Hunting with multiple firearms. Legal? Illegal?

[jihmmie]

I was recently told migratory bird hunting with possesion of two different gauge shotguns is against federal regulations. I'm still looking for documentation on this...

Can anyone shed insight on the matter? Will update after I do more research and figure it out black and white.

I was never sure if taking a backup firearm was allowed in the case of survival/defence....I don't havedefinite plans, but a hypothetical plan could be hunting rabbits or small animals with 22 calibre, and carrying a shotgun incase a pack of cayotes or wolves swarmed you depending on where you are.

Another plausible scenario may be taking a friend with no hunting license/tags to help you push bushes and passing him a 9mm non-res carbine to walk through the bush incase he gets lost and something finds him before we find each other.

Will update this thread after finding out more.

[Chuckbuster]

Well, as far as I am aware, it's one firearm/licenced waterfowler. Also, you really need to check your provincial regs. Here in Ontario, you and your friend would likely be arrested by a CO for having an unlicenced hunter carrying a firearm: in Ontario your friend whom you have pushing or dogging for you is considered to be actively hunting as well. And as for bush "defence" scenarios...I think that happens on Thursdays.

[unstableryan]

In BC, someone with a hunting licence, but no PAL can still use a firearm to hunt with if they are under the supervision of a PAL holder. I do that with my brother in law as he is new to the sport, but it has to be supervised, not lost wandering the woods. Waterfowl hunting I am pretty certain it's one gun per hunter, but if there is another gun around it must be unloaded and cased. Small and big game, you are good to go.

[j_06]

This is off of https://www.ec.gc.ca/rcom-mbhr/defau...566470E-1#_006 section
"Migratory Game Birds Hunting Regulations - Questions and Answers"

Question: I like to hunt ducks with a .12 gauge shotgun and geese with a .10 gauge shotgun. Is it okay to have both shotguns in a hunting blind while hunting ducks and geese?

Yes. However, you can only hunt with one shotgun at a time; the extra shotgun you have with you must be unloaded and disassembled or unloaded and in a case."

In BC you can carry two or more firearms for hunting other than migratory birds. Your second scenario is defiantly a no go here, must be supervised and i dont think that is a hunting regulation. Pretty sure that's under the firearms act?

[ipscgraz]

You will have to sit down with a cup of coffee and read the provincial regs...there will be variations.

[galamb]

^^^^ True, you have to be in compliance with both sets of regulations - when talking migratory birds the federal rules take priority or precedence (if they are more restrictive or different than provincial rules) - eg. many provinces do not allow hunting from a boat that has a motor attached, period - "unless" you are hunting migratory birds under the federal permit.

So yes, read all the regs and go with the most stringent restrictions. Since the game wardens rarely catch someone violating the regs they tend to really pile on the tickets when they do (so the word gets around about what will happen IF you get caught - enforcement through the fear of what could happen since they are spread so thin)...

[FLHTCUI]

One can only use one shotgun capable of having a maximum of three rounds.
1 in the chamber and 2 in a magazine capable of holding the two other rounds.

Migratory Bird Regulations :http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/r...4.html#docCont

(2) No person shall, while hunting migratory birds, have with him for his own use more than one shotgun at any one time unless each shotgun in excess of one is unloaded and disassembled or unloaded and cased

Federal Jurisdiction ( Migratory Bird Convention Act 1917 and 1994 ) trumps Provincial Regs.

Rob