Shooting in FS campground site

[Hublocker]

This went on every day for 3 or 4 days.

[Big Lew]

Well, that's refreshing to hear that at least some of those morons got caught.

[Sofa King]

i've never understood why people camp right beside/on top of each other out hunting.
every time i drive by the town of helmer i shudder.
but, i guess it's not much different than going to provincial campsites.
some people just need to be around masses of people, even when out in the wilderness.
i've always preferred finding a private spot in the woods or on a lake.

[Wile E]

You're complaining about people shooting in the bush??
What am I not understanding here?

[panhead]

Was up fishing one fall and staying in a FS campsite. Was all alone except for a group of fellows camped at the far end of the site. Every day they would all get into a boat and head for the far end of the lake where the lone hunter would get out and hunt his way back to camp. The rest of the party fished all day. I would usually BS with them in the evening. The last night the hunter still had no luck and they were leaving the next morning. That morning I heard a large BOOM in the campsite and wandered over to see a moose lying in the campsite. That was one unlucky moose. I had no beef with them as they were well behaved. No gut pile left either ... but I have seen my share of yahoos too ...

[scoutlt1]

You're complaining about people shooting in the bush??
What am I not understanding here?

Maybe what you aren't "understanding" is that you're not allowed to discharge a firearm at a FS site.

[RBH]

You're complaining about people shooting in the bush??
What am I not understanding here?
I think the complaint is about people shooting in the campsite. There is a big difference.

[Gateholio]

You're complaining about people shooting in the bush??
What am I not understanding here?

Shooting isn't allowed in FS campsites. Although it's not that uncommon in some of the more remote spots.

[walks with deer]

Target practive in fs site is bullshit. Should get k nailed.
Guy shoots a moose I wouldn't but I wouldn't judge either.

[Wile E]

My bad. I realize the rules in a BCFS site, vs bush camping. I pictured bush camping.

I assumed based on "at the next FS site". They're not many so close that the noise would be a bother, yet far enough away to be "the next FS site". Bush camps can be plenty on the same stretch of road.
I'm out there every second weekend and I hear "FS" used often, and incorrectly.

I'd like to say it won't happen again... but I'd be lying. ;)

[Frango]

Three of us had a shared hunt this year. We got our two moose. We are packing up and a nice biggish bull moose walks right thru the FS rec site we were camped at. I must say if we did not already have our limit it would have been a dead moose 40 feet from the truck.Now this is a deactivated FS site but I don't think it would have mattered..I have had this happen once before but at night..We heard a noise got the flashlight and sure enough a moose walking thru the campsite. So I think not shooting in camp is probably a good idea. Just when you think you have animals figured out they surprise you.

[XPEIer]

Just to clarify, Rec Sited are managed by Rec Sites and Trails BC, nothing to do with the old Forest Service, as per www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca. And yes, it is illegal to discharge a firearm on or into the developed portion of a Rec Site.

Does it happen, oh ya.

xpeier

[Big Lew]

I've had some unpleasant incidents with groups indiscriminately shooting guns while partying
in Rec Sites, both during and not in hunting season. I'm not referring to anyone responding
to this thread at all, but I've noticed there are far too many that are fully aware of the laws,
but toss them aside if it benefits them, especially if they can shoot an animal, game birds, or
catch some fish. Many of these people also throw the safety of others aside in their zeal to
bag their quarry as well. The vast majority of hunters and fisherpersons pursue their game for
sport or personal satisfaction rather then actually supplying their family with a critical food supply,
so there is no justifiable reason to do things illegally or risk the safety of others.

[okas]

seems to be less hunters and more yahoos over the years . i still clean up every were i go and turn the empty beer cans in and clean the glass up. just because

[Singleshotneeded]

We often stay at remote forestry sites, but we bring pellet rifles for plinking at the campsite...never had any issues...

[Apolonius]

A camp out in the wild is totally different than a campsite.Anywhere you go should always be careful and respectful to others.And most important ....Alcohol and Guns don't make a very good mix.Getting drunk the night before also is not a very good idea.In the morning you are not 100%.Many times i don't even bring alcohol with me.When things go wrong it is too late to turn back time.And it is true,more yahoos every year out there.Unfortunately.

[ACB]

You're complaining about people shooting in the bush??
What am I not understanding here?
It was stated that it was a Forest Service Campsite, read the regulations. No Shooting.

[kilometers]

It was stated that it was a Forest Service Campsite, read the regulations. No Shooting.

Anybody know if you can shoot some targets with your bow?

[Big Lew]

Anybody know if you can shoot some targets with your bow?

Not legally.

[Drillbit]

" A guide came through the site and was going to hunt in the area with his Swiss client in the afternoon but left after the shooting started up."

Wait!!!! I found a positive!!!

[Camp Cook]

Did the OP point out to the shooters that it was illegal to shoot in a FS campsite.

I would have been very friendly to the group and would have told them "you know guys it is illegal to shoot here" a little education given with a positive attitude goes a long way.

Even my 8 year old who would have been frothing at the bit to join them with his guns knows that we don't shoot in FS campsites = why when we are out camping there are many times we don't stay in FS sites.

[wideopenthrottle]

i've never understood why people camp right beside/on top of each other out hunting.
every time i drive by the town of helmer i shudder.
but, i guess it's not much different than going to provincial campsites.
some people just need to be around masses of people, even when out in the wilderness.
i've always preferred finding a private spot in the woods or on a lake.

yesssssssss...exactly how I feel....getting away from EVERYONE ELSE is the reason I go to the woods..

[Hublocker]

I posted the first post here.

I see that there were a few questions raised as in why weren't my friends and I camped somewhere isolated and why did we go to a forest service campsite.

Well,

1. Three of us were traveling up separately and seeing as none of us had been to the area before, we needed a fixed point to meet. An established site sounded good.

2. One of my buddies has very sloppy outdoor toilet habits if he doesn't have an outhouse. I hate having to dodge piles of shit and toilet paper behind the campsite.

3. It's nice to have a picnic table and a fire ring.

4. The site was on a lake which besides being a source of water and trout had a moose meadow a short boat ride away.

5. The place is centrally located to hunt from.

6. We weren't camping "on top of one another." The other guys were out of sight about 400 yards away.

7. The only other suitable "bush" site in the area with water access and room was on a three way crossroads of busy logging roads. Hardly isolated and private.

The above reasons still do not negate the fact that they were illegally shooting in their site.


And no I did not go to inform them of the error of their ways.

Would you go over to a camp with six possibly inebriated guys to play local cop 100 kms in the bush from the highway?

[Apolonius]

Hublocker you did the right thing.There are lots of idiots that would destroy your hunting experience ,everywhere.Sign of the times.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

I posted the first post here.

The above reasons still do not negate the fact that they were illegally shooting in their site.


And no I did not go to inform them of the error of their ways.

Would you go over to a camp with six possibly inebriated guys to play local cop 100 kms in the bush from the highway?

That is a very good call. Sadly, I'd say the chances of running into a great group of guys who were innocently doing something they had no idea was wrong and then immediately and respectfully conforming to your request would be very slim. The more likely scenario is that they'd be drinking and at least one of them (best-case scenario) would be enough of a Fack!ng d!psh!t to start trouble. And you're right. Away from civilization that's just not the type of scenario you want to get yourself into.

I completely understand how hard it would be to suck it up in this kind of situation, but unless you wanted to drive back to town and call the police or CO yourself, I can't think of anything effective you could do.

[Hublocker]

That is a very good call. Sadly, I'd say the chances of running into a great group of guys who were innocently doing something they had no idea was wrong and then immediately and respectfully conforming to your request would be very slim. The more likely scenario is that they'd be drinking and at least one of them (best-case scenario) would be enough of a Fack!ng d!psh!t to start trouble. And you're right. Away from civilization that's just not the type of scenario you want to get yourself into.

I completely understand how hard it would be to suck it up in this kind of situation, but unless you wanted to drive back to town and call the police or CO yourself, I can't think of anything effective you could do.



Exactly. In fact the next day we ran into two of them who said they'd had the visit from the CO because they'd probably been reported, most likely by the cleaning person, then there was a pause and they looked us kind of hard-eyed and said "Unless it was you guys." We professed innocence, which was true.

We could have moved, but with each of us having a tent up, plus the cooking area tarped up, wood cut, we were settled in. Besides, they'd been there about a week if not longer already and were bound to leave soon. They did, shortly after that. Next party was a very nice couple of guys, father and son team of bow hunters.