Unoccupied duck blinds on public land?

Grouse Man said:
The key here is public land. First imagine there is no blind. You go out early and arrive at this ideal spot on a good body of water on public land where you know the geese fly right over. You've set out your decoys, gotten yourself hidden and settle in for a good hunt. Just as birds start to come over, somebody else shows up and says "This is our spot. We've been hunting on this spot for years. Move on." I know exactly what you'd say.

They have no right to claim that prime location on public land as their own, none whatsoever. Even if they do build a blind there, which as far as I know is not allowed. (Anybody know the regs on that issue?) By putting a blind there, they think they've "reserved" that spot for themselves. Sorry, doesn't work that way. First come first served. I wouldn't hesitate to use it, and I wouldn't hesitate to tell them to bugger off. And if they refuse to leave (like some arseholes would, just to be spiteful and try to ruin my hunt), then I'd be on the phone to the RCMP/CO to report having my lawful hunt being interfered with.

On the other hand, if they accept that they have no legal or moral right to use the blind and willingly accept that I was there first, I would invite them to share it with me, as it was their work I am receiving a benefit from (shelter, seat, etc.) Everybody wins.
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This. So this.
 
If they there first then they have the right to hunt there but if the blind is not theirs then they should stay out of it.
Build your own beside it but stay out of someone elses. Same as tree stands. It's not their spot but it is their property.
 
Ye Olde Crowne Lande.

If you carry it in, carry it out.

It's the old tournament rule: If you like your stuff, take it with you.

Leaving your gear on public land is like leaving your gear in an unlocked truck in a parking lot overnight.

If you left it behind, I assume you left it for others to use.
 
If your in it when I get there, certainly you can stay there and hunt but I'm taking my blind down before I go.
 
In Ontario residents "DO" have the right to build a temporary structure and occupy it for a period of 21 days, after which time it must be dismantled and removed and/or moved to a different location... The constructor does have a legal right to occupy the temporary structure... Sort-of "squatters" rights... The structure must not inhibit legal access or passage of roadways, navigable waterways or access to such or established portage routes etc...

We have used this in establishing spike camps for hunting and have had run-ins with some who attempt to use this right to block access to public lakes/rivers to disuade other users... There have been a number of areas closed to overnight camping due to the abuse of this right.
 
The waterfowlers rule is: He who builds it, gets it opening day for the whole day. After that, it is first come first serve. Its on crown land, you cannot lay claim to something on crown.

I know the guys around here that build the blinds welcome other people to use them.
 
I hunt on public land for waterfowl, i have ran into where someone built a blind infront of where i have been hunting, ive used the blind and if they come along id invite them to join if they want if not they can move on, i do understand someone built it and would be more then willing to have more hunting friends if they wanted.
 
Well the law stipulates that it is free for all. First in the blind first to use it. If you build a structure on public/crown land than anyone can use it. Duck blind,icefishing hut, even a cabin on crown land. I do believe.

It was a pisser last year that a blind that had been built and worked on all summer fell into the hands of local hunters EVERY SINGLE GD MORNING...these guys would practically camp out in our spot! 2 in the Morning, 1 in the afternoon, 4 in the evening the same guys were in our blind for over a month and legaly there was nothing we could do.
 
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ciphery said:
Well the law stipulates that it is free for all. First in the blind first to use it. If you build a structure on public/crown land than anyone can use it. Duck blind,icefishing hut, even a cabin on crown land. I do believe.

It was a pisser last year that a blind that had been built and worked on all summer fell into the hands of local hunters EVERY SINGLE GD MORNING...these guys would practically camp out in our spot! 2 in the Morning, 1 in the afternoon, 4 in the evening the same guys were in our blind for over a month and legaly there was nothing we could do.
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There is NO LAW stipulating such...

If you ever got into someone's ice hut around here, you would end up as "bait on the end of a hook."

And how did YOU feel when the disrespectful jackasses were keeping you out of the blind that you worked hard to locate and build??? Then... no respectful hunter would occupy another hunters blind or stand... If you want to hunt the "location" then build your own blind or put up your own stand...
 
While there may not be a Law Technically saying one can not build/construct/install a hunting blind on "Crown Land" does one really expect in this day and age someone will not take advantage of said blind?

The days of Gentlemen being Gentlemen are long gone in many places , both in Public and in Private.
As for the ice shack analogy a quick surf on the internet suggests in Ontario shacks must be registered and ident. numbers attached to said shack that must be of a certain color and a certain height.

Last year or the year before in Alberia they enacted a law about that as well, and the shacks had to be off the ice by a certain date or fines would be levied against the owner.
Should the Ministry find shacks washed up on the beach fines for poluting/littering would be levied as well... if they could find the owner that is.

Several years a go in the GVRD a Guide/Outfitter tried to build a few blinds in Region 2-4 and that caused huge resentment amongst the locals. The Outfit had the blessing of the Feds. to build ( temp ) said blinds but warned that anyone could use them.
This lasted less than a season as these blinds where either vandalized or the tidal action removed them.

So, my .02 is if it is vacant then it is a free for all and if someone came along I would wholeheartedly invite them in to join or come back after our limit was shot/harvested.

And for a good laugh about ice fishing shacks I refer you to the movie "Grumpy Old Men" shushhh your scaring the Dam Fish !

Best Regards.
Rob
 
Actually the law is quite clear under the navigable water act that erecting a permanent structure in a navigable waterway is 100% illegal and if someone were to get hurt by your said structure you are liable!!
As for erecting a blind in a public spot? You have no claim to it's use legally in any way, shape or form. If you put it in a public place you take your chances with the public using it. It is that simple. As for respecting someone else's right to hunt there, you should respect them in that you have no claim to any public spot that all taxpayers and license buyers have a right to use .Long and short is I have no right to try to claim a hot spot in a public place week in and week out and neither does anyone else. Being a waterfowler means you are going to run into these situations for as long as you are a waterfowler. If you cannot accept the chances of losing out on a blind or a spot on any given day then you might as well either give up waterfowling or find a private property with soul access.

I went to the simplest solution of all a few years ago and dropped an Avery Quick Set blind on my boat!!
 
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IIRC in ON at one point if you got permission to build a blind you needed to have your name and address on the blind...or so it was for the Grand river and Jordan harbor

but then again I haven't been duck hunting in a long time
 
How about leaving a note for the hunters using it to call you, so you can co-ordinate your hunting? It's public land, so putting up a blind is not much different than improving a camp spot by erecting meat poles, building a fire pit etc. Others are going to use it, and if you show up and it's occupied, well too bad.
 
yomomma said:
IIRC in ON at one point if you got permission to build a blind you needed to have your name and address on the blind...or so it was for the Grand river and Jordan harbor

but then again I haven't been duck hunting in a long time
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That's stipulated here in Manitoba. Name, address, phone number on all treestands, blinds and ice shacks on Crown land. Cannot be constructed until (I think) one week before season starts and must be removed within one week of season ending. The CO's have gone through some areas burning blinds, camp structures and ice shacks hidden in the woods for the off season.
 
The odasity and ignorance of people that build and leave a blind or stand, on crown land and expect "exclusive" use astounds me!!!!
 
The good old days are gone...with population growth and all the housing developments that comes along with it, as well societies philosophies on firearms and hunting being negative has made it really difficult for all the hunting community. I grew up hunting and i remember my old man and i would hike in our folding stools and build a make shift blind, and when done we would hide our branches and brush out of site to be reassembled another day...couldn't tell that we were even there...some days we would stumble on hunters being in our favorite spot and those were the days i remember most now because we would hike along and go exploring and ended up finding other spots albiet less productive. When it comes to crown land I'm a firm believer in leave it as you found it! and first come first serve.
 
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