Spot lighting hunters

[mud747]

While is was sitting down this morning (6:20 am) having a bite to eat before heading out for a morning hunt. I spotted a vehicle traveling slowly down the town ship road that I can see and noticed flashes of light, after really paying attention after I noticed the flashes light in the area of the vehicle, I realized these people were using a spot light and shining it along the tree line on one side of the road and the rotating it and shining it on the other side of the road into the fields.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I haven't witnessed this around my area before. Hoping this is just an isolated incident, if not I will be phoning the Fish and Wildlife and reporting it.

[elkhunter11]

Why wait, report it now.

[MountainTi]

Were they actually hunting?
Can a spotlight be used "spotting" wildlife if no firearms in vehicle? I'm actually not sure on the law with that

[Mr Conservation]

Report it NOW. At least the F&W Officers can identify the persons doing it. If F&W Officers not available, then perhaps they can have the RCMP check it out. At the very least it gets the word out that F&W Officers will respond to the calls. At best, some poachers will be caught and charged appropriately.

Mr Conservation

[Selkirk]

.
What is the OP waiting for?!

Report it!

Mac

[RolHammer]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

Were they actually hunting?
Can a spotlight be used "spotting" wildlife if no firearms in vehicle? I'm actually not sure on the law with that

Reasonable question. I know a fellow who takes his kids out at night on occasion to look at wildlife. 'Course this is strictly on his own land and he's definitely not hunting.

[mooseknuckle]

never know guys dog could habe ran away and was looking? I'd still call it in. you never know.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by RolHammer

Reasonable question. I know a fellow who takes his kids out at night on occasion to look at wildlife. 'Course this is strictly on his own land and he's definitely not hunting.

I would like to know the laws on use of spotlights while not engaged in hunting. Many ranchers use them of course checking cows. Can wildlife be viewed using them? I honestly don't know

[gman1978]

Big thing out in my neck of the woods is the hi powered light bars. Lots of trucks cruising the fields after dark and before daylight with them in the fields. All the truck ninjas have them on their trucks. Not sure what is legal and what isn't .

[nelsonob1]

Why is scouting with a spotlight considered illegal?

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

Why is scouting with a spotlight considered illegal?

Scouting can be considered hunting and you cannot hunt in the dark.

LC

[BobNewton]

So if i put a light bar on my truck to aid in seeing where i'm going, setting up or taking down my fowl decoy spread, makes me a poacher, vs yours legit because you don't have one?

There may some DB's out there, real poachers. I cant help but think some people get off by being "better" than most. Lots of grasping lately.

[Jayhad]

if the spotlighters have no means of harvesting an animal they aren't hunting. I'd still report it

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by BobNewton

So if i put a light bar on my truck to aid in seeing where i'm going, setting up or taking down my fowl decoy spread, makes me a poacher, vs yours legit because you don't have one?

There may some DB's out there, real poachers. I cant help but think some people get off by being "better" than most. Lots of grasping lately.

So your light bar causes you to cruise the backroads slowly and it swivels from side to side looking into the trees?
Hmmm...unlike any lightbar I've seen.

[mud747]

I had phoned the fish and wildlife earlier today and made a report. See if they show again tomorrow morning.

[MountainTi]

So nobody so far actually knows the regulations on use of a spotlight for viewing wildlife? (no weapons in vehicle of course)

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Scouting can be considered hunting and you cannot hunt in the dark.

LC

So if scouting in august, you are then hunting out of season?

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

So if scouting in august, you are then hunting out of season?

Ill clarify my comment...

Scouting at night with a Spotlight from a vehicle...likely raises some eyebrows

Might be considered harassing wildlife too, would have to ask an Officer.

LC

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Scouting can be considered hunting and you cannot hunt in the dark.

LC

How about scouting during the off season - that can that be considered hunting? How about hiking to your favorite spot pre dawn and waiting in the dark - can that be considered hunting too? How about retrieving an animal in the dark after you have shot it. Its all part of the hunt.

I often bugle at night to see if anything will respond to get an idea of what's around. Is that illegal?

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Ill clarify my comment...

Scouting at night with a Spotlight from a vehicle...likely raises some eyebrows

Might be considered harassing wildlife too, would have to ask an Officer.

LC

I expect it does raise eyebrows, but still curious as to the legalities.

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

I expect it does raise eyebrows, but still curious as to the legalities.

From Wild Life Act

hunt” means, subject to subsection (6), with reference to
a subject animal,
(i) shoot at, harass or worry,
(ii) chase, pursue, follow after or on the trail of, search
for, flush, stalk or lie in wait for,
(iii) capture or wilfully injure or kill,
(iv) attempt to capture, injure or kill, or
(v) assist another person to hunt in a manner specified in
subclause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) while that other person
is so hunting

[Buckhead]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

How about scouting during the off season - that can that be considered hunting? How about hiking to your favorite spot pre dawn and waiting in the dark - can that be considered hunting too? How about retrieving an animal in the dark after you have shot it. Its all part of the hunt.

I often bugle at night to see if anything will respond to get an idea of what's around. Is that illegal?

Technically if you are bugling then you are hunting - so, yes, you are breaking the law.

[Jayhad]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

From Wild Life Act

hunt” means, subject to subsection (6), with reference to
a subject animal,
(ii) chase, pursue, follow after or on the trail of, search
for, flush, stalk or lie in wait for,

Hmmm, I guess I may have illegally hunted numerous times and so have many other wildlife photographers

[elkhunter11]

I see it this way, if you call F&W and it turns out that the people with the spotlight are hunting, you have helped to catch some poachers. If they are found to not be hunting, no harm done.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Buckhead

Technically if you are bugling then you are hunting - so, yes, you are breaking the law.

By your logic then I would be breaking the law by walking to my stand before legal light to lay in wait for the intent purpose of hunting.

[nelsonob1]

Originally Posted by Buckhead

Technically if you are bugling then you are hunting - so, yes, you are breaking the law.

You haven't heard how bad my bugling is...

I understand the logic, but if the premise is correct and every aspect of hunting as defined by the Wildlife Act is only to happen during allowable daylight hours and hunting season then the vast majority of hunters I know are breaking the law.

[Big Thumper]

When we are moose hunting north of Slave, our camp gets spotlighted quite frequently; normally a few hours after dark until 1 AM or so. I believe FN's 'right' to spotlight was upheld in a BC court a few years ago. Still makes me nervous knowing there are people looking to shoot into the dark.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by nelsonob1

From Wild Life Act

hunt” means, subject to subsection (6), with reference to
a subject animal,
(i) shoot at, harass or worry,
(ii) chase, pursue, follow after or on the trail of, search
for, flush, stalk or lie in wait for,
(iii) capture or wilfully injure or kill,
(iv) attempt to capture, injure or kill, or
(v) assist another person to hunt in a manner specified in
subclause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) while that other person
is so hunting

In addition, From the Wildlife Act


(2) A person shall not be regarded as having hunted a subject animal
(a) for the purposes of subsection (1)(o)(ii), if
(i) the person was not carrying a weapon, and
(ii) the purpose of the person’s activity was restricted to watching, photographing, drawing or painting a picture of the animal,



If there are no weapons in possession, I see nothing illegal in using artificial lights to watch wildlife outside of legal hunting hours.

Regardless, it would be appropriate for the OP to immediately call the Report A poacher hotline. Reporting these kind of observances can help close significant cases.

Originally Posted by Big Thumper

When we are moose hunting north of Slave, our camp gets spotlighted quite frequently; normally a few hours after dark until 1 AM or so. I believe FN's 'right' to spotlight was upheld in a BC court a few years ago. Still makes me nervous knowing there are people looking to shoot into the dark.

That court case is specific to BC. In Alberta, NO ONE, not even people with Treaty status, may hunt wildlife outside of legal hunting hours.

[Kim473]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

Ill clarify my comment...

Scouting at night with a Spotlight from a vehicle...likely raises some eyebrows

Might be considered harassing wildlife too, would have to ask an Officer.

LC

So sitting around the camp fire in August with my 5 year old daughter at 12.00 am and a moose runs down the beach and into the water, less than 50 ft from us. We shine a light on it and watch the moose untill it leaves. We are hunting out of season and harasing wildlife.

Maybe they were looking for night Owl's ???

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Why wait, report it now.

Exactly, they are spotting to either shoot right away or set up in a field of dreams but you make the call and turn it into a field of nightmares.

If you got time to post you got time to call.