RCMP Bulletin on Carrying for Wilderness Protection

[boxhitch]

Also what are the BC specific rules on this ?

Does the CFO have a hard set of rules to follow? Maybe some day

So.... you are out hiking and have a shotgun strapped to your pack for protection.... first thing they are going to check is if you also have bear spray or bangers and what kind of ammo do you have. Do you have game processing gear in your pack or just snacks a camera and gps?
Say you are hiking up to a good target shooting spot while camping for the weekend. What's in your pack? They are gonna check your ammo..... is it soft point hunting ammo or FMJ target ammo.... got targets and a stapler in your pack or game processing items?

None of their business what I have in my pack

There is always something open year round

a Shotgun with 00 makes good coyote medicine, but even they have a closed season now

 

[45ACPKING]

here in 5-1 , wolves are open year round with no bag limit so as long as I have my hunting license I could be hunting or target shooting on any given day on crown land hehehe
Outside of the big game seasons like black bear and ungulates , I don't think folks need to really concern themselves too much.
On the other hand, my thinking is that if you are the kind of person who owns guns and wants to use them out on crown land...… why not take the conservation and outdoor education course (CORE) as it will teach you , your spouse and even your kids, valuable knowledge when it comes to firearms and crown land. Getting the license is optional but say you did have to dispatch a bear to protect the family on a camping trip..... at least the family will know what to do with said bear and if you had a bear tag for just such occasions.... it doesn't go to waste.
I don't really hunt bears. I buy the tag every year saying this will be the year I shoot me a black bear..... they make for great tacos...… I never seem to fill many bear tags and not for lack of encountering them.
Camping with my wife before we got married and my brother with his boys who were just young lads at the time. We were up at Harrison by the old forestry camp airstrip and a young bear had wander close to camp in evening but he disappeared once he realized we were there. Next morning I got up really early with the sunrise and while I was putting coffee on the fire I saw the bear about 50 yards away. I stood up, he took off but only moved off another 50 yards and then stayed, watching me. I got up and went to my truck, out of the bears view, while I grabbed my enfield and magazine and prepared the rifle. When I got back to my camp chair the bear was nowhere to be seen so I went back to tending my coffee. Only moments has passed when movement caught my eye and I could see the bear peering at me thru low bush , closer than 50 yards. I chambered a round as I stood up and took a aim and instead of running off, the bear stood to see me better. As he dropped down to all 4's in the scope I could see him advance instead of turn away and that was the end of mr bear.
It was an open season for spring bear and I did have a tag so all ended well.

 

[Wallenstein]

Thanks for the feedback, good info and some good stories, too.

If I have this right, it makes sense to :

1. carry non-restricted Rifle or Shotgun
2. target ammo / slugs / targets / stapler
3. no gear that would indicate an intention to hunt
4. PAL / Hunting License
5. keep the non-restricted unloaded

... and in an area where target shooting would be permissible or predator encounters possible.

 

[KodiakHntr]

Lot of misinformation on this thread. I had an ATC for my 629 for awhile, but let it lapse after my job changed.

Thanks for the feedback, good info and some good stories, too.

If I have this right, it makes sense to :

1. carry non-restricted Rifle or Shotgun - you bet. Carry whatever non-restricted you want on crown land where you are legal
to carry.
2. target ammo / slugs / targets / stapler - carry whatever ammo you want, full stop. Thats it. You want to carry some Barnes TTSX in your 300 Ultasuperboomer, give’r. No stapler, no paper targets.
3. no gear that would indicate an intention to hunt - probably don’t need to carry a game
bags in july in elk country, but if you do thats your business. Don’t get caught sitting over an active elk wallow in late August with an elk bugle and cow call between your lips at dawn painted in face paint and full camo and you will be fine.
4. PAL / Hunting License - PAL, yes.
5. keep the non-restricted unloaded - load up cowboy. An unloaded rifle is a pisspoor club.

... and in an area where target shooting would be permissible or predator encounters possible.

Had a CO roll up on me a few years back after he heard a single shot. Told him I was verifying zero and only needed one shot because I was only interested in the cold bore first round anyway. Asked what I shot at, and I pointed out a white rock on a river bank about 600 yards out. After that he was more interested in my set up than anything else.

These guys are human, don’t act sketchy or like you are trying to hide something and just explain what you are doing. Walking around crown land with a rifle (or shotgun) as is your prerogative as a British Columbian.

 

[Bare]

I’m waiting for my renewal to carry my 10mm at work. I see I was charged my 80$ processing fee but no phone calls or paperwork in the mail yet.
It’s a pain in the ass filling out the paperwork and get a RO to do the easy proficiency test. The test doesn’t even make sense. You have to minimum 6 shots standing and kneeling at 10 15 20 yards.
Why would anyone take a knee when a bear is coming at you? You also have 20 seconds to get all 6 shots inside a 8 inch bullseye.
Chest ribs are not permitted for a ATC. All guns must be on your hip and no cross draw holsters either

I don’t understand all the bad information being spewed on this thread at all. Carry a loaded NR anywhere you like on crown land with any type of ammunition you want as long as you can legally discharge a firearm in that area

 

[Butcherbill]

Do you know from personal experience? I've never had an issue personally, nor do I know of anyone charged with an offence for packing a shotgun with slugs in the BC back country - CO's are well aware of the fact that we have lots of bears, cats, and dogs out there.

This in a nutshell, not to mention I have run into one CO out in the bush since 2015. They are seriously understaffed in B.C., your chances of running into one outside of the sept to nov hunting seasons is slim to none. They just don’t have the manpower and usually just set up roadblocks, at least that’s the usual mo in my region. Iirc there’s two CO’s for reg 8.

 

[Bland]

Stretched very thin in north central BC as well. All of the guys I have run into out hunting (like three times in 15 years) were all hunters and once I showed them my licence ( which I always present without being asked) they were more interested in how the hunting was going for me. I have been stopped at road blocks other times and they just made sure any guns were not loaded if present. Never been asked for my PAL yet.

This in a nutshell, not to mention I have run into one CO out in the bush since 2015. They are seriously understaffed in B.C., your chances of running into one outside of the sept to nov hunting seasons is slim to none. They just don’t have the manpower and usually just set up roadblocks, at least that’s the usual mo in my region. Iirc there’s two CO’s for reg 8.

 

[Suther]

Thanks for the feedback, good info and some good stories, too.

If I have this right, it makes sense to :

1. carry non-restricted Rifle or Shotgun
2. target ammo / slugs / targets / stapler
3. no gear that would indicate an intention to hunt
4. PAL / Hunting License
5. keep the non-restricted unloaded

... and in an area where target shooting would be permissible or predator encounters possible.

If you're carrying a gun for protection, having it unloaded seems pretty darn pointless.