predator control/ crown land shooting
- Thread starter Lucite
- Start date
If the Crown wanted predator control on Crown Land it would be called
"A Hunting Season" Check your Provincial Game Regs.
Tight Groups,
Rob
- Location
- Somewhere in the Red and White
Predator control on crown land? Not your own?
Calling predator control "defense from predators" is a huge stretch. Not remotely the same thing.
No, you can't just go out on crown land and start shooting animals and claim self-defense because they were somewhere nearby. Maybe what you meant to ask about was "Poaching?"
If all you meant was a bush gun in case a bear attacks you, you can carry non-restricted for that. Restricted is allowed only with a special ATC in very remote areas for professional trappers.
However, bear spray is almost always a more effective and safe deterrent (not to mention much smaller and lighter to carry). That includes for use on other predators as well. Its stopping power is much better than anything other than the perfect kill shot with a 12-gauge slug (very difficult whilst under attack considering the bears run 60+mph). Also, then you don't have to wound/kill a perfectly good bear / other animal.
Keep in mind that more people get killed in the bush by accidental gunshot wounds than they do by any predators.
Beyond that, learn as much as you can about the behaviour of the predators in question. For example, it's a stupid idea to just start firing at a bear that appears to be charging you, unless you know how to spot the difference between a bluff charge and an attack charge. Bluffs comprise the vast majority. We would have a lot of dead bears for no reason if everyone shot them just because they were uneducated and felt threatened.
The one situation where I might want to take a firearm into the bush for protection is in northern BC and the Yukon deep into grizzly areas. A decent 12 gauge as a backup to the backup plan.
No, you can't just go out on crown land and start shooting animals and claim self-defense because they were somewhere nearby. Maybe what you meant to ask about was "Poaching?"
If all you meant was a bush gun in case a bear attacks you, you can carry non-restricted for that. Restricted is allowed only with a special ATC in very remote areas for professional trappers.
However, bear spray is almost always a more effective and safe deterrent (not to mention much smaller and lighter to carry). That includes for use on other predators as well. Its stopping power is much better than anything other than the perfect kill shot with a 12-gauge slug (very difficult whilst under attack considering the bears run 60+mph). Also, then you don't have to wound/kill a perfectly good bear / other animal.
Keep in mind that more people get killed in the bush by accidental gunshot wounds than they do by any predators.
Beyond that, learn as much as you can about the behaviour of the predators in question. For example, it's a stupid idea to just start firing at a bear that appears to be charging you, unless you know how to spot the difference between a bluff charge and an attack charge. Bluffs comprise the vast majority. We would have a lot of dead bears for no reason if everyone shot them just because they were uneducated and felt threatened.
The one situation where I might want to take a firearm into the bush for protection is in northern BC and the Yukon deep into grizzly areas. A decent 12 gauge as a backup to the backup plan.
