Been curious lately with the approach of bow season and it being my first, is there necessarily a law against carrying a firearm while bowhunting for the purpose of bear protection? I'll be hunting deer/bear on my northern trapline and while I've been out there in the past I've never been without a rifle or shotgun within reach as this area has one of the highest densities of black bear in the province. My ATC has been approved just not sure that it'll be here by Friday(not likely) when I'll be heading up to my camp for the weekend. What do you experienced guys think about this situation?
Carrying a firearm during bow season
- Thread starter jongun
- Start date
Can't find anything that says its not lawful to carry a firearm while bowhunting in particular.
Ok jongun, I am going to go out on a limb here and say it will be illegal to carry a long gun while bowhunting.
Regardless if you are worried about a bear attack.
The Conservation Officers will suggest that you are hunting with the long gun and write the tickets thus leaving it up to you
to defend yourself in a Court of Law ...but a quick phone call to your local Wildlife Office will have the answers and possibly even where to find that information .
The Hunting Regs are a synopsis of the "Offcial Regulations'' for your Province.
Of course there will be someone along to either correct me and direct you to said regs for your Province.
Rob
Regardless if you are worried about a bear attack.
The Conservation Officers will suggest that you are hunting with the long gun and write the tickets thus leaving it up to you
to defend yourself in a Court of Law ...but a quick phone call to your local Wildlife Office will have the answers and possibly even where to find that information .
The Hunting Regs are a synopsis of the "Offcial Regulations'' for your Province.
Of course there will be someone along to either correct me and direct you to said regs for your Province.
Rob
Fair enough that makes perfect sense. Ignorance is never an excuse of course. Not really likely to run into any wardens out there but better to be safe than sorry. Can't wait for the ATC so I can at least have that bit of protection without fear of harassment from the authorities.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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If your province has a regulation restricting you to carry only a bow during an archery season, you likely won't be able to take a handgun either, regardless of the fact you have an ATC.
is it not legal to carry a shotgun while bowhunting as long as you are using it for upland game...and carry a upland game license. Usually the 2 seasons have opening dates that coincide?
then you can legally carry a shotgun bowhunting....
those slugs in your pocket will be backup protection........in case you surprise a grouse and it charges at you....or get between a grouse and her chicks......
then you can legally carry a shotgun bowhunting....
those slugs in your pocket will be backup protection........in case you surprise a grouse and it charges at you....or get between a grouse and her chicks......
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bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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What're you trapping that has prime fur when the bears are awake?
Unless it's an archery only tag, you should be fine with a gun. Here in MB, if it's a season that's only open for archery, you can't carry any other weapon. If it's just a regular season, then you can use whatever.
In Ontario it is illegal to carry a rifle of greater power than a .22 LR or a shotgun with shot sized larger than "BB" when bowhunting for big game...
It is a stupid law under some circumstances... for example, where we bowhunt for moose, there is a concurrent open rifle season for bear... we could carry a rifle to hunt bears in the area, "IF" we were not licensed to bowhunt moose, but if we are licensed to bowhunt moose we can no longer carry a rifle to hunt bear.
It is a stupid law under some circumstances... for example, where we bowhunt for moose, there is a concurrent open rifle season for bear... we could carry a rifle to hunt bears in the area, "IF" we were not licensed to bowhunt moose, but if we are licensed to bowhunt moose we can no longer carry a rifle to hunt bear.
Protection, as mentioned in OP - He is about to receive ATC
Cause it's bow season
So the tag is good for any weapon but the season is bow only? That is the way the Ontario deer regulations are, but for moose the tags are allocated specifically for BOW or GUN, but not both... either way, the above noted law applies... which sucks because I would love to bring a rifle for an incidental bear... I am disinclined to use too much of my moose hunting time chasing bears.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
That's similar here in MB, except it's not necessarily the license you happen to have, it's what you're hunting, like elk and bear for example. If there's an archery elk season open, you have a tag AND you're hunting elk with a bow, you can't take a rifle along for the bear tag in your pocket. But if you're hunting bear and happen to have an archery elk tag, there's no law against carrying the rifle.
Here... they assume that if you are in possession of an archery tag in an area with an open archery season, then that is what you are hunting and thus cannot have a gun... it is a knee jerk law which assume's that everyone that is bowhunting will be tempted to poach their quarry with a rifle and claim it as a bow kill... ridiculous for the most part (not that it hasn't happened).
