BC rules - blackpowder, bow, shot only areas

H Wally

H Wally

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
193   0   0
Location
Canada/New Zealand
Hoping you guys can shed some light on this.

I'm looking at the special maps for Vancouver Island and see that some of the close up maps (IE: map A15) and it says that there's a shotgun only area that coincides with a special antlerless mule deer season.

Does the shot only season allow for use of bows, or really and truly only shot?

Also, would a smoothbore or rifled, flintlock or cap and ball musket fall under these regs? I've heard that they are treated more like bows than rifles under the regulations, but I've yet to see much mention of them at all in the BC regs.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
A few years ago there was an area that was Archery, shotgun with shot from the ocean to the power lines, stretching from Parksvile to Courtney for antler less mule. I have seen in the regs it says Archery and shot and nothing on BP except transporting regs. Have you contacted a CO for insight on BP? I myself Am trying to find a BP season and have heard rumors they are no more and fall under regular rifle season.
 
I checked with my core instructor. Not much info as he thought there still was a season. The offices are closed for rememberance day... good to see we're still observing that in canada at least.
 
I used to hunt from Parksville to Courtney with bow and shot gun, along the power line up until 2001 good area, its smaller now. BP used to sometimes fall in with Archery seasons, however I cant find any info on it now. There is a shot wad made for BP but cant say what size balls you can put in it.
 
There USED to be a "Special Weapons" season that included muzzle loaders, but the ML part went away at least 8 or 10 years ago.
Probably due to all the modern inlines that are all the rage now.
Bow season is just that now.

No idea on the Shotgun season, which is your original question.
 
H Wally said:
I wonder if it was a BP loaded in "Buck and ball fashion" (one full size ball, three smaller)? That would fulfill the multiple shot requirement...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XABfkOpjtEQ

Edit - thanks tootall!
Click to expand...

If you check the regs further , the requirement for shot only is a minimum of 8 pellets. So the buck and ball is illegal in BC. I believe the bow can be used in the shotgun only zone...further reading through the regs I guess.
Muzzle loaders are considered a single projectile as is a shotgun with slugs.
 
303carbine said:
If you check the regs further , the requirement for shot only is a minimum of 8 pellets. So the buck and ball is illegal in BC. I believe the bow can be used in the shotgun only zone...further reading through the regs I guess.
Muzzle loaders are considered a single projectile as is a shotgun with slugs.
Click to expand...

Ahh, ok. Back to the drawing board. Good to know though, thanks!
 
As long as the balls are packed hard against each other you could stack as many as you wanted down a BP pipe. Just for fun I've fired three at a time out of a Hawkin rifle and at 25 yards they're pretty much the same hole. How about a 58 cal enfield or even a smoothbore musket. I doubt a CO is even going to know the difference. No one says the SG has to be a cartridge SG.

On the other hand, in a SG with shot only area, you could fire the best buckshot cartridges from a rifled or smoothbore SG and end up with no hits on a pie plate at 25 yards.

In my experience, a traditional ML or a Rifled shotgun with a single projectile are about equivalent, having good accuracy and a decent trajectory out to about 125 yards.

I know in BC there was a late muzzle loader season near Fort St. John, but the surge towards the modern ML evened the playing field too much to keep that special opportunity viable.
 
Last edited:
Interesting to see that several experienced BC hunters are not clear on the regulations!
Shows how complicated the modern regulations are, or in some cases, even open to interpretation.
 
H4831 said:
Interesting to see that several experienced BC hunters are not clear on the regulations!
Shows how complicated the modern regulations are, or in some cases, even open to interpretation.
Click to expand...

Hmm, well I'm 100% sure you don't mean me with that first reference, but I'm darn well going to openly interpret those regs;)

JK JK. I'm definitely going to ask a CO about using a BP rifle if I think I can safely put 8 balls down the barrel at a time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom