Recreational shooting, crown land, hunting season: Bad form?

[brokendownyota]

Hey guys.

Recently acquired my first shotgun, and looking to get out and bust some clays with it. Unfortunately for me, my usual range is shut down, and I don't know any landowners in the area. In your opinion, would heading out to crown land to make a bunch of noise during hunting season be bad form?

Thanks,

-Scott

 

[lyman54]

I would think so. Hunters wait all year for a short period to hunt. Rec. shooting can be done most of the year.

 

[squid1230]

I concur - hunters have such limited time to hunt by reason of season and employment. If you could wait a couple of weeks it would likely be appreciated by many.

 

[Utah]

when's hunting season?

 

[WayneD]

Absolutely. I'd hate to be sitting quietly in my stand since well before sun-up and suddenly have somebody blasting away at clays anywhere near me and I would expect that most hunters would feel the same.

 

[xeon]

I'd just go to an area where there have been people shooting or sighting in in the past like a gravel pit or something. If you see any vehicles parked along side the road move on.

 

[david doyle]

Why not just go grouse hunting?

 

[destructo_d]

I agree with everyone... and add this... I have had my pal a little under a year.... took the course last oct and had licence in hand week before xmas... i have not found the time yet to take up a entire weekend to do the CORE (hunting licence) course... So, while I do have a area to go target shootin on crown land where there are next to no hunters... My next concern about going into the bush this time of year is, getting accused by a game warden/conservation officer of hunting without a licence... Not worth the hassle for me. Like it has been said, I can go year round... hunting is just a couple months

 

[Ruffed Grouse]

I basically agree. But also there are bits of crown land all over the place (unused gravel pits) that are traditionally used for shooting. I don't know if your first shotgun means you don't have a lot of experience with heavy-ish recoiling long-guns, but if it does you might not particularly want to do much more shooting than others will be doing to sight in their guns.

Also depends on the season - right in the middle of deer or moose, vs some random day during the small game season, are very different things!

<><

 

[blasted_saber]

Where do you live? That will make a difference.

 

[brokendownyota]

I'm in Wainwright Ab.

 

[sulisa]

+1 - you can shoot when and where it's legal to do so, but a bit of common courtesy would be appreciated. I don't go after coyote when the deer hunters are out (or waterfowl, or anything that would cause extra traffic, noise, or human presence in the area.)

Waiting to get back out there can be hard - hang in there

 

[IR_Mike]

Uh there is a lot of crown land in Canada.....shoot away.

Drivers do not stop driveing on hiways that pass through it, atvers do not stop atving on it, and industry on crown land does not stop due to hunting season.

The moose that walked out on the crown land that I set up on did not seem to mind my shooting yesterday.

 

[fowkes]

I agree that it depends on where you live and hunt. I'm in Ottawa and crown land within driving distance is at a premium. I really don't like sitting in the stand feeling like I'm in the middle of a gun battle, and not knowing which way the bullets are flying.

 

[the spank]

The way I see it there is lots of shooting going on all season so what is a little more? Hell I sometimes hear more rounds fired from Large groups Waterfowling for a morning hunt than some guy blasting a few clays. Go for it, go have fun.