Any Forest road allowed for hunting?

[mrWiggy]

Hey All,

Can't seem to find the answer to this question. I moved to BC a year ago and still learning the hunting rules here, but back in Ontario you can only hunt on private property permission granted or crown land.

Using iMAP BC -> Land Ownership & Status -> Integrated Cadastral Fabric - > Crown Ownership - all, I've found a bunch of crown land outlined in spots, so yesterday I made my way out there. To get there, need to cross non crown land on the forest roads. No prob, just keep driving through on the sxs.

I ran into a group of other hunters and started chatting, our paths crossed outside the crown land and so I asked how they found out the owner to get permission to hunt. They replied with any forest road is approved for hunting .

So that's my question, I've seen people hunting everywhere on forest roads outside the crown land borders. And assuming they don't have permission from the landowner, is this allowed?

[Gateholio]

Forest service roads are public roads. Some of them go past private land.

[Bernie O]

Some forest service roads that I know of in the okanogan actually are on private lands.
The ones I know of are gated and permission is required to cross.

[mrWiggy]

I understand the road it's self is public land, however the land they are walking on leaving the public road and going in the bush outside of crown land, if it's not crown, wouldn't it be considered private and require written permission? And 400m or so on each side of the road before can shoot? I've seen so many people shooting grouse right on the forest road.

This is the 6-9 area if that helps

[Legacy Solocam]

As already said Forest service roads are public. If they pass across private land the adjacent area to the road is private. If it is not fenced, cultivated or posted it may not be apparent to the general public that it is actually private without looking in i-map such as you have done.

[Island Idiots]

Check out page 12 of the Reg’s. Access. Private property has to be defined.

[mrWiggy]

Check out page 12 of the Reg’s. Access. Private property has to be defined.

Will do, much appreciated.

[Bernie O]

There are several roads in the okanogan that are on private land and are private roads. tresspas at your own risk.

[IslandWanderer]

page 13 for the 400 m. rule and others about roads

I believe the 400 metre thing is for numbered highways.

[finngun]

I believe the 400 metre thing is for numbered highways.
Correct,,,,not forest or smaller highways..

[mrWiggy]

Thanks everyone much appreciated. Even though the license for hunting is transferable from Ontario, it's a whole new set of rules to learn. Appreciate all the clarifications.

[MRP]

No posted signs or fences. Go hunting.

PS where you at or what are you close to. Be nice if guys on here would at least give a MU# of where they are. When someone asks about Trout Creek or Summit Lake or River Road. Theres is about a hundred of them in the province at least you know roughly where they're talking about.

[mrWiggy]

No posted signs or fences. Go hunting.

PS where you at or what are you close to. Be nice if guys on here would at least give a MU# of where they are. When someone asks about Trout Creek or Summit Lake or River Road. Theres is about a hundred of them in the province at least you know roughly where they're talking about.

Fair enough, im over by 6-9, terrace / smithers area, you around ?

[bcsteve]

Thanks everyone much appreciated. Even though the license for hunting is transferable from Ontario, it's a whole new set of rules to learn. Appreciate all the clarifications.
Is that a new thing? When I moved here from NB in 1999 I had to do the CORE (actually I challenged it) before they would give me a hunting license even though I had proof of holding hunting licences in NB for several years.

[mrWiggy]

Is that a new thing? When I moved here from NB in 1999 I had to do the CORE (actually I challenged it) before they would give me a hunting license even though I had proof of holding hunting licences in NB for several years.

I believe it may be new, not sure. I applied via the website, provided my test sheet, image of my outdoors card from ontario, and residency. they accepted all by residency initially, and let me get my BC non resident. Come spring ill have that converted to BC Resident.

Didnt do anything special, just provided documentation that I had my course done in Ontario and had a valid hunting license. I believe some provinces hunting courses don't include the CORE it that may be why

[Island Idiots]

I have no problem walking into a CO office and asking a question. Especially if it’s a new area. You can call in as well. You would be surprised at what you can learn!

[mrWiggy]

Good idea! will do

[MRP]

Fair enough, im over by 6-9, terrace / smithers area, you around ?
7-15 hugging wood stove till spring

[Gateholio]

Is that a new thing? When I moved here from NB in 1999 I had to do the CORE (actually I challenged it) before they would give me a hunting license even though I had proof of holding hunting licences in NB for several years.


Don't quote me on this but I think you need to provide documentation from your actual course, not just show a hunting license you previously held.

[bcsteve]

Don't quote me on this but I think you need to provide documentation from your actual course, not just show a hunting license you previously held.
Yes, reading his answer makes more sense. He originally said that his “license” was transferable. NB did not require a hunting course at the time (probably do now, maybe?) so I did not have a proof of taking a course to show, just a license and a letter from the local DNR.

[Redthies]

I believe the 400 metre thing is for numbered highways.

It is only for SOME numbered highways. Some are the 15m from edge of road. Read the regs people, the answers are there...

[TimberPig]

It is only for SOME numbered highways. Some are the 15m from edge of road. Read the regs people, the answers are there...
Depending on if it is 2 lanes or 3+ lanes, it may even be 15m from the centerline.

[Redthies]

Depending on if it is 2 lanes or 3+ lanes, it may even be 15m from the centerline.

Exactly. There is a list of the 400m highways in the regs, and descriptions of what is legal on other types of roads. Some have variations based on single projectile or shot too.

[Boundary Bush Rat]

Read the regulations. It is all there.

[IslandWanderer]

Read the regulations. It is all there.

Thanks tips, nobody here had thought of that until you mentioned it.

[barry1974w]

No posted signs or fences. Go hunting.

PS where you at or what are you close to. Be nice if guys on here would at least give a MU# of where they are. When someone asks about Trout Creek or Summit Lake or River Road. Theres is about a hundred of them in the province at least you know roughly where they're talking about.

cultivated land is one of the defining factors in determining private land. If it’s a hay field without a fence or signs it’s still considered as being posted. Signs at regular access points, a ditch, hedge, or fence, couple more I can’t think of off the top of my head.

[Dougielightning]

No posted signs or fences you need to ensure your still not on private land. Onus is ultimately on the hunter to know where he’s hunting.

[barry1974w]

No posted signs or fences you need to ensure your still not on private land. Onus is ultimately on the hunter to know where he’s hunting.

what he said

[mrWiggy]

No posted signs or fences you need to ensure your still not on private land. Onus is ultimately on the hunter to know where he’s hunting.
Yeah i agree, thats why i was using the map layer on iMAP BC to figure out the crown. Was just surprised to see people shooting grouse with a .22 literally on the forest road.

None the less, illl just continue to play it safe and stay within the crown borders.

Thanks all for your replies.

[Island Idiots]

Nothing wrong with shooting from a FSR that is not publically maintained.

[MRP]

No posted signs or fences you need to ensure your still not on private land. Onus is ultimately on the hunter to know where he’s hunting.
Wrong. The Trespass Act is quite clear the onus is on the land owner.





Yeah i agree, thats why i was using the map layer on iMAP BC to figure out the crown. Was just surprised to see people shooting grouse with a .22 literally on the forest road.

None the less, illl just continue to play it safe and stay within the crown borders.

Thanks all for your replies.

Really grouse right on the forest road. I have, I do, and I will again.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/image50.jpeg

[DMD]

Everything you need to know is found here, https://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/18003

It's interesting how the definition of enclosed land in the hunting regs doesn't totally line up with that in the trespass act. The act is what you need to follow not the regs.

The way I read the the act is that if the land is not enclosed as defined in the act you are not committing an act of trespass unless the owner/occupier of the land asks you to leave and you either do not or you return later.

Also there appears to be no mention of cultivated land being any indication that land is private or off limits.

[Dougielightning]

There is so much in the trespass act that does not have the onus placed on just the landowner. If the land is enclosed either by legal fence, natural boundary, both of the two and or the land is posted in ocordance with the act, and you are on without permission it you are as I read it are trespassing, all of the above criteria require a hunter to know where the heck he is, be responsible and know where you are Right is right wrong is wrong. I see multiple hunters backs leaving our fenced hayfield each year and almost as many drag marks through the snow. Throwing responsibility on the landowner creates many problems each year

[Treed]

You can load the private land on hunt buddy, it doesn’t show grazing licenses though which are also considered private land.