Eve River

[BiohazardHands]

Hello all

I hope someone on here is familiar with the Eve River on Vancouver Island. I have been hunting this system for waterfowl for 3 seasons now and I know of a handful of other people that do as well. Today was the first time I have been there since last season and across the river there is now a brand new cabin that has been built on the tree line of the river bank. We noticed this immediately in the morning but continued on our journey across the estuary and around the corner, well over the 100m of the building as we weren't sure if someone was living there or not. The morning goes by quickly and we are seeing birds when the afternoon arrives and things start to heat up. Upon firing a few rounds we then are alarmed to the sound of someone yelling... we panic and assume someone needs help. We run from the area we are hunting, across the flats to the corner, still hearing this voice yelling. Turns out, it is the person residing in the cabin and they have a megaphone. Upon realizing this person does not need immediate help, we try and figure out what is happening. We yell for them to speak slower so we can understand. they yell "Stop shooting or I will be calling the Campbell River RCMP." I ask who they are and they do not respond. We pack up our things, thinking we are doing something wrong so we check the regs again and nothing new is listed under the area for no shooting or hunting. We kayak down there to inquire with this individual. They then tell us we are poisoning the estuary with our pellets (we were using steel of course) and that we are killing birds we are not eating as they have found a dead loon. I assured them we know our bird species and that it was not us as it was our first day hunting there this year. The individual then goes on to tell us we are on aboriginal land (they named 2 different bands and seem confused as to which one it was.) After continuous yelling at our wrong doings by this person, we tell them to have a nice day and we kayak back to our landing spot to pack up for the day. We zip home and research further and we have not been able to find any new information. I plan to phone conservation tomorrow as well as the rcmp to inquire about this. I was wondering if anybody else has hunted that area this season and had a similar issue? I know of a couple of guys that hunted there 2 weeks ago and they reported zero issues with this person and they were hunting closer to the cabin than we were. Any information or help would be greatly appreciated, even if I was doing something wrong, I would like to know so I can avoid that area completely next time, as maybe we were doing something against regulations.

Thanks.

[lorneparker1]

I dont hunt there but there is no new regulations that i can find. Phone the Co's to be sure.

This is likely some cidiot that has moved into any area that has been hunted since the beginning of time. Keep away 100m and go hunting. If they do that again, phone the rcmp your self and report them for interfering with a legal hunt. That usually shuts them up pretty quick.

Lorne

[srthomas75]

Is the cabin on private land? I'm not familiar with that area but am curious as to how much private land is nearby.

[BiohazardHands]

Is the cabin on private land? I'm not familiar with that area but am curious as to how much private land is nearby.

After a quick google map search it says Haylahte Indian Reserve 3.. other than that I am not sure? Are FN able to put up homesteads now?

Edit: upon reading in regulations, I suppose I am supposed to get permission from the band to hunt there. How do I find out if it’s an official reservation that requires such permission as well as find out how far the boundaries stretch?

Edit 2: upon reading the interactive map on the BC Assembly of FN, I see
no reserve for that area. This is getting confusing.

[VLD43]

I used to hunt there years ago. There were never any buildings . I would talk with the local RCMP, CO, and any municipal authority in the know. This sounds very much like someone who is apposed to hunting, and is going to make it their mission in life to hassle anyone who hunts. As was stated before, sounds like someone who needs a chat with the police, as they are probably interfering with a legal hunt. I remember years ago a women in cowichan bay used to do something similar. When we were hunting on widgeon island she would yell out her window at us, and when we ignored her, she would hang her stereo speakers out the window of her house and turn on the rock and roll. What she was to stupid to figure out was that it drove the birds on the shoreline towards us. Shot lots of birds off that island. Eventually they ended up shutting down hunting on that side off the island. It would be prudent to nip the problem your having in the bud, before someone sides with this person and closes the area. Let us know how it turns out.

[BiohazardHands]

I used to hunt there years ago. There were never any buildings . I would talk with the local RCMP, CO, and any municipal authority in the know. This sounds very much like someone who is apposed to hunting, and is going to make it their mission in life to hassle anyone who hunts. As was stated before, sounds like someone who needs a chat with the police, as they are probably interfering with a legal hunt. I remember years ago a women in cowichan bay used to do something similar. When we were hunting on widgeon island she would yell out her window at us, and when we ignored her, she would hang her stereo speakers out the window of her house and turn on the rock and roll. What she was to stupid to figure out was that it drove the birds on the shoreline towards us. Shot lots of birds off that island. Eventually they ended up shutting down hunting on that side off the island. It would be prudent to nip the problem your having in the bud, before someone sides with this person and closes the area. Let us know how it turns out.

I will be inquiring with them tomorrow and hopefully get some answers.

[VLD43]

I will be inquiring with them tomorrow and hopefully get some answers.

The municipality , RCMP and /or CO will be able to tell you if your in a no shooting or no hunting area. Be sure to ask, and leave no stone unturned. Get those 3 groups on your side and your good to go. Also, try to take names of those you talk to just in case. Good luck.

[stuffrider147]

Good job calling the CO, that will cover your but. Record your next interaction and be overly polite. Impeding a lawful hunt should be on your minds if he/she starts making ruckus again.

[Keta1969]

I would guess you have run into a first nations person who is claiming a "traditional" area. May not or may have the backing of their band. I also suspect the CO will tell you to stay clear. This is happening in a few places on the coast and will probably accelerate.

[fuzzybiscuit]

Sounds like a great spot to go for a shoot. As mentioned, looking online there are no new restrictions so fug’em….

I used to hunt ducks and geese at Kelsey bay and the Eve all the time back in the 90’s to early 2000’s. It was always hit or miss but they were good spots to go and we seldom saw anyone else. You needed some form of boat though so it was always a bit of work.

[MichelD]

There is no indication in the BC Backroads map book that the esturary of the Eve River is Indian Reserve.

[BiohazardHands]

Here is an update!

After continuous reading and phone calls, it turns out it is indeed an Indian Reserve owned by the Tlowitsis Band. I phoned the band and talked to an elder who confirmed this. I asked about hunting boundaries and he said they are working on them but there are not currently any boundaries to adhere by. I then asked about the person who has built a homestead there, he then told me that the band has not given permission to anyone to build or live there. This man informed me that there has been a multi-band conflict with the rights to the land but the Tlowitsis band owns it and he reiterated that no permission has been granted by them. After a very educational phone call, I then called the Sayward RCMP who told me they would look into the matter. They tried driving out to the cabin but due to the snow, were not able to make it out there. The officer then told me that they would contact the band to further educate themselves on the matter and will try getting back out there when the snow melts. After that call, I then phoned DFO to report an environmental concern on the Eve river riparian zone. The nice lady who took the information said they would be passing the information along to the Campbell River branch and an officer may be calling me for more information, but insisted they would look into it. I left a message with the BC conservation office yesterday and still haven't heard back. I also have not heard back from the mount waddington regional district either.

That is all I have for now, anything further and I shall share!

[VLD43]

Here is an update!

After continuous reading and phone calls, it turns out it is indeed an Indian Reserve owned by the Tlowitsis Band. I phoned the band and talked to an elder who confirmed this. I asked about hunting boundaries and he said they are working on them but there are not currently any boundaries to adhere by. I then asked about the person who has built a homestead there, he then told me that the band has not given permission to anyone to build or live there. This man informed me that there has been a multi-band conflict with the rights to the land but the Tlowitsis band owns it and he reiterated that no permission has been granted by them. After a very educational phone call, I then called the Sayward RCMP who told me they would look into the matter. They tried driving out to the cabin but due to the snow, were not able to make it out there. The officer then told me that they would contact the band to further educate themselves on the matter and will try getting back out there when the snow melts. After that call, I then phoned DFO to report an environmental concern on the Eve river riparian zone. The nice lady who took the information said they would be passing the information along to the Campbell River branch and an officer may be calling me for more information, but insisted they would look into it. I left a message with the BC conservation office yesterday and still haven't heard back. I also have not heard back from the mount waddington regional district either.

That is all I have for now, anything further and I shall share!

Great work on your part, and thanks for the update. Did the band or RCMP give you any indication or answer as to if you can hunt there right now?

[Keta1969]

This must be a brand new reserve. It doesn't show up anywhere.

[BiohazardHands]

Great work on your part, and thanks for the update. Did the band or RCMP give you any indication or answer as to if you can hunt there right now?

RCMP says I can as long as I stay the 100m away from the building. The band says I can hunt there as there are no boundaries currently, they just offered a warning as those that are not supposed to be on their land, are not kind people. So I got the thumbs up from the authorities that matter.

[VLD43]

RCMP says I can as long as I stay the 100m away from the building. The band says I can hunt there as there are no boundaries currently, they just offered a warning as those that are not supposed to be on their land, are not kind people. So I got the thumbs up from the authorities that matter.
Thanks for the response. Hope you get out shooting ducks soon.

[fuzzybiscuit]

I don’t believe that it is Indian Reserve land. I do believe that between the various Indian bands in BC they believe they own 100% of the province.

It does sound like the butt-head in the cabin is squatting though so once the authorities confirm he is in fact squatting they should just go in, drag him out, and burn his structure down.