Had a chat with the cops.

[870]

Well I took a new hunter out to shoot some ducks yesterday and had it go a bit sour. Had some great action for the first hour with some huge ducks in the air, and a few at our feet, then here someone yelling at us that we are hunting in a wild life reserve. (we were 300 Meters off ferry road in the ladner marsh) I made a polite comment on how we were aloud to hunt ducks in this area, and offered to come show them the regulations but they declined. half an hour later 4 cop cars show up. Perfect. So I went over to the cops to have a chat, and to my surprise they didn't even know any of the hunting regulations, and the one I was talking to didn't even know if it was hunting season. I had that red and white hunting map on me and was able to show them that what I was doing was in fact legal, and they apologized for wasting my time and left me with a piece of advice. "Don't shoot each-other "

The lack of public knowledge is frustrating. I am thinking about making a few laminated copies of that red and white hunting regs map and posting them around that area. good Idea?

[Caveman]

I don't know about you posting it but maybe Fish & Wildlife could be posting it

To bad about the hassle, but with the cops not knowing the regs it could have been a lot worse

[Sunny]

well my friend have the same problem too few years ago

[Wolfman]

Sadly man, as so-called 'civilization' encroaches more and more in the LML and region, we are going to see a lot more attacks by the hemp brigade and the uninformed police.

Having the regs - and knowing 'em saved you a lot worse trouble I think.

Wolfman

[Steeleco]

I've a co-worker friend that is upset he can't walk his pup on the dyke because the noise scares her!! I can empathize, but suggested he find a different area to walk the pup, guys have been hunting that area for as long as Ladner has been Ladner!!!

At least the boys were reasonable, but you'd think somewhere along the line, someone would realize it's birding season and avoid the waste of 4 patrol cars and the LEO in them. It's not like that area was never hunted before.

[Gateholio]

I htink a better idea may be to go have a chat with local police dept head. Give him some maps and explain to him what happened, make sure to mention that his officers did a good job. :)

[870]

one thing I am going to do is get a bunch of those maps, and keep a few with me give to officers or hikers next time I get questioned. that map saved me a whole lot of hassle with the cops

[Ron.C]

agree with Gatehouse,
you can't expect cops to know the hunting regulations, especially in urban areas. By the sounds of it, the COPs acted appropriately.

[FLHTCUI]

Save your money and call your local CO office and complain politelty they need to put some Official signage at more access points.
Next time some silly buggars hollars at you fromthe dyke ignore them, its a No Win Situation when they call the cops first and complain some fowl mouthed hunter threatened them from the marsh....
We had some purple haired freak walking her dog off leash and my buddies GWP on his leash and she accosted us upon our entry to the dyke, the whole time this little rat was bouncing around Zeke who was beside himself but behaved (remeber he was leashed) we tried to ignore the party, but when the lil pisser of a rat dog followed us into the marsh we had to stop and ask her to call her dog back as he was tormenting Zeke.
Zeke, was beside himself by this time...needless to say she decided to start screaming all kinds of things, which have escaped me now, but needless to say we where dreading the walk back to the truck incase someone had called the police after hearing her screams of murder and such nonesence.
My advice is ignore the loonies who may confront you and if they continue to interfear with your progress , just inform they are being recorded and this evidence will be turned over to the Police and Canadian Wildlife Services for enforcment considerations.
Hope you got your limit.
Rob

[Gunner]

To bad Brian didn't let Zeke(may he rest in peace),have his way with the little rat.He wouldn't have needed his dinner that night! Gunner

[FLHTCUI]

To bad Brian didn't let Zeke(may he rest in peace),have his way with the little rat.He wouldn't have needed his dinner that night! Gunner


*** NOTE***
The names mentioned in my first post where changed to protect the innocent, but Gunner your correct May Zeke Rest In Peace !!!
;)

Rob

[870]

Well this is the first time something like this has happened to me, and wanting to keep the public image of hunters out of the mud, I acted as politely and courteous as I could to all parties and so did the cops. Although I would of loved to tell those hikers where to go. I even waved at them on there way into the marsh so I wouldn't surprise them with gun fire.

[Dannybuoy]

It was the best way to handle it .. Well done !

[sparkes3]

bang away. wanna go out there again

[zaconb]

Strange, people’s attitude, had the exact opposite reaction today. I’ll explain, headed for a local, new Tim Horton’s for fuel at 5:30am today to find it closed well right across the street is a Starbucks which was open, strange. So I stroll in all dressed in shadow grass including an Under Amour cold gear top, not a pretty site on my body. Sorry I digress, in front of me in line is a very well dressed woman texting/emailing on her Blackberry she turns and gives me a strange look. I’m thinking here we go, she casually looks at me and remarks her husband was away for ten days deer hunting this year and brought home nothing “hope you have better luck”! I was shocked, I thanked her and proceeded to the counter when this young girl with purple streaks in her hair and a nose ring looks up and asks if I’m a duck hunter, I said yes, she comments on how her dad in his younger days loved to hunt ducks and she handed me my $14.00 coffee!

[spock]

I had a similar thing happen to me 14 years ago, I was hunting in a field in the Mission area, one side of the road was open to huntng the other side wasn't. I set up my decoys and started shooting around first light then some guy comes up to the edge of the field I was in near where my truck was parked and started blowing a whistle. The ducks kept coming in and I limited out and left. I was still living with my parents at that point and about fifteen minutes after I get home the police show up at the front door, I guess the guy with the whistle had taken my licence plate number. They asked me which side of the road I was hunting on and I told them the east side which was the side I was hunting on and they said okay and left.

[BCLongshot]

The guys lucky...U should of shoved the whistle up his ass.

Would sound funny but still stink.

[shotgunjohn]

We've had them called twice on us this year already. Once was at Cowichan Bay. This is why we need more duck hunters, otherwise we are going to be outnumbered by the dog walkers. In both cases young RCMP officers had no idea what the hunting regs were but were polite and somewhat apologetic. Had to laugh at the first one as he asked us what liscences we needed and then afterwards asked to see them.

[Kody94]

Whatever you do, don't stop hunting there. Would be that much easier for them to take it away.

I like your idea of making extra maps to hand out. If you give some to the local RCMP (talking to the head dude is a good idea) you might want to educate them that its illegal to interfere with legal hunting activity....so that the next time they get a complaint from the public they can pass the info on to the complainant.

[boxhitch]

By the sounds of it, the COPs acted appropriately.Four squad cars to the complaint of gunfire sounds realistic......

[Maestro]

...This is why we need more duck hunters, otherwise we are going to be outnumbered by the dog walkers. ...

I'm faterfowl hunter but I'm new at Vancouver Island ( living in Victoria). The only place I know and hunt is Cow Bay. I would appreciate if you point me to some new places and may be organize common hunting trips as in a group it's easier to fight with dog's walkers and make explanations to the police!

[sneg]

I hunt in Ladner quite a lot.Out of 10 walkers 2 will be treehugging nuts, 4 would be some sort of supporters-people with positive attitude,rest do not care.I wonder if I pay for license to hunt is FV special areas,why some of those funds can not be used to post maps/signs around hunting areas ? This would clarify things for public.Do you think this is right question to CO or it should be addressed to city ?

[longshot]

I'm faterfowl hunter but I'm new at Vancouver Island ( living in Victoria). The only place I know and hunt is Cow Bay. I would appreciate if you point me to some new places

I also live in victoria and the only open place i know is Cowichan. Pretty much all other hunting is done on private land. Which for Victorian's, it's pretty hard for us to do some scouting in a day.

Longshot

[fowl language]

if you are about to be in the eye of the public in some manner or other i would suggest that a call to the local police station to give them your position prior to your hunting works well. we have encountered this a number of times and a heads up to your local police at least tells them that there is hunting in the area and they dont come with guns drawn. after a report of shots fired and men in camo marching the streets with guns drawn resulted in 9 cop cars and a patty wagon and a loss of about an hour of hunting, we do this every time and it makes life way easier....fowl

[MichelD]

We had a chat with the federal C.O. last year and he said he had educated the Maple Ridge RCMP about hunting season along the Pitt River and environs after some public calls about "a man with a gun."

Some of the younger recruits, particularly those from big cities like Toronto for example, didn't even know about hunting at all, so needed a little explanation.

[denali]

...does anyone know if the map for the Fraser Valley Special Area is online somewhere available for download??

[30-378-magnum]

coming back from hunting oneday with two buddies stopped at cold beer and wine store to get a box of beer.cops driving by and saw rifle turned around and pulled in to talk to us .we explained that we werejust heading homr from hunting.the lady cop then proceeds to tell uswe cant have the guns in the vehicle with us .i say but we are just heading home from hunting.she proceeds to say we cant have the rifles in the vehicle .so i say what do you want me to dodrag them with a rope from the back bumper.thats when her partner gave me a smile .after a few minutes we were on our way,where do they find these braniacs

[Maestro]

I also live in victoria and the only open place i know is Cowichan. Pretty much all other hunting is done on private land. Which for Victorian's, it's pretty hard for us to do some scouting in a day.

Longshot

I also heard that Chemanius estuary is also opened public hunting area !