City Hunting

[Harrison]

A crossbow by definition of the federal firearms act is not a firearm. There was a thought of classifying it as a firearm at one point which is why certain people have crossbows listed on the back of their PAL. It never came to fruition. An item becomes a firearm when it's projectile reach's 500 feet per second or more as well as meets a specific muzzle energy factor.

 

In terms of hunting, the provincial hunting regulations classify any item used to hunt game as a firearm. This means that crossbow's are subject to all of the requirements of long guns. Namely whether it can be loaded or unloaded, encased at night, etc.

 

Whoever said the crossbow was a weapon is mistaken. Weapons are used to inflict harm. In the case of sport shooters, hunters, farmers, etc. Firearms are not weapons, they are tools. A baseball bat used during a game is a tool, used in a back alley to beat someone is a weapon.

 

Either way, when you are hunting a crossbow is considered a firearm and if there is a no discharge bylaw where you are, you cannot use archery to hunt game.

 

Thanks for taking the time register and post a reply. You are obviously someone in the know.

[FLEX ROD]

I know that in Vaughan, I checked a few years back, that the no discharge rule was in effect as i back onto a ravine and also have the deers in my backyard and I was told point blank no discharge within city limits. Now this was over 10 years ago that I did look into this but one would think that the rules would only get tougher since then.

 

FLEX

[Sinker]

Steve, no disharge bylaws apply to bow/crossbow where your thinking. Once your east of townline, the by laws change and you can discharge...........with some restrictions. Those deer are there, because they are safe.

 

S.

[crappieperchhunter]

Thanks to all for responding. I truly didn't know and was just curious.

 

The gang wasn't there this morning, but one little fellow was there by himself at 5PM on the way home.

[vinnimon]

Its a little of topic but you may find the article in the hamilton spec interesting.About the hca area at 403 and the linc,deer hunting going on(unknown),who knows.just a fyi,if anyone cares.

[ch312]

its comming ...i think it will be anything faster thean 250 fps including some slingshots...( i could be wrong with the speed)

 

no its not.

 

the current limit is 500 fps before a gun or bow needs to be registered...

 

discharge includes anything that shoots something. where they draw the line between toys and something that can actually injure or kill someone i dont know. guns, bows, pellet guns, crossbows, sling shots, spear guns, potato guns, and cannons fall under this category.

Edited November 14, 2009 by ch312

[Jonny]

I dont think so.If it were,we would be registering them.

 

It's possible that a municipality would class bows as firearms, even though federal law does not.

 

Or they might simply have a blanket "No Hunting" bylaw.

[misfish]

I got 5 or so buddies that hunt 3 different bushes here with thier bows.They are public,meaning anyone can go there.I like my private.

All have inquired,both with the city and the local MNR.

Alls good.

Mr Anonymous,care to say why?

 

I have three cards to cell phones to MNR officers.Two are local. I always ask first.

Edited November 14, 2009 by misfish

[Guest skeeter99]

wow I thought this was pretty clean and simple

 

yes a pellet gun is a firearm if it shoots over 500 feet per second

 

a firearm in canada (federal) is considered to be a device or mechanism/spring that moves a projectile more than 500 feet per second

 

99.9999% of pellet guns do not shoot that fast!!!!

 

 

a bow though I would think would shoot that

[misfish]

a bow though I would think would shoot that

 

310 fps here. No worries.

[dave524]

It's really the municpal bylaw that is the deciding factor on where you can hunt and not hunt and what you can use, the only stipulation in the Game and Fish Act pertains to shooting across roads and rifles of greater than .275 in southern WMU's. Federal Regulations pertain to registration and the Migratory Game Bird Act.

Some municipal bylaws downright prohibit the discharge of anything and some limit firearms to shotguns only.

Some are really progressive and allow different firearms in different areas depending on the conditions like land use and population. This .pdf for the Town of Fort Erie show a lot of thought and could be a model for other regions rather than blanket rules for the whole area. I would urge anyone to actually check their own municipal bylaw for the actual wording and defintion of firearm.

 

 

Fort Erie Discharge Bylaw

 

http://www.town.forterie.ca/WebSite/tofewe...nting_bylaw.pdf

[Jonny]

Whoever said the crossbow was a weapon is mistaken. Weapons are used to inflict harm. In the case of sport shooters, hunters, farmers, etc. Firearms are not weapons, they are tools. A baseball bat used during a game is a tool, used in a back alley to beat someone is a weapon.

 

Just to pick up on this comment...

 

When I was a director of the O.F.A.H., it was standard practice NOT to call hunting firearms "weapons". For some people it took some getting used to, but "weapons" is the term used by anti-hunters and should not be used by hunters. The distinction is really important.

[pike slayer]

just remember road kill is fair game

[misfish]

Just to pick up on this comment...

 

When I was a director of the O.F.A.H., it was standard practice NOT to call hunting firearms "weapons". For some people it took some getting used to, but "weapons" is the term used by anti-hunters and should not be used by hunters. The distinction is really important.

 

Great note Jocko.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Dave524

[Jonny]

Great note Jocko.

 

Thanks. I just wanted to reinforce what Anon. said.

 

It's one of those small but important things that can shape attitude.

[anonymous]

misfish, I wasn't sure what you were asking me to clarify but I am gathering that based on other replies you were wondering why it's ok for you and your friends to hunt public areas, yet other cannot.

 

Generally in an urban setting there are bylaws which make it illegal to discharge firearms in certain areas, generally within the urban boundary of any town/city. Such is the case where I live. My back property line is also the urban boundary for the town I live in. With regards to firearms discharge, from my back yard, not allowed. One step off my property into the neighbours field, allowed to discharge.

 

This is why it is important for any hunter to contact the municipality they are hunting in for clarification on firearms discharge. I also live in the only rural township in niagara that still does not allow sunday gun hunting. Quite a shame considering I work an hour away and bring all that money back into the local community and spend it here. They for all intents and purposes limit me to saturday gun hunting only as I work mon-fri. I'll be moving soon enough.

[misfish]

misfish, I wasn't sure what you were asking me to clarify but I am gathering that based on other replies you were wondering why it's ok for you and your friends to hunt public areas, yet other cannot.

 

Generally in an urban setting there are bylaws which make it illegal to discharge firearms in certain areas, generally within the urban boundary of any town/city. Such is the case where I live. My back property line is also the urban boundary for the town I live in. With regards to firearms discharge, from my back yard, not allowed. One step off my property into the neighbours field, allowed to discharge.

 

This is why it is important for any hunter to contact the municipality they are hunting in for clarification on firearms discharge. I also live in the only rural township in niagara that still does not allow sunday gun hunting. Quite a shame considering I work an hour away and bring all that money back into the local community and spend it here. They for all intents and purposes limit me to saturday gun hunting only as I work mon-fri. I'll be moving soon enough.

 

 

Move north,they understand.Well most still do,too many tree hungers moving in,but when they smack up thier car,they will say, kill those pesky things.LOL LOL LOL

 

Thanks for the reply.

Edited November 15, 2009 by misfish

[Twocoda]

When I was a director of the O.F.A.H., it was standard practice NOT to call hunting firearms "weapons". For some people it took some getting used to, but "weapons" is the term used by anti-hunters and should not be used by hunters. The distinction is really important.

 

now if we can just get the kids of today to stop wearing hunting apparel to the mall...