New to BC, the wait is on.

[jedimaster]

Well, first off I have been hinting for a dozen or so years in Ontario. Just gor a transfer and have moved to the lower mainland. I am so excited to start hunting. It looks though I will moss this season as I dont know anyone that hunts here and I am have to wait 6 months to be able to transfer my ontario license to a BC license. Unless I can find a seasoned BC hunter looking for an extra hunter for this year. Wink wink...

Anyhow I hunt bear, white tail, moose, upland birds and have done a little bit of goose and duck back in Ontario. I have been going through the regs and wow there are lots of differences.

I guess its time for some questions... What is the crown land hunting like in BC? Are there maps online? Do people claim areas for themselves? Do trailcams tend to get stolen? That sort of thing. If anyone has any advice or info or if anyone is able to and wants to meet up and possibly hint together let me know.

[jedimaster]

Oh yah, I do rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun and bow hunting. I have a .22, 45-70, 12 pump, thompson centre 50 cal muzzy and a hoyt alphamax. I just sold my 30-06 and kinda regret it. Hunting in ontario for me was alot of close quarter thick brush type area hence moving to 1895 gbl. I also load my own cartridges.

[Steelpulse]

Welcome to BC I moved out here from ontario 6 years ago, im in reg 3 kamloops, amazing hunting. Compared to Ont, very different though, will be a little difficult to start hunting and figuring the areas out. But there is crown land everywhere and so much of it and so much game, you can walk around with tags for 5 things iin one spot, I kept my 30 06 semi auto, have got deer bear and moose with it all close range like Ontario style haha but your arsenal will do just fine,
Best thing to do is get a back roads. Map boook Orr Google earth and just find some dirt logging roads that are off a more major road and go exloring
cams do get stolen but it's not really a problem

[Gateholio]

Get a non res small game permit and go hunt the little stuff this year

[markomoose]

Get a non res small game permit and go hunt the little stuff this year
Or go to Whistlershooting and meet the REAL Jedimaster!LOL

[jedimaster]

Or go to Whistlershooting and meet the REAL Jedimaster!LOL

I was thinking about some small game this year as I thought I hear I can get a small game licenses as a non resident without a guide or resident. Really I need to settle in and go through the regs and get a book with the crown land areas. I would like to try and spend some time with my feet on the ground and start covering some area.

So who is this "real" jedimaster you speak of? :)

[noahs ark]

Go pick up a couple BC backroads map books, there's no shortage of crown land in this province.

[jedimaster]

Oh yah, and since my GF was planning on taking up hunting in BC with me, is she able to get a non resident small game license without having had an ontario hunting license?

[r106]

I would definitely get the small game license. For nothing more than a excuse to explore new hunting grounds and be able to take a couple grouse if the opportunity presents itself.

[r106]

And like what was mentioned, go to Canadian tire or wherever, and get a BC offroad map book. I believe there is 4 of them that cover the whole Province. Also there is a lot of crown land. 99.9 percent of private land is posted and/or fenced. There are a lot of fences on crown land for the cattle, so look for signs that say Private, No Trespassing or No Hunting. Unless the fenced area is a noticeable field/agricultural land

[Kudu]

Anyhow I hunt bear, white tail, moose, upland birds and have done a little bit of goose and duck back in Ontario.

.

If you don't get out by duck season - give me a call - I'll take you out on my boat!

[jedimaster]

I know I should just look this up but what all is covered under the 75 dollar small game license? I know in Ontario it covers upland bird, squirrels, rabbits, coyotes, wolves (minus certain areas), beavers, etc...

[Philcott]

From the regs:

Small Game - includes fox, raccoon, coyote, skunk, snowshoe hare and game birds

[Everett]

Welcome to BC as a hunter this is the promised land. Pretty much the whole province is Crown land except the valley bottoms. Your girlfriend will need to take the core course to hunt in BC. You might want to buy another .30/06 lots of long range hunting in BC.
Pick up a copy of the regs and read it front to back lots of differences from Ontario. Depending on when you moved you might catch some late deer hunting in December otherwise its Black Bear or Grizzly hunting in the spring.

[jedimaster]

And thanks for the welcome and the duck invitation as well. I snagged a hardcopy of the regs the other day at a tackle store(fishing...another thing I have to do as a non resident for the next 6 months grrr).
Yah, I know she will have to do the core course. I think she has to wait 6 months though before she can take it as well. What is the game bird hunting like in the lower mainland? I say Lower mainland when I don't even know what that is lol. Everyone keeps telling me that's where I am though so I assume they are right.

[jedimaster]

If you don't get out by duck season - give me a call - I'll take you out on my boat!

Thanks that would be awesome.

Oh another question, what are the shooting laws in crownland? In a lot of areas in Ontario you are allowed to hunt the crown land but not target shooting. Is that the case here as well? Or can you pretty much find a safe crown land area and setup for a day of days and target practice?

[Everett]

Crown land is open to shooting as long as its safe and its not a no discharge area. No need to case your guns in BC and you can shoot and carry all year long.

[HarryToolips]

Crown land is open to shooting as long as its safe and its not a no discharge area. No need to case your guns in BC and you can shoot and carry all year long.

Like he said....welcome to BC Jedi, like was said read the regs and you will know what you need to know...also checkout the BC ministry of environment website, find hunting/wildlife etc you will learn lots...

[markomoose]

I was thinking about some small game this year as I thought I hear I can get a small game licenses as a non resident without a guide or resident. Really I need to settle in and go through the regs and get a book with the crown land areas. I would like to try and spend some time with my feet on the ground and start covering some area.

So who is this "real" jedimaster you speak of? :)
Some dude named Gatehouse??

[noahs ark]

From the regs:

Small Game - includes fox, raccoon, coyote, skunk, snowshoe hare and game birds

Just to expand on this, migratory birds and game birds are different. I don't know how it's worded in Ontario, just thought I'd throw that out there.
If you're interested in hunting migratory in the LML, you need to be insured, a special area license, and a migratory
bird permit.
You can pick up special area maps that show where discharge of firearms is allowed.
Specifies shot or single projectile only.
I reccomend heading down to Stillwater sports in Ladner, pull up a stool those guys will set you on the right path.

[jedimaster]

Thanks, this is all golden info for me. I am still unpacking all my stuff but in the next few weeks I am hoping to at least get our and start walking some trails. I will head by Stillwater Sports as well at some point.

[jedimaster]

Actually I do have a question. What is the general terrain like if I want to do Elk, Black Bear, maybe grizzley and Deer. Will I need an ATV to get good access? I don't mind hiking as long as I am not rock climbing. I do have a 4x4 ram 1500. Currently no lift but if a pickup is good enough to get into good hunting grounds I would rather put 33's on my truck than by an ATV. I don't mind an ATV though. Just want to get some advice on what you all would think would be better money spent. Offroaderizing my 4x4 truck or putting it into an ATV.

Here is a little video of some of my fishing and hunting from last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42qsDIFHfxU

[Darksith]

put your money into an atv before you soup up your pickup truck. you don't really need either though, its all about what you want and can afford.

Welcome to BC, the best place on earth

[LupieHunter]

Another FYI if you don't already know, not all big game species here have a gos. Grizzlies for example, are leh (limited entry hunt) only.

[LupieHunter]

Also the term lower mainland refers to the cities in the greater Vancouver area (Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Delta, Richmond, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, Surrey). The North shore is North and West Vancouver. Fraser Valley is Abbotsford to Hope. Langley is referred to as being both the lm or the fv depending on who you talk to.

[sawmill]

Everything down stream of Hope(less) is city boy country.Check out the EK.Buy a 30.06.

[Trapper]

Your Girlfriend can take the core course now if she wants. she will just have to wait for the 6 months before they will issue her hunters number


And thanks for the welcome and the duck invitation as well. I snagged a hardcopy of the regs the other day at a tackle store(fishing...another thing I have to do as a non resident for the next 6 months grrr).
Yah, I know she will have to do the core course. I think she has to wait 6 months though before she can take it as well. What is the game bird hunting like in the lower mainland? I say Lower mainland when I don't even know what that is lol. Everyone keeps telling me that's where I am though so I assume they are right.