are allowed to make law by regulation. Having a small game licence won't help either. If you have ammo or a calibre for game that is not in season, they can and will charge you. Having targets with you makes it go away.

[Johnyy]

Bumping this thread. Where is good ole' Sunray when needed. lol Anyone know if on Private Land, Say My Own land, or family members land etc in Ontario, where Discharge is allowed, is hiking with a loaded firearm OK? Not Crown, but your Own land in Bear & yote country?{If not loaaded, what good is it if Momma bear is coming?} Say you own a couple hundred acres? Does MNR have rights to come on private land & make a fuss? Seeing you with a loaded shotgun Anytime of the year & Actually Hiking with the dogs?

[AWOL]

Bumping this thread. Where is good ole' Sunray when needed. lol Anyone know if on Private Land, Say My Own land, or family members land etc in Ontario, where Discharge is allowed, is hiking with a loaded firearm OK? Not Crown, but your Own land in Bear & yote country?{If not loaaded, what good is it if Momma bear is coming?} Say you own a couple hundred acres? Does MNR have rights to come on private land & make a fuss? Seeing you with a loaded shotgun Anytime of the year & Actually Hiking with the dogs?

Yes, it is legal
Yes, the MNR can come on your property
Do you have a hunting license?
I would make sure you have a hunting license. Hunting without a license is illegal

[Trimmer 905]

If you look at Map#2 in the Regulation Summary booklet,at the top of the right side of the map there's a notation that shows a line of demarcation that starts at the top of Algonquin Park,travels along the eastern boundary to the lower Park boundary and across the entire province to Georgian Bay and swings northwest to meet up with the Central and Southern district for Waterfowl. Please note that the notation says that "no small game license is valid above this line from June 16 to Aug 31". If no small game license is valid,carrying an unsecured firearm while hiking or camping becomes problematic. Technically,you may be deemed to be hunting without a license. The only exception would be while target shooting at a make shift range with clearly set up targets in a safe manner. In southern Ontario below that line,small game licenses are valid all year for varmint/predator control,but,it must also be noted that caliber sizes are restricted to .275 or smaller.

[Johnyy]

Interesting, I'll have to google that Map? I live {just} South of {the most South end} of Algonquin Park, so I should be ok with .223 or my Sub2K in 9mm for hiking/camping, since I'm "below" that line? So no 12 gauge then I guess? & I am getting my Small Game Licence asap as well. Thanks guys for the replies. Cheerz ..~

[Trimmer 905]

Interesting, I'll have to google that Map? I live {just} South of {the most South end} of Algonquin Park, so I should be ok with .223 or my Sub2K in 9mm for hiking/camping, since I'm "below" that line? So no 12 gauge then I guess? & I am getting my Small Game Licence asap as well. Thanks guys for the replies. Cheerz ..~

You can take a 12ga. If protection from Black Bears is all you're concerned with,buy a box of "Bear Bangers". They're non-lethal, scares the crap out them and they usually skedaddle,most of the time,permanently.