Powerlines?

[s0ylentgreen]

hi all
in my hunting travels around north okanagan (trinity, lumby, mable lake) there are a few sets of powerlines that im scoping out.....

i tried to do a bit of research and i'm pretty sure we have right of ways for hunting and atv'ing (on the trails/roads)

1. is this correct?

2. twice i have come across signage underneath the powerlines that prevent access - is this legit?

3. ive also seen farmland and crops underneath the powerlines - whats the access rules for that?

many thanks!

[The Dawg]

I believe the power line right of way is owned by hydro, and is also maintained by them.

I've never had an issue being on them,(I have been seen by Employees while there) but having said that, I've never been gutting an animal on one as a hydro rep came by. That could change an attitude.

[bc traper]

You can not hunt on private land without permision Hydro lines going through private property can not be hunted without owners permission

[Surrey Boy]

Right of ways are for the leaseholder, usually BC Hydro, to access their lines. Private property under powerlines is private property in every sense.

While grazing pasture is often leased, cropfields will be privately held and should not be entered without permission.

[Salty]

In some cases the property is private with an easement granted to BC Hydro giving the land owners the right to fence it off, farm it.. whatever. In other cases its an actual right of way meaning BC Hdro owns it. In either case Joe public does not have guaranteed access although normally its not fenced or signed meaning go ahead and hunt it.

[ARC]

A powerline does not automatically allow for public access across private property.

There is often an agreement between the land owner and utility company that allows the utility company to access the lands for maintenance/repairs, but this agreement does not allow for public access. I know landowners that struggle with people tresspassing, these people will argue that they have a right to cross land along the hydro corridor, however this is not the case. Here is a quote from the BC Hydro website:

"Transmission lines run through corridors, which BC Hydro manages according to specific property rights acquired from the land owners. Such property rights are known as statutory rights-of-ways or easements.
On occasion, some members of the public use BC Hydro rights-of-way for snowmobiling, ATVing, hiking, hunting, horseback riding and other outdoor activities. While some of these rights-of-ways are public land, others are privately owned. It is important to remember that property owners have granted certain rights to BC Hydro, including the right to build, maintain and access our transmission lines. However, these rights do not extend to public access.

Any individual traveling along our rights-of-way without the property owner's consent is subject to the same laws of trespass as if they were trespassing on any other private property. Please do not use BC Hydro rights-of-way unless you have the consent of the appropriate property owner."

[boxhitch]

So like most land , if it isn't cultivated or posted , you are good to go.
RDNO site has lots of maps

[s0ylentgreen]

many thanks everyone

[Sofa King]

they are like forestry roads.
we can use them, but they can also close them to us.
they hold the rights to them.

[bugler]

Powerline over crown land, hunt on it like it's crown land. Powerline over private property is still private property. The RW is just for Hydro employees and contractors to access the line.