View Full Version : Access WON! Vancouver Island
Access Won on Vancouver Island
Hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts with a valid BCWF or Victoria Fish and Game Protective Association membership card will soon be granted access to TimberWest forest lands on Southern Vancouver Island.
BCWF and Victoria Fish and Game representatives are thrilled to have worked out a schedule with TimberWest for this hunting season to allow our members access through the Butler Main gate in Sooke and the Kapoor Main gate west of Shawnigan Lake.
We plan to have the gates open for the hunting season as follows:
• October 17 & 18
• October 31
• November 1
• November 14 &15
• November 28 & 29
• December 5 & 6
Gate opening times are as follows, subject to change:
• Start of Day: from two hours before sunrise to one hour after sunrise;
• Mid-Day: from 1100 to 1300 hours;
• End of Day: from one hour before sunset to two hours after sunset.
No ATVs or unlicensed motor vehicles will be allowed access.
huntcoop
10-09-2015, 06:01 PM
That's very good news, well done BCWF :smile:
houndogger
10-09-2015, 06:14 PM
Lol........
Salty
10-09-2015, 06:30 PM
Well done great news
Husky7mm
10-09-2015, 06:31 PM
Is this a win?
The Dawg
10-09-2015, 06:35 PM
Is this a win?
Absolutely it is.
Opening more access to back country users is always a win
Islanderr
10-09-2015, 06:54 PM
Excellent job bcwf!!!!!
Surrey Boy
10-09-2015, 07:12 PM
Sincere thanks.
Husky7mm
10-09-2015, 07:38 PM
Absolutely it is.
Opening more access to back country users is always a win
Hmmm? What about the dates?
The Dawg
10-09-2015, 07:51 PM
Hmmm? What about the dates?
What dates were available before?
Stone Sheep Steve
10-09-2015, 08:02 PM
Huge step in the right direction!! Congrats to all those who had a hand in it!
guest
10-09-2015, 08:37 PM
Good for some islanders ...... Great job by those involved !
Shooter
10-09-2015, 08:39 PM
Awesome job!!
Squamch
10-09-2015, 09:00 PM
Those areas have been open for years, and utilized by unlicensed atvs and vehicles. I don't understand the victory.
Now we can use liscenced ones!
The Hermit
10-09-2015, 10:03 PM
Now we can use liscenced ones!
Unfortunately not... No ATVs or unlicensed motor vehicles will be allowed access.
I'm really glad this is happening! Now I sure hope everyone will consider bringing our a bag of garbage everytime we go in as a gesture of our appreciation too.
Question, can we go in and camp overnight coming out the next day? That would be great!
I was being a bit sarcastic. I did see no atv's etc
i have known for years that people have been getting in there. But fact is I do not have a quad. I have a full sized pickup and that's it. No car. I need " front door access"
i am am very thankful for BCWF and Vic fish and game getting this worked out. It has been years in the making
Buzam
10-09-2015, 10:10 PM
So excited for this!
5 spike
10-09-2015, 10:23 PM
This is awesome news for you south islanders.Big thanks to BCWF
Vanislehiker
10-10-2015, 10:29 AM
Great news let's hope it's the start of more land usage for us
Squamch
10-10-2015, 09:48 PM
I was being a bit sarcastic. I did see no atv's etc
i have known for years that people have been getting in there. But fact is I do not have a quad. I have a full sized pickup and that's it. No car. I need " front door access"
i am am very thankful for BCWF and Vic fish and game getting this worked out. It has been years in the making
The kapoor mainline gate has been open, apart from fire season, for YEARS. I was up there midweek a couple weeks ago. In a corolla. That portion in particular, is LESS access if this schedule is to be believed, not more.
I kept getting depressed up kapoor with the trash. I found a couple decent spots but. Ya, I don't like it there.
Regardless didn't that honkin gate at the top of the hill stay shut these last few years?
Squamch
10-13-2015, 08:06 AM
Nope. It's been open every fall. And you can always just drive the high road to get around it.
The garbage sucks for sure though.
I thought that high road was ditched.. lol... shows you how much i have been up there....
Either way, i have not been interested in that area for a long time.... Butlers how ever i really miss... and there has not been an access for my 2009 ( Read dont wanna wreck it ) pickup untill now.
And i will be bringing a garbage bag into Butlers
Gr8 white hunter
10-13-2015, 08:58 AM
The locale's around Sooke have been going into butlers on there quads ever since the gate has been locked.it is like there own private hunting area.
not fer long! lol.... honestly,, down here as you know G8 we have a lil bit of competition!
regardless.... i want to see if i can get to ranger lake again....
B.C.Boy(100%)
10-13-2015, 10:02 AM
Win or not?
A question;
Does this mean for me to continue my past two decades of hunting in my backyard (the areas mentioned) I will have to obtain a membership to either one of these groups?
As I hunt up those hills regularly for the last two decades and have never needed a membership of any kind before. Nor have I ever been told I cant use an atv (quad or bike) before, so this is why I question it from where I'm standing 'win or not?'
edit;
where I enter to and from does not have a gate nor obstructions, nor posted signs of any sort, yet it is a road which leads me to those hills.
B.C.Boy(100%)
10-13-2015, 10:06 AM
Was up at Ranger Lk on Thursday. It's a rough go still.
Ajsawden
10-13-2015, 10:18 AM
My understanding is that all access prior to these approved dates and entry point has been 'unauthorized'. Pretty sure most of these gates and roads have 'no trespassing' signs on them, going around a locked gate does not negate the fact that you weren't supposed to be in there in the first place. Approved access to any corporate private land is a win in my eyes. A big thanks to Vic Fish and Game and the BCWF for helping to make a big step in the right direction.
SPEYMAN
10-13-2015, 11:12 AM
So in reality this is "pay to play hunting". Instead of paying the actual land owner, you have to pay a third party. This is becoming more popular over time. Some complain that aboriginal groups are wrong to keep hunters off their land but seem to think it is a bonus for a "Private Timber Co." to do the same, as long as you pay the piper.
Soon you won't be allowed to hunt,fish or have access to the back country of the Province.
Looks like the BCWF is promoting this process rather than protecting the public access. If the public can't have access then no one should be able to harvest wildlife that belongs to the residents of this Province.
last i was up there was pre gate and it was ugly bad... maybe i wont be then...
the fishing was awesome in there tho.
sorry
Fact is on SVI we tresspass about 80% of the time... these spots are owned by timber companies. And yes if you called and asked if you can use a quad there they would say no... and they have the ability to charge you, the same as a CO could in theory charge you for poaching being that you are on private land with no permission.....
Before you get all wound up, dont preach to the choir ( is that how you spell that?) i hunted these places since the early 80's i walked those hills as a kid with my dad..... ok... i do all the above myself.
BUT! all you SVI guys who have been using the back door for all these years had better not fack this up..... Timber companies are now seeming to work with us to a degree.... if you are all bent about "No to quads" you sure were not aloud to use them last year either.... so just shut up about it and keep doing what you did, keep using the back door that you have.... to be clear i have hunted here for 30 years. i hunted butlers when i was 8.... my great uncle hunted there quite a bit before that.
Sure there is a point to the access being granted to BCWF members only ( Vic Fish and game the membership comes with BCWF ) but dont forget...... BCWF insures their members.. you think that might have some play in the game?
The Dawg
10-13-2015, 12:49 PM
sorry
Fact is on SVI we tresspass about 80% of the time... these spots are owned by timber companies. And yes if you called and asked if you can use a quad there they would say no... and they have the ability to charge you, the same as a CO could in theory charge you for poaching being that you are on private land with no permission.....
Before you get all wound up, dont preach to the choir ( is that how you spell that?) i hunted these places since the early 80's i walked those hills as a kid with my dad..... ok... i do all the above myself.
BUT! all you SVI guys who have been using the back door for all these years had better not fack this up..... Timber companies are now seeming to work with us to a degree.... if you are all bent about "No to quads" you sure were not aloud to use them last year either.... so just shut up about it and keep doing what you did, keep using the back door that you have.... to be clear i have hunted here for 30 years. i hunted butlers when i was 8.... my great uncle hunted there quite a bit before that.
Sure there is a point to the access being granted to BCWF members only ( Vic Fish and game the membership comes with BCWF ) but dont forget...... BCWF insures their members.. you think that might have some play in the game?
Thats exactly it.
All previous access for the most part has been trespassing.
The BCWF insures the members as 835 said- and as such, takes 'responsibility' for them on the lands.
If you dont feel like its a win, that's your prerogative.
You can continue to illegally access the area all you like- but with the new measures in place - its just a matter of time before people doing this are caught, fined, and banned.
Huge win IMO for the BCWF
Vanislehiker
10-19-2015, 06:21 PM
Went thru the shawnigan gate on the weekend. The lady and son? Letting us in and out were very nice to deal with. Painless process and glad that's all it was. Thanks to all involved
Squamch
10-19-2015, 09:06 PM
So the gates were open, and anyone who wanted to could go in.
Now, the gates are sometimes open, and only people who have paid for access, can have access.
That is a win for access?
Vanislehiker
10-20-2015, 06:08 AM
It was never a sure thing the gates would be open when you returned at end of day thou before now I have peace of mind I'm not getting stuck behind and also don't feel like I'm "sneaking" in. To each there own some guys just like to bitch ^^
The gates are open to everyone now so I hear not just members.
Squamch
10-20-2015, 07:00 AM
The gates are open to everyone now so I hear not just members.
Friends of mine were turned away this weekend.
interesting...
because friends on mine were told that TW is not asking for a card. by the gate staff.
I offered my card and they said it wasn't necessary. Drove up Butler Main for the first time in probably 15 years...at least. Visited one of my favourite lakes back there and it still looks like I was just there yesterday.
Kudos to to all involved
sdurango41
10-22-2015, 02:24 PM
So my question is..... Are the gates going to be open this weekend? It is not on the dates listed. Why would all other hunting weekend dates have the gate open and not this one? Heading up Saturday morning. Was planning on dragging the ATV up with us so we can get through some of the washouts and holes that have been dug to get away from everyone else. Sounding like this is not an option???
The Dawg
10-22-2015, 03:34 PM
So my question is..... Are the gates going to be open this weekend? It is not on the dates listed. Why would all other hunting weekend dates have the gate open and not this one? Heading up Saturday morning. Was planning on dragging the ATV up with us so we can get through some of the washouts and holes that have been dug to get away from everyone else. Sounding like this is not an option???
If it's not in the Dates listed- I would think it's not open
Also I don't believe Atvs are allowed either
If it's not in the Dates listed- I would think it's not open
Also I don't believe Atvs are allowed either
Licensed Insured ATV's should not be a problem wonder what the issue is?
Buzam
10-22-2015, 04:00 PM
So my question is..... Are the gates going to be open this weekend? It is not on the dates listed. Why would all other hunting weekend dates have the gate open and not this one? Heading up Saturday morning. Was planning on dragging the ATV up with us so we can get through some of the washouts and holes that have been dug to get away from everyone else. Sounding like this is not an option???
I was wondering the same thing about the dates???
The Dawg
10-22-2015, 04:20 PM
Licensed Insured ATV's should not be a problem wonder what the issue is?
Probably the 'risk' factor regarding areas being chewed up is my guess
sdurango41
10-23-2015, 03:01 PM
We are heading up tomorrow so I guess we will see what happens. I am a BCWF member. if we cant get through it will be interesting to see how we can back down a hill with a trailer in tow. Placed the gate with no where to turn around. Then could camp below it and go in from there. A lot longer of a trip into our new hunting area if closed that is for sure.
i am not sure, but i think the gate in question is the one down on the river not the top of Kapoor hill.
sdurango41
10-26-2015, 08:52 AM
so back from weekend of wandering the woods. All gates were open all the way in. no one was manning them either. The closer you got to Kapoor hill the more people we saw on the way out. Pretty much a parking lot at the top of hill with mushroom/salal pickers. Guys on motor bikes roaring around that area as well. One of them is going to kill themselves flying around corners at 100 km/hr when other vehicles on the roads. saw about 8 does - no bucks a couple of bear
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