Permission to Hunt on Farmland ?

[sk_wheatking]

I presented this idea to one of the rm's I have land in. It was turned down flat. Zero interest in it whatsoever.

[sumdumguy]

Far as I am concerned, the owner, renter or taxpayer own the land and possess enjoyment of same, not the government or any unauthorized person. When I am King, they will have sole rights to the use of the land and anything he has fed on it. If farmers won’t enforce their rights and make a motion at every RM annual meeting, I guess we’ll let any gun-toting funseeker free reign. I don’t appreciate stray bullets that travel much furrher than one can see, flying around the countryside and through farmyards. If it seems like you have woke a sleeping bear, maybe you did.

[Oliver88]

Unfortunately times have changed and respect isn’t there like it was 20 years ago for city or non-farmers hunting or snowmobiling. Last year hundreds of farmers found out how “No trespassing” or “No Snowmobiling” signs worked....when they had crop left in the field!!
Technically the RCMP will press charges on anyone who drives a snowmobile across your land without permission but you have to catch the trespasser and pass on the name.

Outfitters claiming rights to an entire RM while a farmer gets a fine for charging for hunting access or doing his own guiding is just ridiculous. No farmer should let outfitters on their property and this would end quickly.

[Sheepwheat]

I hunt. I post my land. I hunt on no one else’s, I have more than enough habitat and game.

I made Big no hunting signs. You can not miss them, there is no excuse if you do. I have game cameras, and if you are caught, I will press charges.

My problem or idea, is along these lines as a hunter. I think we need hunting on foot only laws. Cruising around a bush honking your horn is not hunting. Cruising the roads during the rut and blasting deer or whatever from the truck is not hunting either. Get off the arses and walk like a real hunter...

I also think farmers who maintain prime habitat, should have priority in the big game draw, above those who push every stick on their land. That would weed out a pile of hunters, and make it more fair and provide some incentives to keep land intact and virgin.

[Guest]

I hunt. I post my land. I hunt on no one else’s, I have more than enough habitat and game.

I made Big no hunting signs. You can not miss them, there is no excuse if you do. I have game cameras, and if you are caught, I will press charges.

My problem or idea, is along these lines as a hunter. I think we need hunting on foot only laws. Cruising around a bush honking your horn is not hunting. Cruising the roads during the rut and blasting deer or whatever from the truck is not hunting either. Get off the arses and walk like a real hunter...

I also think farmers who maintain prime habitat, should have priority in the big game draw, above those who push every stick on their land. That would weed out a pile of hunters, and make it more fair and provide some incentives to keep land intact and virgin.

in fact it is the complete opposite , hardly anyone local gets drawn for moose or elk in zone #43 here. so last year my son in law applied for 3 from saskatoon and me . we got drawn , first time ever applying . how in the f#@k does that work ????

[the big wheel]

I think that with today's technology when you are permitted to hunt in an area not where you live you should be equipped with a gps device that tracks where you are where you went. Would solve the driving in he crop thing pretty fast. If you get caught without it on you you go home hunt is over.

[the big wheel]

Also should be posted live on a cell phone app so that the farmers and other residents know which area or behind which bushes you are hunting. Could have saved more than a few lives already. That one area we farm it's bloody crazy those first few days amazing more people don't get hurt.

[grassfarmer]

Grassfarmer, this must be an issue that even you must have had in Europe. From what I have read in the past isn't trespassing a serious problem there. People showing up from urban areas and having a picnic in a cropped field? Squatting on private land and nothing can be done? Or am I wrong.

It's a rather different set up there. The Queen doesn't own the wildlife there - other than retaining most of the rights to salmon fishing and gold mining in Scotland. So as landowners we could charge people to "hunt" on our land which was shoot pheasant, partridge, rabbits, hares, ducks. In other areas they hunt red and roe deer and of course grouse the proceeds of which all went into the landowners pocket. Big business in some areas like the highlands where the grouse and deer shooting is the #1 priority on many estates - far more important than sheep or cattle. I see recently the Scottish Government introduced a tax based on the assessed value of the shoot, whether the landowner actually lets people hunt or not.
We had trespass laws in Britain going back to the 1700s that were enforced more rigorously in England than in Scotland for some reason. Since 2003 there has been increased access to members of the public through "right to roam" legislation in Scotland which basically lets them wander most places as long as they aren't doing any harm. This has no doubt made the problems worse for farmers. It's been ridiculous for years in the high tourist areas like the Lake District where tourists would regularly walk through peoples farm yards and peer in their house windows! Problems of a small land base and a high population.

[Jay-mo]

Our good hunting land is posted at every approach. This fall had guys drive over half mile in right to our hunting blind/shack, snoop around, maybe even take a potshot, who knows. Just saw tracks in fresh snow, never caught them on the cams.
Not sure a law would make any difference to these idiots.

[Misterjade9]

Clubroot issue going to raise its head on trespassing?? It should

That is absolutely correct. That will be why next fall hunting will be done on foot only on our land. Now if I could only get the elk,deer and moose not to trespass and how do you stop everybody and their dog from riding across your fields in the fall after harvest?

[the big wheel]

Neighbor claims custom combiner brought it to one of his fields not sure how you'd know for sure but it does make one think about having other people on your land.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

From my perspective, you guys have this issue backwards. The deer, and especially moose do so much damage here that if every successful hunter drove over a half a mile of crop to kill one, I'd be money ahead. Clubroot is showing up in this county in places where there is no logical explanation involving machinery or vehicles, they have concluded that it must be the wildlife tracking it in. It is my mission to enable any willing hunter to eradicate these overpopulated pests. And it is fish and wildlife's mission to release so few hunting tags that I regularly have more moose per quarter section than there are tags for the entire area. Yet you guys are turning down hunters willing and able to help get rid of these vermin?

I've asked, and as a landowner, I have no legal means of protecting my crops from these trespassers. I am entitled to feed them year round, watch the moose traipse randomly through standing ripe canola crops every morning and evening like clockwork, shattering everything they touch, let them eat all my second cut alfalfa before the cows can get there, and make combining flattened crops a nightmare. I welcome any hunter legal or otherwise who can help. Had a CO stop by a couple years ago, all excited with himself, he had caught some successful moose hunters without permission, and wanted me to press charges, No, I said, please go back and thank them ( they did have indirect permission, and contacted me afterwards).

I've had no bad experiences with hunters. One guy who comes out every year insists on going on a scouting mission before hand, and brings a chainsaw to cut up any deadfall off of fences just to help out. I don't ask for anything in return, but often receive meat. By November the ground is frozen and crops are off(supposedly), I allow them to drive if they want to, just respect gates, no problems. Had an early hunter this year(legally permitted) shoot a moose just outside a field. Moose ran into canola crop a couple hundred yards before falling. He called me up all apologetic, wondering how to retrieve it. I was a few miles away with combine but made the trip to go open up a path to the moose for him.

First thing I do when I buy new land is remove all the no hunting, no trespassing signs. I have people hunting, trapping, cutting firewood, collecting mushrooms, berries, game camera images, go quading, snowmobiling, sledding, snowshoeing, horseback riding etc. And the funny thing is, these same people are always willing to return the favour multiple times over, no one causes me any trouble when my activities inconvenience them, and they all respect the land they are permitted to use; wonder if there might be a connection there?

I'm also trying to eliminate every tree to eliminate the enemies habitat and hiding places, in hopes that they will then go eat someone else's crops.