Misinformation on the Net

[dana]

A heads up to the newbies and even some of the experienced hunters in the land of the internet. Don't take advice without doing your research. There is a lot of advice spouted off on this site that can get you in some deep trouble, ie hunting on private land ect. Just because one member says it's great hunting, don't mean you can hunt it. Getting caught hunting private land is a serious offense. You wouldn't want to loose your hunting privalages for several years, loose your truck and loose your gear and end up with the embarressment of being called a poacher just because you took the advice from some old guy on the internet. And getting caught by the locals who own the land might actually be worse. In this day and age of turf wars and grow ops, it might be prudent to take the negative advice from locals that know the area.

[Steeleco]

Good advise, read the post then go do your own homework to make sure the info is good info.

No such thing as "stupid question" but often the answers are!!!

[NaStY]

And try and keep this thread in check please. Deleting them is a pain in the a##

[22savage]

Let's get out of here I think I hear banjo's !!!!!

[Gateholio]

Any advice on the intraweb should be taken with a grain of salt.

The important thing to look at is WHO the person is that is giving the information and HOW MANY others verify that information.

SOme posters I will take their advice as gospel- they are HBC members that have built credibility. Others- It's best to ask a second opinion. :wink:

[Devilbear]

Especially in the west kootenays this year make sure of all posted land out there heard thru the grapevine that they the landowners will be keeping a close watch on the properties

As some old guy on the net, perhaps I should refrain from giving advice on this issue, however, I know the situation in the WK very well. Much of the private property there is NOT clearly posted and often belongs to members of a couple of groups who tend to be VERY anti-hunter, and WILL call the local gendarmes. Mind you, while they view accidental trespass as a crime almost as bad as child molestation, they have not the same concern for drug laws..............

A friend and I were hunting near Kootenay Lake in 2001, he is a Vietnam combat vet and was a BC Corrections Officer at the time, I had just retired. Two "shrubs" gave us "the look" when we dared to park to check our topos on the side of the rural highway...they soon backed off when we "looked" right back.......hairheads and scruffy, both of them.

So, Dana gives sound advice here and I would add that the MP for the WK, Atamanenko, NOT a local person and a "dipper" is VERY keen on ending this Elk GOS. Sooo, be careful and watch where you go, as there are lots of possibilities for trespassing and ending up as Dana warns.

The Elk are there, but, tend to be in very tough places to access and luck is a major aspect of success there. Get high, listen for "music" and glass UNDER the trees at the verges of older cutblocks, burns and on the NORTH slopes of the ridges where there appears to be water and small level benches for bedding.

If, somebody DOES challenge you, be calm, polite and ASK for THEIR ID and record it for any later problems. Nice, eh, we used to wander all over and nobody bothered us, now, the newcomer hippy dopers can build their fuggin ski lodges in the best ungulate habitat and we get told we are not welcome to hunt where some of us were born...ah, liberal Canada, ain't it a slice!

[RJ]

Are there any good maps that show the crown/private land boundaries?

edit... i see dougster has started a post already... he's on a roll

[cwocarsten]

Map it out with #s just like Alberta. It's been awhile so I am not sure if they still keep this up to date on the land owner map.

[Devilbear]

BC topos that I have seen are badly out of date and difficult to determine actual posted ground from. Many locals are also not hunter friendly and I have had people with foreign accents tell me I should not be hunting in "their" area of BC, more than once.

This is especially offensive coming from an American who was/is a "draft dodger" when I go home to the WK to hunt and it is increasingly commonplace.

If, YOU have THEIR ID and they DO get unpleasant, then YOU can contact the COs and/or RCMP to bring charges under the Wildlife Act and perhaps the CCofC.....use their own tactics against them.

[Jelvis]

Bah wah hahaha .. I hope you know a good veterinarian cuz your one sick puppy ..
Jel .. lol .. What about the tooth fairy? Your making people very uncomfortable ....

[bad arrow]

Its true, private land is often posted ,sometimes not, grow ops are never posted and its best to be aware of what the locals tell you, I have had exactly the same thing happen to me.

[dana]

Here's an example of what I mean.

"Looks like the bushes by the Vavenby area in MU 3-41 the LOST CREEK ROAD by CHUCK CREEK real good for game and real easy to get too.
Thanks for the picks and the INVITATION to come over.
Jel .. MU 3-41 at Vavenby excellent moose deer and bear be there or be a loser."

As I mentioned in the thread this was posted is that ALL the swamps off of Lost Creek Road are well posted as PRIVATE. On top of that, these are adjacent to people's houses. It is not rocket science to know that the valley bottom is of a well developed and settled valley is going to be private land. But the original poster knows that this is indeed my backyard so lets see if we can send the hoards of hunters to his hidey hole. The moment a local posts the negatives, ie Private, that local must be just protecting his hidey hole. Nope. Lost Creek Road is Rural Residential. Not a hidey hole but rather people's yards.

In another thread the same poster posted up that the Cottonwood Flats is the place to go hunting moose. A local (me) posted that it was mostly private and not posted very well and it be best to not go there. Again, I was accussed of protecting a hidey hole of mine. Sorry, but I don't hunt Cottonwood Flats. If you know Avola you know that the biker element is very evident. There have been countless grow op busts over the years in the Cottonwood Flats. Not a place that a unsuspecting Lower Mainlander moose hunter really wants to go play. But, if you think you like messing with the angels, then by all means, don't take the advice of the local. Listen to the crazy guy that seems to know every unit in this province like the back of his hand. A reality check might be in order. Can one man know all the units. Are all the units in the province the "Greatest for moose, deer and bear"?

[Walksalot]

While there is some very good advise here I think the bottom line is to do your own research. Listening to locals is very good but do your own research. I was told by locals that a land owner was a miserable bugger and would let no one hunt on his property. I went and had a talk with this miserable bugger and have been hunting on his land for many years. The locals were astounded this rancher let me hunt on his property. Common courtesy will open many doors.

[Devilbear]

Here's an example of what I mean.

"Looks like the bushes by the Vavenby area in MU 3-41 the LOST CREEK ROAD by CHUCK CREEK real good for game and real easy to get too.
Thanks for the picks and the INVITATION to come over.
Jel .. MU 3-41 at Vavenby excellent moose deer and bear be there or be a loser."

As I mentioned in the thread this was posted is that ALL the swamps off of Lost Creek Road are well posted as PRIVATE. On top of that, these are adjacent to people's houses. It is not rocket science to know that the valley bottom is of a well developed and settled valley is going to be private land. But the original poster knows that this is indeed my backyard so lets see if we can send the hoards of hunters to his hidey hole. The moment a local posts the negatives, ie Private, that local must be just protecting his hidey hole. Nope. Lost Creek Road is Rural Residential. Not a hidey hole but rather people's yards.

In another thread the same poster posted up that the Cottonwood Flats is the place to go hunting moose. A local (me) posted that it was mostly private and not posted very well and it be best to not go there. Again, I was accussed of protecting a hidey hole of mine. Sorry, but I don't hunt Cottonwood Flats. If you know Avola you know that the biker element is very evident. There have been countless grow op busts over the years in the Cottonwood Flats. Not a place that a unsuspecting Lower Mainlander moose hunter really wants to go play. But, if you think you like messing with the angels, then by all means, don't take the advice of the local. Listen to the crazy guy that seems to know every unit in this province like the back of his hand. A reality check might be in order. Can one man know all the units. Are all the units in the province the "Greatest for moose, deer and bear"?

That about says it all, this is a very good thread and I, for one, thank Dana for initiating it.