SlingShot question rules

[rookie32]

Hi,
I am planning on hunting grouse with a slingshot.
1) do you know if I need a hunting license?
2) Can I shoot in "no shooting" areas?

Thank you

[Bigbuckadams]

Yes, to hunt or harvest any game you need a licence. As far as hunting with a slingshot in a "no shooting" area, sorry, can't help you with that one.

[ryanb]

A slingshot is not a firearm so it is fair game in a no shooting zone, but NOT in a no hunting area.

[rookie32]

Thank you for the info guys; much appreciated.

[Kirby]

ok, different question, is it legal to use a slingshot? I know a bow has to have 40# draw for small game(pg 16 of the regs) for small game so does the slingshot need the same?

Kirby

[Gateholio]

ok, different question, is it legal to use a slingshot? I know a bow has to have 40# draw for small game(pg 16 of the regs) for small game so does the slingshot need the same?

Kirby

It's legal.

SO is using a rock, stick or spear. But you gotta have the licence...

[Blktail]

I may stand corrected, but I believe the regs define legal hunting methods for big and small game. I reckon a grouse is small game. If that is the case, a slingshot is out. I don't recall seeing any reference to a wrist rocket in the regs though.
Page 16 of the regs gives all the legal hunting methods for various game. If a slingshot is legal, it was left out of the table.

Based on this I would say it is illegal.

[000buck]

ASK A CO IF IN DOUBT.... it sounds like there is some doubt

[jonz]

Only weapon types specified in the regs are legal. Slingshots are illegal for hunting. Also there is a higher risk of wounding critters with them because they are not accurate.

[J_T]

ASK A CO IF IN DOUBT.... it sounds like there is some doubt
The CO's often contribute to the writing of the regs, but when they interpret the regs, it is important to understand, they are not a court of law.

We had a CO come into our camp this year and we were asking him a question about bag limits etc for the area we were in. He finally admitted, he had it totally wrong. He was somewhat surprised.

Often when you ask someone like a CO a question such as Kirby's, they've likely never thought about it, so what you get, is their own personal opinion. Not the position of a court of law.

JT

[Gateholio]

Only weapon types specified in the regs are legal. .

Are you 100% sure of this?

Remember, the SYNOPSIS is NOT the LAW, and it is very clearly stated as such.

Can you prove it is illegal to hunt grouse wiht a slingshot?:confused:

[browningboy]

Well I believe it depends on the size of the slingshot! Grouse is upland game bird, not small game with bow restrictions etc.

[Blktail]

Let me refer you AGAIN to page 16 of the regulations synopsis. The table is titled "Legal Hunting Methods & Provincial Bag Limits". UNder upland game birds the table indicates that the legal hunting methods are: rimfire, centrrefire, shotgun and various archery methods. It does not state anywhere that there are other methods available but not mentioned. Seems pretty clear to me.
Page 14 defines what wildlife is. Schedule B animals are pests, but may be killed only if it is to protect property or during a designated hunting season. A hunting license is required.
SChedule C animals may be killed anywhere, any time in BC. A hunting license is not required. (With exceptions.)
Hunting methods for schedule B & C are not defined in the synopsis, but may well be defined in the regulations.

In short, you need a license to hunt grouse and you may not use a slingshot!

Read the regulations or consult with the authorities if you have difficulty with reading the regulations.

[reach]

Grouse is upland game bird, not small game with bow restrictions etc. From the Definitions section of the regs booklet:

"Game Bird - means any grouse, partridge, quail, pheasant, ptarmigan, migratory game bird, or wild turkey.

...

Small Game - includes fox, raccoon, coyote, skunk, snowshoe hare and game birds."

So technically, grouse is considered small game. Now on the "Legal Hunting Methods" page it does place a few restrictions on what you can use for bows (any rifle or shotgun is OK for grouse) but it doesn't say anything about other hunting methods (spear, slingshot etc.). The same would apply for big game.

I guess it boils down to... are other hunting methods NOT shown in the table legal by default, or illegal by default? The regs booklet doesn't really say.

[Gateholio]

Let me refer you AGAIN to page 16 of the regulations synopsis. The table is titled "Legal Hunting Methods & Provincial Bag Limits". UNder upland game birds the table indicates that the legal hunting methods are: rimfire, centrrefire, shotgun and various archery methods. It does not state anywhere that there are other methods available but not mentioned. Seems pretty clear to me.
Page 14 defines what wildlife is. Schedule B animals are pests, but may be killed only if it is to protect property or during a designated hunting season. A hunting license is required.
SChedule C animals may be killed anywhere, any time in BC. A hunting license is not required. (With exceptions.)
Hunting methods for schedule B & C are not defined in the synopsis, but may well be defined in the regulations.

In short, you need a license to hunt grouse and you may not use a slingshot!

Read the regulations or consult with the authorities if you have difficulty with reading the regulations.


And let me AGAIN refer you to the part where they very clearly state that the Synopsis is NOT the law!!

They may list *some* but not *all* legal hunting methods. They clearly list illegal methods (ie rimfire for big game etc).

The table does not say "These are the *ONLY* legal hunting methods.

Can you find some LAW that prohibits the use of slingshots on grouse?

I can't find anythign that says slingshots/rocks/sticks/spears/knives/horseshoes or medicine balls are illegal methods of hunting grouse.

I can't find anything that says that the table on page 16 is the only legal methods of hunting.

If you can find these laws, please let us know, I'd be very interested in seeing it. Here is a link to the WILDLIFE ACT. Maybe I just can't find the laws you speak of?

http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/W/Wildlife/Wildlife190_84/190_84.htm#section17

[Gateholio]

Here, I'll save everyone some time..This is all I can fid about weapons..



Offence — weapons

17 (1) A person commits an offence where he hunts
(a) with a rifle using
(i) a full metal jacketed non-expanding bullet, or
(ii) a tracer, incendiary, or explosive bullet,
(b) big game, other than lynx, bobcat or wolverine, with a rifle using a rimfire cartridge,
(c) with a shotgun using a tracer or incendiary shot shell,
(d) mountain sheep, mountain goat, elk, moose, caribou, bison or grizzly bear with a shotgun,
(e) deer, black bear, cougar, coyote, lynx, bobcat, wolverine or wolf with a shotgun
(i) less than 20 gauge, or
(ii) using a shot shell loaded with shot smaller than the shot size 1 Buck,
(f) game birds, other than turkey, grouse and ptarmigan, with a rifle,
(g) small game, game birds, lynx, bobcat, wolverine, mule (black-tailed) deer, white-tailed deer or fallow deer with a crossbow (except a compound crossbow) having a pull of less than 55 kg,
(h) big game, other than deer, lynx, bobcat or wolverine with a crossbow (except a compound crossbow)
(i) having a pull of less than 68 kg, or
(ii) having a bolt with a broadhead less than 2.22 cm at the widest point,
(i) with a compound crossbow having a pull of less than 45 kg at full draw,
(j) with a crossbow having a bolt weighing less than 16.2 g,
(k) with a bow having a pull of less than 18 kg within the archer's draw length,
(l) big game with a bow using an arrow with a broadhead less than 2.2 cm at the widest point,
(m) bear
(i) by placing bait, or
(ii) by using a dead animal or part of it as bait,
(n) migratory game birds by using a power boat, unless the boat is beached, resting at anchor or fastened within or tied immediately alongside of a fixed hunting blind,
(o) migratory game birds using
(i) a rifle or shotgun loaded with a single projectile,
(ii) any weapon other than a bow and arrow or a shotgun not larger than number 10 gauge, or
(iii) more than one shotgun unless each shotgun in excess of one is disassembled or unloaded and encased,
(p) waterfowl, coot or snipe while using shot other than non-toxic shot,
(q) turkey with a rifle using a centrefire cartridge,
(r) bison with a weapon other than
(i) a centrefire rifle and ammunition other than ammunition constructed with a 175 grain or larger bullet which retains 2 712 joules (2 000 foot pounds) or more energy at 100 metres, or
(ii) a bow having a pull greater than 22.6 kg within the archer's draw length, an arrow greater than 26 grams in weight and a broadhead greater than 8.1 grams in weight and 2.2 cm in width at its widest point, or
(s) with a firearm that is designed, altered or intended to be aimed and fired by the action of one hand or that has a barrel less than 305 mm in length.
(2) A person who possesses shot, other than non-toxic shot, for the purpose of hunting waterfowl, coot or snipe, commits an offence.
[am. B.C. Regs. 205/85, s. 3; 184/90, s. 7; 225/92, s. 3; 212/93, s. 3; 203/94, s. 3; 288/95, s. 3; 180/96, s. 4; 226/98, s. 5; 195/99, ss. 8-9; 216/2000, s. 11; 82/2001, s. 3; 168/2001, s. 6.]

[todbartell]

So did anyone else find out anything more about slingshots? Some guy asked me in the store today about them for grouse. From Gatehouses post, it looks like they are legal!?? :D

[N¡ck]

I know this is old but does anyone know the actual answer? Tried to search for it on my own but can't find an answer. It's weird that this is so unclear. What's so hard, can't the regs just say yes or no and just move on with life???

[KodiakHntr]

100% legal.

When it comes to wildlife law, BC is a “specifically illegal” province. If it isn’t listed as specifically illegal in the an Act (like the Wildlife Act) then it is legal by default. A good example of that was spear hunting. There was no reference to spear hunting big game, until it was made specifically illegal in the Wildlife Act a couple years ago. Previous to
that, spear hunting big game was legal

[HappyJack]

After reading through that list it's no wonder people get confused, you can't use a center fire on turkey? Guess it's not powerful enough to kill them? And there is a maximum weight on arrows....who would have thunk it.

[KodiakHntr]

After reading through that list it's no wonder people get confused, you can't use a center fire on turkey? Guess it's not powerful enough to kill them? And there is a maximum weight on arrows....who would have thunk it.

The turkey/rifle thing is the fear about someone shooting a decoy with a person fully camouflaged behind it.

The arrow thing you are looking at is the minimum requirement, not the max.

[Knute]

17 (1) A person commits an offence where he hunts
(f) game birds, other than turkey, grouse and ptarmigan, with a rifle


After reading through that list it's no wonder people get confused, you can't use a center fire on turkey? Guess it's not powerful enough to kill them? And there is a maximum weight on arrows....who would have thunk it.

[KodiakHntr]

17 (1) A person commits an offence where he hunts
(f) game birds, other than turkey, grouse and ptarmigan, with a rifle

No, he’s not wrong. Happy referenced centerfire rifles. You can only use centerfire rifles for grouse and ptarmigan. Not turkeys.

[wideopenthrottle]

i had a nice tom in my sights with my 308 but wasnt sure if i could shoot it or not so i let it fly

[Knute]

No, he’s not wrong. Happy referenced centerfire rifles. You can only use centerfire rifles for grouse and ptarmigan. Not turkeys.

Further reading by me required�� From the Wildlife Act.
It is an offence:



[q] turkey with a rifle using a centrefire cartridge.