Bowzone...Rifle Hunting Arrghhh

[Morpheus32]

I need to vent a bit as it seems almost like an epidemic right now. I hunt in the bowzone on private land. I have been dealing with truck rifle hunters who are regularly shooting deer now that it is at the end of the season. I have tried to catch them but all I ever find is the tracks or chat with the neighbor. Last night, two shots and trucks driving like a madman to get out of the area as quick as possible with a deer in the back. Plates covered with snow of course. On the weekend it sounded like a rifle range near last light. The local farmers I deal with are frustrated as these "hunters" (I call them poachers) as they refer to them are damaging property and shooting around occupied land. I know we have multiple threads on land owner rights but no matter what we do, we are getting painted with the same brush. If from an ethics point of view, you are willing to trespass, damage property, use a rifle in the bowzone, cover up your plates....what are they not willing to do? It is worrying to be honest...

Tried reporting them but you need something for the police/FW to go on.

[justforkicks]

What bowzone 248 or 212

[Morpheus32]

Originally Posted by justforkicks

what bowzone 248 or 212

248

[calgarychef]

I have the same thing down in 212. There's not many nights that I don't hear shots. It's not that hard to figure out that if you want to hunt in a bowzone you just have to buy a bow and practice with it then go hunting. No, these idiots still use guns, sickening really. One thing you can do is talk to your local warden, let them know you've had enough and get onside with helping them catch these poachers. They can't do it themselves anymore, their budgets have been cut too much so it's up to us to police ourselves.

[bluetick]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I have the same thing down in 212. There's not many nights that I don't hear shots. It's not that hard to figure out that if you want to hunt in a bowzone you just have to buy a bow and practice with it then go hunting. No, these idiots still use guns, sickening really. One thing you can do is talk to your local warden, let them know you've had enough and get onside with helping them catch these poachers. They can't do it themselves anymore, their budgets have been cut too much so it's up to us to police ourselves.

Vigilante type enforcement is a great idea though i hate to say it but F&W officers are armed for a reason .
I really dont think being out in the field helping is a bad idea though i believe it could be a dangerous one .
If these idiots are brave enough to do what they are doing Im sure there is nt much they wouldnt do to not get caught.
I would also like to add with the massive amount of new canadians i see in the field these days ,Im thinking the lack of education is a big factor with some of these situations.
I know a new canadian that felt it was ok to shoot anything he wanted with a pellet gun in south calgary.
Also never thought twice about taking a slingshot out and flinging stones at owls and hawks until i introduced the book of regulations to him.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Morpheus32

248

It could be shot gun shots...and not rifles? Or they could be shooting coyotes....just hoping there isn't so many nefarious people running around, but there might be.

LC

[SCHOOCH]

6 years ago in 212 some moron in a truck and i mean sitting in the truck shot my decoy setup twice......put the binos on him and saw this confused look in the idiots face. I was tempted to get out and approach the idiot but didn't want to be mistaken for a elk ! Told F & W about it and they were totally not surprised, told me with all the new hunters with guns and no clue its like taking your life into your own hands everytime in the field.

[Morpheus32]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

It could be shot gun shots...and not rifles? Or they could be shooting coyotes....just hoping there isn't so many nefarious people running around, but there might be.

LC

Deer for sure. Observed a fellow take a rifle out of his truck and steady it on his rear tire of his jeep. Plates covered of course, but he was preparing to shoot a deer in the open field I was overlooking. I yelled at him and he spun out.

I can give the benefit of the doubt for only so long.

Tis the very ethics of an individual we are talking. What are these people willing to do? If they know they are illegally hunting, trespassing and lets call a spade a spade...poaching...what aren't they willing to do to take a deer?

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Morpheus32

Deer for sure. Observed a fellow take a rifle out of his truck and steady it on his rear tire of his jeep. Plates covered of course, but he was preparing to shoot a deer in the open field I was overlooking. I yelled at him and he spun out.

I can give the benefit of the doubt for only so long.

Tis the very ethics of an individual we are talking. What are these people willing to do? If they know they are illegally hunting, trespassing and lets call a spade a spade...poaching...what aren't they willing to do to take a deer?

Yah thats the crying shame with guys cutting corners and poaching! I hope these fools slip up and get caught.

LC

[petew]

A lot of what people think are Centerfire Rifles , Are modern Muzzle loading rifles, and in Strathcona these are legal for the Strathcona Deer season, and the Moose draw.

Muzzle loader no longer means a short range weapon.

[arrow_baron]

Poachers are criminals...and if criminals keep doing illegal stuff they'll eventually get caught. It really makes me angry people do this everywhere especially in the bowzone. It's hard enough to get permission as it is. Idiots like this make it very tough.

[Morpheus32]

Originally Posted by petew

A lot of what people think are Centerfire Rifles , Are modern Muzzle loading rifles, and in Strathcona these are legal for the Strathcona Deer season, and the Moose draw.

Muzzle loader no longer means a short range weapon.

Stuff I saw was centre fire and I am at the opposite end of the bowzone from Stratcona county!

That all being said....they don't have permission on the land and some are shooting after legal shooting.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Morpheus32

Stuff I saw was centre fire and I am at the opposite end of the bowzone from Stratcona county!

That all being said....they don't have permission on the land and some are shooting after legal shooting.

It makes me wonder how many guys know the muzzleloader season is only a 248 Strathcona\Leduc county thing too!

LC

[petew]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

It makes me wonder how many guys know the muzzleloader season is only a 248 Strathcona\Leduc county thing too!

LC

and how many know the Strathcona rules outside the special seasons.

[Mr Hawken]

Why do people speed when they know the speed limit. Because they can things will never change. People drive no motorized zones. Because they are lazy and they can. It's all in how you look at it.We are all criminals if we speed but we do think like that because it seems like such a small crime. To these guys poaching and hunting with rifles in bowzones we can say that they are not educated but really 99% are they do it because they can and get away with it. Really the cost of the ticket is probally comparable to a speeding ticket

[Vet6838]

Originally Posted by bluetick

Vigilante type enforcement is a great idea though i hate to say it but F&W officers are armed for a reason .
I really dont think being out in the field helping is a bad idea though i believe it could be a dangerous one .
If these idiots are brave enough to do what they are doing Im sure there is nt much they wouldnt do to not get caught.
I would also like to add with the massive amount of new canadians i see in the field these days ,Im thinking the lack of education is a big factor with some of these situations.
I know a new canadian that felt it was ok to shoot anything he wanted with a pellet gun in south calgary.
Also never thought twice about taking a slingshot out and flinging stones at owls and hawks until i introduced the book of regulations to him.

In my experience as a "new Canadian" this is complete BS all the truck hunters and guys doing the poaching are not new Canadians they are local Canadians who have been in the area for many years and know where they can get away with it.
There will always be the odd exception, but they just need to be educated.

[Barnes19]

I've hunted the Primitive weapons area around Saskatoon mountain (357) and it appears as though very few people know that it is there or what the boundary of it is. I also found it to be difficult to find accurate information.

[blgoodbrand1]

I've guided in 248, and had people shoot deer with rifles right under stands I had hunters in. The north edge of the zone seemed worse as the wankers would creep in from the rifle zone and punk a deer or 2 then scram back. Just another example of hunters turned slime ball poachers. And yes, I did everything I could to pursue prosecution.

[Morpheus32]

Same thing last night. 5 distinct shots within the last 30 mins of legal shooting plus a bonus of 2 shots 10 mins after legal shooting..

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by Morpheus32

Same thing last night. 5 distinct shots within the last 30 mins of legal shooting plus a bonus of 2 shots 10 mins after legal shooting..

Brutal...report each incident.

LC

[P-Pyro]

Certainly can be scary. Had a guy taking aim at our decoy... Had to jump up and wave as we were in the line of possible fire

[Jack&7]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

I have the same thing down in 212. There's not many nights that I don't hear shots. It's not that hard to figure out that if you want to hunt in a bowzone you just have to buy a bow and practice with it then go hunting. No, these idiots still use guns, sickening really. One thing you can do is talk to your local warden, let them know you've had enough and get onside with helping them catch these poachers. They can't do it themselves anymore, their budgets have been cut too much so it's up to us to police ourselves.

I am not arguing with you Chef...and by no means defending what these clowns do. I will disagree with your statement that I bolded. It isn't that easy in 212. Getting permission in 212 is almost the Holy Grail of hunting in my experience and that of others that I know that also bow hunt. I think the difficulty in getting permission (and the subsequent laziness of poachers) results in these incidents. Again...please don't misunderstand what I am saying here. It is almost a self-fufilling prophecy: the harder it is to get permission, the more poaching you see. Then of course there are those that will poach, permission-be-damned...and also those "new" hunters who are just plain clueless. What you are left with is a minority of ethical hunters who would cut off limbs to have access to some of these properties. It is extremely frustrating to be part of the minority.

Originally Posted by petew

A lot of what people think are Centerfire Rifles , Are modern Muzzle loading rifles, and in Strathcona these are legal for the Strathcona Deer season, and the Moose draw.

Muzzle loader no longer means a short range weapon.

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

It makes me wonder how many guys know the muzzleloader season is only a 248 Strathcona\Leduc county thing too!

LC

And now there is a season for 212 as well...the Foothills season in December for muzzys...BUT...you have to be carrying written permission from the landowner!