So it sounds like you are ok with this....to each his own I guess.
Hiking or camping with a firearm, legal?
- Thread starter Rickyy101
- Start date
So it sounds like you are ok with this....to each his own I guess.
You can bring your gun to plink as it is legal to shoot in the area you are going. I do it all the time quading on the island.
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Where did you here that you are automatically assumed to be hunting in the bush?
Several people in this thread (including myself) have had direct contact with COs on this very matter, and have been told its perfectly acceptable given its obvious that you are not hunting.
Sounds to me like you should remove your tinfoil hat.
This is really quite simple...the Ontario Hunting Regs are HUNTING regs, not plinking regs, not camping regs, not hiking regs. If you are wearing camo, using calls, etc, then yes you will be assumed to be hunting. But if you have a couple rifles, some targets/cans, a campsite, or the like, then you are clearly not hunting. I dont know where the misconception came from.
I would like the nay sayers to please state the MNR statute that states that if you have a firearm, you are hunting. (And please dont quote the typical "my uncles best friends wife's cousin got charged" BS.
It is legal to shoot/possess a loaded firearm ANYWHERE it is legal to discharge it ie; private land, no discharge by-laws, not on a road, etc.
I would like the nay sayers to please state the MNR statute that states that if you have a firearm, you are hunting. (And please dont quote the typical "my uncles best friends wife's cousin got charged" BS.
It is legal to shoot/possess a loaded firearm ANYWHERE it is legal to discharge it ie; private land, no discharge by-laws, not on a road, etc.
I always take firearms camping in S Ont. I never camp in provincial parks as it is illegal there. I typically camp in remote areas of crown land or privately owned property. I always have targets because I usually target shoot on camping trips. I have never been bothered by anyone. Be safe and responsible and have fun.
I do most of my bush traveling, camping, fishing in the later part of the summer after the heat & clouds of flies have subsided somewhat & bass season is open.
Black Bear hunting season runs from the middle of August til the snow flies in the area of Norther Ontario where I go............lines up perfectly with my agenda.
To minimize the hassle of running into a "difficult", "anti-activist" Conservation or Police Officer I have a Black Bear License with me at all times & wear the required blaze orange hunting apparel when carrying a non-restricted firearm (Remington 870 Marine Magnum or DA Grizzly) in the bush.
It's kind of a wimp out but I value my precious little recreational time in Northern Ontario & have no desire to spend any of it or my hard earned money "wrestling" with the legal/court system.......$40 or so for a BB hunting license is cheap insurance for not having to do so.
I've had passers-by on bush trails dime me out on cell phones twice and a showing of the BB hunting license & PAL & the MNR hunting regs I carry in my pack sack sent the officers (waiting by my truck when I came out) on their way with a "No problem Sir" both times.
The last time I interacted with a LEO in that regard was a couple of years ago & I've met people in the bush since.
My guess is that the cops still get the calls but know who I am from the general description of me & my truck given to them by the cell phone RATS & don't bother coming out any more.
30-50 grand??? What did you do, accidentally murder someone when you were plinking but they assumed you were hunting????
Not according to several provincial Governments.
Over here in Quebec, common wisdom is to make sure every member of your plinking party has a small game license on them. Anybody asks, you're hunting either woodchucks or pigeons, any other answer WILL result in charges, it's even part of the CFSC/hunter's course regular curriculum.
They have a charge on the books called "presomtion de chasse" (individual ASSUMED to be hunting) which has been sucessfully used over the years to "nail" people whom dared to do such awful, awful things as running around the woods, outside of a designated campsite, after dark with a flashlight. Gun or not, doesn't matter. Hell the MNR "representative" that came to my course a few years ago also made it abundantly clear that the flashlight in question better be pointed at the ground and no more than 5 feet in front of you and that he HAD been known to routinely charge people over it.
Over here in Quebec, common wisdom is to make sure every member of your plinking party has a small game license on them. Anybody asks, you're hunting either woodchucks or pigeons, any other answer WILL result in charges, it's even part of the CFSC/hunter's course regular curriculum.
They have a charge on the books called "presomtion de chasse" (individual ASSUMED to be hunting) which has been sucessfully used over the years to "nail" people whom dared to do such awful, awful things as running around the woods, outside of a designated campsite, after dark with a flashlight. Gun or not, doesn't matter. Hell the MNR "representative" that came to my course a few years ago also made it abundantly clear that the flashlight in question better be pointed at the ground and no more than 5 feet in front of you and that he HAD been known to routinely charge people over it.
Wow! Missed all the action! I live about 300 k northeast of Thunder Bay, so I am in the boonies. We only have 3 CO's to cover an immense area, plus the government limits their mileage with some ridiculous gas budget...however, despite the limitations placed on the CO's, I still get stopped at least once a season. Just to clear up some misunderstandings... I can drive for five minutes and be on Crown Land. There are three or four sand pits close to my house where most people go to target shoot, site in rifles etc. Although I am sure I could convince the CO's that I was only target shooting if I took out my SKS, or Enfield, or Mosin during big game season to one of the pits, I prefer not to be bothered with the hassle, and have my tags.
Once big game season is over, there is no limitation on the calibre of rifle you can carry in the bush up here. You can shoot rabbits with your SKS if you want too. I carry either my 870 or my Baikal 7.62 x 54 from May till the middle of August on all my canoe trips, and the CO's know it. They don't have a problem with it, they know it's for the occassional bear I might need to scare off.
The CO's up here are pretty good guys, they have a fairly onerous task...our bush is invaded every October by 100's of hunters from down south and across the border, and some of them are unsavory characters....not to mention some of the locals who live to flaunt the rules....if i've got to spend an extra forty bucks to carry my rifle for a couple of months, I don't really care. I'm not paying any range fees, my shooting is free all year round.
Once big game season is over, there is no limitation on the calibre of rifle you can carry in the bush up here. You can shoot rabbits with your SKS if you want too. I carry either my 870 or my Baikal 7.62 x 54 from May till the middle of August on all my canoe trips, and the CO's know it. They don't have a problem with it, they know it's for the occassional bear I might need to scare off.
The CO's up here are pretty good guys, they have a fairly onerous task...our bush is invaded every October by 100's of hunters from down south and across the border, and some of them are unsavory characters....not to mention some of the locals who live to flaunt the rules....if i've got to spend an extra forty bucks to carry my rifle for a couple of months, I don't really care. I'm not paying any range fees, my shooting is free all year round.
"...Now that's brutal!...have the actual section..." It's not a law. It's policy. This is what happens when civil servants are allowed to make law by regulation. Having a small game licence won't help either. If you have ammo or a calibre for game that is not in season, they can and will charge you. Having targets with you makes it go away.
Bumping this thread. Where is good ole' Sunray when needed. lol Anyone know if on Private Land, Say My Own land, or family members land etc in Ontario, where Discharge is allowed, is hiking with a loaded firearm OK? Not Crown, but your Own land in Bear & yote country?{If not loaaded, what good is it if Momma bear is coming?} Say you own a couple hundred acres? Does MNR have rights to come on private land & make a fuss? Seeing you with a loaded shotgun Anytime of the year & Actually Hiking with the dogs?
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Yes, it is legal
Yes, the MNR can come on your property
Do you have a hunting license?
I would make sure you have a hunting license. Hunting without a license is illegal
Trimmer 905
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If you look at Map#2 in the Regulation Summary booklet,at the top of the right side of the map there's a notation that shows a line of demarcation that starts at the top of Algonquin Park,travels along the eastern boundary to the lower Park boundary and across the entire province to Georgian Bay and swings northwest to meet up with the Central and Southern district for Waterfowl. Please note that the notation says that "no small game license is valid above this line from June 16 to Aug 31". If no small game license is valid,carrying an unsecured firearm while hiking or camping becomes problematic. Technically,you may be deemed to be hunting without a license. The only exception would be while target shooting at a make shift range with clearly set up targets in a safe manner. In southern Ontario below that line,small game licenses are valid all year for varmint/predator control,but,it must also be noted that caliber sizes are restricted to .275 or smaller.
Interesting, I'll have to google that Map? I live {just} South of {the most South end} of Algonquin Park, so I should be ok with .223 or my Sub2K in 9mm for hiking/camping, since I'm "below" that line? So no 12 gauge then I guess? & I am getting my Small Game Licence asap as well. Thanks guys for the replies. Cheerz ..~
Trimmer 905
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
You can take a 12ga. If protection from Black Bears is all you're concerned with,buy a box of "Bear Bangers". They're non-lethal, scares the crap out them and they usually skedaddle,most of the time,permanently.
