Crown Land Access Problem
 

So an area i hunt around, there is 13 sections of crown land all surrounded by private land and grazing leases. I want to access the crown land, i don't care for using the grazing leases or private land. One grazing lease access is contact 4 days before, foot access only & no access if livestock present. The other grazing lease access is foot access only & the one behind it is call 7 days in advance and motor vehicles allowed (Have to go thru both of the last 2 grazing leases to get to the crown land). There is a road that leads into the crown land, it branches off the main road at a curve and it runs between 2 privates property lines but whoever owns that land always puts a log across the road right at the head & a "No Trespassing" sign.

I just want to be on the crown land, do a little exploring on the various cut lines and trails with my ATV & hunt during hunting season.

Whats your opinions on what i should do, shouldn't i be able to access crown land year round & come & go as i please.

Thanks Mike.

Crown land is open, lease land is to be used respectfully but that is for the lease holder two can't act as if it is private property, obey the laws and you will be fine, I would attempt to make contact with lease holders if they don't have animals on it etc then you are good to go with or without thier ok.
Always attempt to be civil and take the high road.
Land we hunt on a lot down south is hunting on foot only, no vehicles but occasionally we run into wankers but as soon as they spot us they leave and I always attempt to get a plate number, sad but it takes only a few to wreck it for all.
I did have the same situation in Saskatchewan and I was told that I could drive the access road through the lease land to the crown land but I phoned and got the ok from the authorities. Lease land I went through was hunting on foot only but I was not hunting that land just getting access to the crown land, gun in back seat, encased etc even got called in on it in which I took the fish cop for a walk to how I go about my business, ended up being a fun walk of us swapping stories, not a bad afternoon.

thanks for the reply.

So even tho i can freely use my quad on crown land, i wouldnt be able to use it in this situation because the only access is thru grazing leases with "no motor vehicles allowed"

Drive over the log blocking the road with your quad. Assuming it is a road right of way.

Yep. Road allowance is crown land too and you have all the right in the world to be on it. If the log blocking the road is across road allowance have the authorities remove it and carry on as if normal.

This is the key to accessing a lot of land.

Problem is a lot of people fence the road allowances and think it's theirs then. If its fenced you still have every right to access to that road allowance.

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Happens all the time. Surround a chunk of crown bush, make it difficult to access, and you have a free private chunk of land to use.

Id contact the municipality and CO's to see if the road is public and or road allowance if so report the blocked log and sign which would then be illegal. We had that up in my area a crown land leesee fenced the road allowance that bordered the crown grazing lease and posted all types of threatening signs regarding accessing the crown lease. He was reported but persisted so they took his lease away

As posted, you need to check with the county or municipality to see if the road is on a public road allowance. Once that is established, you will know what your options are.

I can confirm if the area you're looking to enter is a Government Road Allowance. Just need the legal description via PM. Not trying to steal a hunting spot, just trying to help, but understand if you don't want to disclose.

You can look up this information yourself using the SPIN system and map search.

The road allowance could also be under a lease.

Why not just walk in can't deny foot access plus God was nice enough to gift you two of them :)

I have been finding more and more of this. I would call in to the CO and they can confirm if the road is public or private then they can clear the log. I wish laws would be as strict on people blocking lease land or making it difficult for access as it is for us if we were to access it without permission

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Access
 

You lost me when you mentioned quadding around and exploring.

10 years ago there were no road allowances leased in the county where I hunt. If guys are fencing off road allowances that you know are not leased, it's simple get a pair of fencing pliers and make them a gate.

Why nothing illegal about that if not on leased land. The OP wants to get back into the crown land that's not leased.

Guys that block public access to crown land should be charged and fined, or their lease taken away.

Better, how about the guy removes the obstruction to public land? There is nothing illegal about using OHVs to access crown land to hunt.

Why allow someone to block public access?

Have you called the leaseholder? Kind of sounds like you haven't. Good chance they will let you cross their lease to get in there.

I'm far from being an expert on the subject, but for the most part (as both private land/grazing lease holder) its very rare that people contact my family about grazing lease access...mostly just a couple of guys that I grew up with that set up for bow hunting and spring bear, and are extremely respectful (and teaching their kids in kind). This speaks volumes to me in terms of character and I have no issue with spending a little time to let people know where our animals are, where our outbuildings are, and so on. That said there are some lease holders out there that are unreasonable, but this sometimes stems from stray bullets and dead cows (personal experience)...thankfully no close calls with my family! Education and a soft touch with people go a long way. cheers!

Leaseholders can't refuse unreasonable access. If there is no livestock in the lease all you have to do is inform them you'll be there there, respecting their decision of transportation that being on foot or quad access.

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who have a self perception of themselves being 'hunters' but dont have any common sense about safety or respect or understanding of the law. I am not referring to anyone who would read this site. Anyone who is aware that this site exists is more effort and homework than the type of people i am talking about. An educated person on the subject would recognize in an instant that some people out 'hunting' dont have any idea about firearm safety or sighting in their rifle so that it actually shoots where they are aiming, or concerning themselves with identifying what that movement in the bush was or even being able to tell the difference between a horse and a moose or an elk vs whitetail let alone muley vs whitetail, or no respect for anyone else using the land. All these things done by people who are interested in being 'hunters' but dont know and dont care about learning the important parts of ethical hunting. Just some A-hole wanting to put a bullet in a living thing and feel like they are some incredible athlete for doing so. These ignorant fools that dont take the time to think about what they are doing are the ones that make people feel unsafe around a stranger in the field with a gun. How is someone supposed to know who you are just by a knock on the door and giving your name and a bunch of lines about how responsible you want to try to be. How are they supposed to know if you actually are responsible or if you are some over enthusiastic pathalogical liar who is putting in the effort to access but has skipped all the effort in being ethical. That is why some people will do whatever it takes to restrict access so that their families are not in danger by the extremely wreckless minorities.

Nyksta
 

That's a most excellent post!
It couldn't explain my thoughts any better. I wish there was a better way, answer or method for landowners to tell idiots from hunters. So few screw things up for so many...

Absolutely bang on....that's why we need better training for new hunters. A graduated system, a thorough written test and practical exams in shooting and game handling would be a great start. Having a group of hunters with an advanced education (provable with a special certificate) would go a long ways to helping the landowners choose.

just a quick thought, dont hate me for the idea... but what about something like a learners licence where you aren't allowed to hunt by yourself... must have a full licenced hunter supervising and sponsoring of some form until you have been out and learned the practical side of things. After some hands on experience then have some form of graduation test so you can hunt by yourself. the sponsoring by the supervisor being a necessity so that the supervisor will not just take out some guy he wouldnt trust. If the new person is a complete psychopath, then no one will want to put themselves anywhere near him, and then he cant go out being a fool damaging everything around him. It would encourage networking and a strengthening of community with ethical hunters and passing on knowledge. People would realize the importance of assisting each other.

But on the flip side, im not a fan of too much beauraucracy and jumping through hoops just to enjoy my hobbies. I just wish there was less stupid behaviour.

**** out of luck

Not sure about the situation in question, but I've seen and experienced a similar one where agricultural lease land is completely surrounded by deeded land. You might have the right to hunt lease land, but if you can't get to it, you really have no right. I'm usually not in favour of selling public land, but in cases like that, I don't see much benefit in the public keeping it. The only people who can lease it are those with abutting property and no one else can get to it. Maybe trade it for more accessible land, or buy a right of way to get to it. Otherwise sell it and be done with the administration.

at a place where i hunt (grazing lease) the lease holder and oil company have a locked gate at the entrance, with posted no trespassing signs. but if you go and ask the lease owner for the key, he tells you where it is and no issues from then on.

What do you mean by contacting the CO? what is that?