Re: Can someone without a hunting license accompany a hunter during a hunt?

[Rusty]

This is a older post BUT is there any change in information

my son is going to join us for our hunt this year, he has dual citizenship since he married a women from the usa and they live in USA
he doesn't want the expense of non resident out of country license and really just wants to come along and join in but not carry a gun or shoot.
Anyone see any problems with this.

[Hillbros_96]

Why not as long as he does not do any shooting of animals?

[Fella]

I brought a kid out hunting with me in June, no license he just came along to see what hunting was all about. He's now getting his core and pal this month.

[375 ultramag]

Don't remember reading anything saying he can't .

[dakoda62]

Short answer is yes

[I'd Rather Be Hunting]

I've taken several people out that way. They don't carry, they don't shoot. Just to see what hunting is like. A few have become hunters, and a few quickly discovered that they didn't want to hunt. Ever. And they were happy they discovered that before they dropped money/time on the CORE and PAL courses! I think it's a great idea, as long as they aren't handling the firearms.

[caddisguy]

Short answer is yes as long as they aren't shooting anything. Long answer is that the definition of hunt includes looking for animals while carrying a firearm and looking for animals with the intent to kill. Since you would be doing the shooting, I believe they can help with glassing and looking for sign. In theory they might be able to carry an extra gun for you as long as they are just tagging along like an oblivious drone not looking for critters, but I don't recommend it.

At the end of the day it all comes down to what a CO thinks, so it is safer to just bring one gun and safest to minimize the amount of aid in glassing or carrying around hunting related gear. My gf just got her license, but last season she came along for a dozen trips. Just because I'm hunting doesn't mean she can't tag along for the hiking, camping or provide safety and first aid support. Can't find fault in that. If anyone gives you trouble, tell em they're wrong and caddisguy says so!

Worth noting too that if you have been hunting for at least 3 years and the person is over 18, they can pick up a hunter initiation license without taking the CORE or anything. It's only 19 bucks, then you don't have to worry and they can whack some birds or even cut one of your tags if you're super generous!

[caddisguy]

After-thought for the hunter initiation license, they probably need to be a resident but it's worth checking into and perhaps noteworthy for others.

[squamishhunter]

How else to get new hunters introduced? I've taken lots of people out, and I'll do it again.

[blindcast]

I think you'd best check that out with an email to MoE to show that you've done due diligence. The matter is open to a lot of interpretation and conjecture. I've come across situations where the act of helping to track an animal, helping to clean an animal and helping to carry out an animal, even providing the use of a vehicle--automobile or ATV--was construed as helping in the hunt and as such as hunting. Get an interpretation from someone at the ministry and you'll know what you can and can't do and if some CO decides on a different interpretation, he can whistle Dixie. With all due respect to the members of HBC, their/our advice will not stand in front of a judge. Just my two cents.

[hunter1947]

Yes as long as he does not carry or use the rifle..

[steel_ram]

As long as they are not aiding you to kill an animal they can do whatever they want, as could anyone else who enjoys a walk in the woods.

[caddisguy]

I think you'd best check that out with an email to MoE to show that you've done due diligence. The matter is open to a lot of interpretation and conjecture. I've come across situations where the act of helping to track an animal, helping to clean an animal and helping to carry out an animal, even providing the use of a vehicle--automobile or ATV--was construed as helping in the hunt and as such as hunting. Get an interpretation from someone at the ministry and you'll know what you can and can't do and if some CO decides on a different interpretation, he can whistle Dixie. With all due respect to the members of HBC, their/our advice will not stand in front of a judge. Just my two cents.

While we're at it, lets get them to define "careless use/storage/transportation of firearm/ammunition" ... "reasonable amount of ammunition" and if elbows on the hood of a vehicle count as firing from a motor vehicle :D

Good call though. Definitely not legally binding (ie: people still get charged for careless transport / storage while following all the requirements listed on the RCMP website) but shows due diligence which judges appreciate. Horror stories like these give me the shivers: http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/legal_storage_and_transport.html

[Steeleco]

Lets not confuse the issue. To simply have a person along for a ride while your hunting is OK. They are free to assist you in the recovery of any game you may shoot just not allowed to shoot the animal.

Hell they are allowed to plink at stumps or cans in the woods so long as the holder of the PAL is in close proximity.
So long as they are not in contact with the firearm while in the act of hunting, they are just a spectator.

KISS "Keep it Simple Stupid" applies here, if we over think everything in the book, we'd likely never leave the house.

[caddisguy]

Very true Steeleco. I shouldn't have derailed and muddied the water with the last post. Common sense and following the regs as their written with a reasonable common sense interpretation results in 99% or greater effectiveness. Weird stuff can happen if you run into a LEO hell bent on finding something wrong but for the most part it's like being hit by a bus or having a tree fall on ya. In this case we know that we can't hunt without a license and hunting is defined very clearly, so OP should be just fine having someone tagging along for the ride as long as said company isn't actually hunting (ie: looking for animals with intent to kill, looking for animals while carrying a firearm)

[6pt_elk_wannabe]

I went out with my dad years before I ever got my license, never shot anything until I got my core and my pal, always helped spot the game and he did the rest of the work.

[Rusty]

I appreciate everyones comments.
And advise.
Thanks

[Jelvis]

Of course he can who can stop yah and who says he can't?
If anyone comes up to you in the bush and says you can't, tell em to mind their own dang bees wax -- unless it's a real C.O.
-- I done that b4 and had no one ask ---
Jel ( 200 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal ) Get real.

[weiss]

How else to get new hunters introduced? I've taken lots of people out, and I'll do it again.

It is called "initiation hunting licence" which does not require CORE and hunter number and costs about 20$. On the downside, initiation licence does not allow any bag limit, whatever is shot will go against accompanying hunter's bag limit or tag. Need to mention that under initiation licence there are requirements for accompanying hunter being of certain age and experience, and he/she cannot accompany more than two (I think) intiated hunters.