98 Mile Road Privately owned road section

[Beaufortranger]

Just curious if anyone Else has had any bad experiences with the Landowners that own the 1km stretch of the 98 mile road At Wonowon at 5km. They have chased numerous hunters out of the areas in previous years and im just curious if their tactics have escalated or maybe the government finally bought the land off of them. Some pretty scary stories of threats and messages left at camps just wondering if they were true we were thinking of trying the place out for the bow season. Never had such an opportunity for a good area turn into a bow only zone for the rut.

[RDJ]

Just curious if anyone Else has had any bad experiences with the Landowners that own the 1km stretch of the 98 mile road At Wonowon at 5km. They have chased numerous hunters out of the areas in previous years and im just curious if their tactics have escalated or maybe the government finally bought the land off of them. Some pretty scary stories of threats and messages left at camps just wondering if they were true we were thinking of trying the place out for the bow season. Never had such an opportunity for a good area turn into a bow only zone for the rut.

Maybe I'm not understanding this poster's question. Why would anyone be hunting on private land without permission and then get their knickers in a knot for being chassed off? There's only one answer to that question.

[notyalc]

Maybe I'm not understanding this poster's question. Why would anyone be hunting on private land without permission and then get their knickers in a knot for being chassed off? There's only one answer to that question.
Sounds like there’s 1km of who’s knows how long of a road that is owned by somebody. Guess you have to drive on that part of road to access the rest of the road

[Beaufortranger]

Exactly the case. Theres a 1km section of road that splits the property and they report it to the police everytime you cross it and it seems so strange when u hear the story. Buddy who was hunting farther down the mainline said they had a few discussions with the owner and his family and they were pretty aggressive. Totally understand if they are liable for the people crossing just confused how a situation like that could go on so long without a resolution. Just because of it an entire hunting area is unavailable to law abiding hunters.

[cdub]

There is a small area around Lemon lk in Horsefly like that. Apparent owner or ranch hand always chasing people down

[Keta1969]

My understanding is and I'm no lawyer so take it for what it's worth.If it's not a legal right of way which was granted by the property owner they can control it. They do not have to allow anyone on the portion of the road they own no matter what is past it.

[Gun Dog]

I'm familiar with a road up by Loon Lake (Cache Creek) that's mostly private. Properties tend to be rectangular and roads follow contour lines so the FSR wanders on and off a ranch. At one point the owner gated the road because of yahoos chasing the cattle. Logging companies may come to an agreement with the rancher to use the road but that doesn't make it public.

The province doesn't care and doesn't want to get involved. Any company with logging or mining rights has to sort out the access.

[KodiakHntr]

I’m familiar with the M98 road, having driven all 39km’s of it probably at least 400 times personally and in a professional capacity for work. There are zero sections of that road that are privately owned. There is a legal right of way for its entirety. The land at 5-6km is privately held property on each side of the road but the road itself is not privately owned. I believe (and I could be incorrect onthis aspect now as its been a year or so since I’ve dealt with road use there) but I think CNRL holds the road permit for the road.

That said, the land owner there IS difficult to deal with and has a beef with industrial traffic driving “too fast and making dust” for several years and I can remember at least two instances of them illegally blocking industrial traffic where the RCMP were called and they had the road block taken down within an hour or two. I seem to also recall at least one instance where tensions were heated during the block, and the RCMP attended very promptly but I don’t recall if there were charges involved or not, and I want to say that log trucks were being let through but tankers were being stopped with an excavator. I don’t completely remember what happened there as my guys were being let through but it was a cluster because the road is pretty narrow and has soft shoulders and there isn’t many places to pass two heavies if it isn’t right at a pullout.

Fairly certain I myself wouldn’t be hunting the fringes of that private property too closely.

No one can stop you from driving on it, no one can stop you from traveling along it.

[Weatherby Fan]

I'm familiar with a road up by Loon Lake (Cache Creek) that's mostly private. Properties tend to be rectangular and roads follow contour lines so the FSR wanders on and off a ranch. At one point the owner gated the road because of yahoos chasing the cattle. Logging companies may come to an agreement with the rancher to use the road but that doesn't make it public.

The province doesn't care and doesn't want to get involved. Any company with logging or mining rights has to sort out the access.

This stretch of road has been an issue for a few years where the rancher would lock the gate for the simple reason to keep ass hats out that were openly camping on his posted private property, chasing his cattle with bikes, the locals and law abiding folks can’t use the road.

Some locals challenged it with a lawyer in court and quickly found out the rancher in this case has the right to shut the road down.

So a few knott heads ruining a good thing for all, thank fully the rancher has reopened the gate.

[white moose]

This stretch of road has been an issue for a few years where the rancher would lock the gate for the simple reason to keep ass hats out that were openly camping on his posted private property, chasing his cattle with bikes, the locals and law abiding folks can’t use the road.

Some locals challenged it with a lawyer in court and quickly found out the rancher in this case has the right to shut the road down.

So a few knott heads ruining a good thing for all, thank fully the rancher has reopened the gate.

Where did you get this info from and which locals are you talking about?

[Bear Chaser]

I’m familiar with the M98 road, having driven all 39km’s of it probably at least 400 times personally and in a professional capacity for work. There are zero sections of that road that are privately owned. There is a legal right of way for its entirety. The land at 5-6km is privately held property on each side of the road but the road itself is not privately owned. I believe (and I could be incorrect onthis aspect now as its been a year or so since I’ve dealt with road use there) but I think CNRL holds the road permit for the road.

That said, the land owner there IS difficult to deal with and has a beef with industrial traffic driving “too fast and making dust” for several years and I can remember at least two instances of them illegally blocking industrial traffic where the RCMP were called and they had the road block taken down within an hour or two. I seem to also recall at least one instance where tensions were heated during the block, and the RCMP attended very promptly but I don’t recall if there were charges involved or not, and I want to say that log trucks were being let through but tankers were being stopped with an excavator. I don’t completely remember what happened there as my guys were being let through but it was a cluster because the road is pretty narrow and has soft shoulders and there isn’t many places to pass two heavies if it isn’t right at a pullout.

Fairly certain I myself wouldn’t be hunting the fringes of that private property too closely.

No one can stop you from driving on it, no one can stop you from traveling along it.

It sounds to me like the OP was referring to a road that veers off the main 98 road and travels through the private land. That road used to connect up with other roads coming in from the Birch field. There may have been permission granted in the past for resource traffic to use that road through the private land. I came through there once from the north end twenty plus years ago heading home from work in the Birch field.

[RJHunter]

CNRL and CANFOR both have active road permits across the parcels there and I don't believe the land owner is allowed to restrict public travel. I have been through there many times as well without problem.

[KodiakHntr]

It sounds to me like the OP was referring to a road that veers off the main 98 road and travels through the private land. That road used to connect up with other roads coming in from the Birch field. There may have been permission granted in the past for resource traffic to use that road through the private land. I came through there once from the north end twenty plus years ago heading home from work in the Birch field.

And if that is the road in question, the bottom kilometer of the Birch where it comes on at 5 and a bit on the 98, then yep, private as per the great big ass billboard that says stay the hell out, private land private road.

[browningboy]

Where did you get this info from and which locals are you talking about?

The locals would be residents from Loon Lake mainly and the info was public years ago, was on the Loon Lake Facebook Page, posted at the beginning of the ranch road etc... I'm sure you can find info easily enough with Google.

[RJHunter]

CNRL and CANFOR both have active road permits across the parcels there and I don't believe the land owner is allowed to restrict public travel. I have been through there many times as well without problem.

I have not travelled the Birch access road (Whiplash) in many years years but haven't had any problems passing through on the 98.

[Sitkaspruce]

I’m familiar with the M98 road, having driven all 39km’s of it probably at least 400 times personally and in a professional capacity for work. There are zero sections of that road that are privately owned. There is a legal right of way for its entirety. The land at 5-6km is privately held property on each side of the road but the road itself is not privately owned. I believe (and I could be incorrect onthis aspect now as its been a year or so since I’ve dealt with road use there) but I think CNRL holds the road permit for the road.

That said, the land owner there IS difficult to deal with and has a beef with industrial traffic driving “too fast and making dust” for several years and I can remember at least two instances of them illegally blocking industrial traffic where the RCMP were called and they had the road block taken down within an hour or two. I seem to also recall at least one instance where tensions were heated during the block, and the RCMP attended very promptly but I don’t recall if there were charges involved or not, and I want to say that log trucks were being let through but tankers were being stopped with an excavator. I don’t completely remember what happened there as my guys were being let through but it was a cluster because the road is pretty narrow and has soft shoulders and there isn’t many places to pass two heavies if it isn’t right at a pullout.

Fairly certain I myself wouldn’t be hunting the fringes of that private property too closely.

No one can stop you from driving on it, no one can stop you from traveling along it.


It sounds to me like the OP was referring to a road that veers off the main 98 road and travels through the private land. That road used to connect up with other roads coming in from the Birch field. There may have been permission granted in the past for resource traffic to use that road through the private land. I came through there once from the north end twenty plus years ago heading home from work in the Birch field.

I my work capacity I have had to deal with this section of road a few times. As Kodiak says, the 98 mile road is a public road and has an easement through the property and is a public road maintained by CNRL. Never heard of any issues with the public crossing it.

The Whiplash, on the other hand, is a different story. When the old owner owned it, there was an easement through to the Birch field. When it was sold to the new owner, the easement was not on the maps that were included in the sale, so the new owner had his lawyer look in to it and decided that the road was private. Both Canfor and the CNRL had tenure on the road in RP's. The new land owner was concerned about the industry traffic and the speed they drive by the residents homes and the children that play on the road. The Government would not push the issue when he gated the road at both ends, so the road is now private.

Cheers

SS

[Bear Chaser]

Thanks SS.
That’s what I thought may have happened.