Hunting without licenses - what are the penalties?

Grouse Man

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What are the penalties for hunting without a waterfowl license and without a PAL? Let's throw in using lead for good measure.

Some people just don't want to use common sense.
 
For the most part fines/penalties are set by the crown if and when something goes to court. Many factors are taken into account (eg. first offence, honest mistake vs guilty intent). If a CO charges you they can issue a fine on the spot but often times they want a conviction in court and at that time many other factors are taken into account.
 
Any of your personal property associated with poaching can be seized: guns, boats, airplanes, tents, campers, ATVs, the works. The fines can, and should, be intimidating, and there might be jail time imposed. Then there can, and probably will, be prohibition against hunting imposed for a fixed period of time or even for life. Poaching is certainly not a worthwhile consideration, but at the same time mistakes happen. Hunting boundaries are subject to change, bag limits are subject to change, species can be misidentified even by knowledgeable hunters and guides, (Remember the pizzly fiasco?) and the definition of certain words and phrases within the regulations are subject not only to change, but to the interpretation by the Co you're dealing with.
 
For starters, Waterfowl is a federal license and around here is generally enforced by the RCMP not the MNR. Likely-hood of getting caught is very small. Having said that they can and do confiscate everything you have with you - gun, truck, boat, you name it and you get the chance to buy it back at the police auction. Have fun with that.

Fines I have seen in the paper are usually in the $2,000 range but I have seen more.

IMO anyone who hunts with out the proper tags deserves what they get
 
So a person who is born into poverty and given no breaks in life should starve to death instead of cherishing a long family tradition of living off the land?

This is why most laws don't work - you need to think with your mind, not your heart. Rationality and emotions do not mix
 
What are the penalties for hunting without a waterfowl license and without a PAL? Let's throw in using lead for good measure. Some people just don't want to use common sense.

There is no set result. The law sets out the maximums and the court will decide the appropriate penalties based on the circumstances of the case. If you look at the case law for your province you will see a pattern of usual penalties.

From the Migratory Birds Convention Act:

Contravention of Act or regulations
13.(1.1) Every person or vessel that commits an offence is liable
(a) on conviction on indictment, to a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than three years, or to both; and
(b) on summary conviction, to a fine of not more than $300,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or to both.
 
...can't say about here but i know what happens in the states ...a friend who's a well paid chief firefighter was feeling sorry for himself when his divorce was finalized ...so he went out and shot a mule deer on his property in w colorado ...neighbour heard the shot and phoned it in ...when he came home from work that night a CO was waiting in his farmyard ...do you have an illegally taken deer on your property? if you tell the truth it will go easier on you, or else we can seize your farm ...he willingly took the CO to the deer that was hung in his barn ...he lost his rifle, lost 5 years of hunting in the state, had to attend a series of classes, and was fined $2000 ...and that was getting off lightly ...all over a mule deer ...hmmm

...i can hunt on my own property for small game here without a license however ...but illegal to forage in local crown lands ...berries, sheds, etc - can be prosecuted, but is rarely enforced
 
When did it become illegal to forage for food?
For one it would be considered stealing from the Crown.
In BC, they removed that lil perk if one was on Social Assistance they would be given a license and a tag in order to feed ones family.
Alos in BC it is considered illegal to take a road kill either for the meat or the antlers...but thats just for BC other Provinces/Territories will have other ideas on how to deal with those situations.
Tight Groups,
Rob
 
So a person who is born into poverty and given no breaks in life should starve to death instead of cherishing a long family tradition of living off the land?

This is why most laws don't work - you need to think with your mind, not your heart. Rationality and emotions do not mix

No one starves to death in this country if they have enough ambition to go ask for welfare. And that's not a lot of ambition IMO.
The welfare people would likely get you a migratory bird lic and hook you up with someone who has a gun to lend and ammo to use if you told them you wanted to try living off the land instead of taking taxpayers dollars.
 
So a person who is born into poverty and given no breaks in life should starve to death instead of cherishing a long family tradition of living off the land?

This is why most laws don't work - you need to think with your mind, not your heart. Rationality and emotions do not mix

One can make intelligent and informed decisions before putting oneself under the scrutiny of the game authorities. IIRC, you can snare rabbits without a license in NS on unoccupied crown land. I think there is a specific season on them but once it's open, there are no daily or possession limits to speak of in NS. And using the prairie province as an example, in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, a resident does not require a license to hunt/snare for these species. Just permission on private land and fully open on unoccupied crown land, barring a lease condition such as livestock pasture. Nor is there any imposed limits either and an added bonus of no closed season on these critters.

You can harvest them to your heart's content!

Emotions don't belong here, just careful planning and intelligent thought, along with some conservation considerations.

If this does not suit you in NS maybe you should just acquire your trapper's license?
You are also free to move elsewhere too.
The oil patch is full of happy/hardworking Canadians from all over the place.

Edit: Starving in Canada! That line cracks me up!! Plant some parsnips seeds from Brookfield why don't you!!!
 
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It makes no sense why i should need to buy a sport fishing license when i do not fish for sport i fish for food for my family. As a canadain citizen, shouldnt we be allowed to live off the land in which we dwell?

If by chance the paycheck wasnt going to cut it for the meals that week, why could be not cast a line in the lake .5 km from the house to take the strain off the bill ? Why beg for food (welfare) when our country hold food if one is willing to put the effort out to get it?
 
It makes no sense why i should need to buy a sport fishing license when i do not fish for sport i fish for food for my family. As a canadain citizen, shouldnt we be allowed to live off the land in which we dwell?

If by chance the paycheck wasnt going to cut it for the meals that week, why could be not cast a line in the lake .5 km from the house to take the strain off the bill ? Why beg for food (welfare) when our country hold food if one is willing to put the effort out to get it?


...i dunno, ask the line up of folks at the local food pantry here each week here in the north...
 
What are the penalties for hunting without a waterfowl license and without a PAL? Let's throw in using lead for good measure.
It is a crime in Canada to be in possession of a firearm unless under the direct supervision by someone that does have a valid PAL.

This is why most laws don't work - you need to think with your mind, not your heart. Rationality and emotions do not mix
Welcome to the Liberal Firearm Act of 1995.
 
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