Big Cliff Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 I was just down at my dock and a guy comes along in a small aluminum motor boat, drives up to a flock of ducks that were feeding, stops his motor, picks up his shotgun and opens up on them! I yelled at him that it was illegal and he said he had checked with the ministry and as long as he stopped his motor it was ok. I did call MNR but the lady I talked to didn't seem to know if there was a problem or not, I did get a picture of him as he sped away and left my name, address, and phone number with MNR but I'm not even sure they will follow up. The guy was about 250' away from my dock, shooting back toward shore at ducks on the water (something I would never have done unless it was wounded and I couldn't get it otherwise) and his gun had to have been loaded while he was traveling (again I always thought that was a no no)! Have the rules changed or am I just old and cranky?
fisherman7 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 The hell with the rules, I would have fired back! That's just insane.
mike rousseau Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 Saw the same thing a few weeks ago... Guy pulled int a flock of Canadas... Talked on his cell for a few minutes... Then started blasting... Really sporty
Big Cliff Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Posted September 28, 2015 Well I have been here 14 years and I've never seen anyone do this before but now it's twice in one day; two guys in a big lund just drove by and out came the shot gun, you got it, shooting from a moving boat at ducks on the water. Is there no honor in hunters anymore? We would never shoot at a duck on the water in my day, it wasn't sportsman like! Makes me want to give up hunting all together, I don't even want to be associated with like that!
SmokestackLightnin Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 The law is very clear, a loaded firearm may be carried in and discharged from a canoe or boat that is being paddled, with no motor attached.
Big Cliff Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Posted September 28, 2015 Well, both these boats had motors attached but when I talked to the lady at MNR she told me that wasn't for waterfoul, That only applied to moose hunting which was Federal where as migratory birds were under provincial rules. Please prove her wrong! I have no tolerance for people thet drive boats that are faster than birds can fly then stop and shoot the birds! If you are that hungry, my name is Cliff, my wife's name is Sue, come here and we will feed you for as long as we have anything to share!
dave524 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 Backwards, waterfowl are Federal and moose is Provincial. Shooting from a boat under power is definitely illegal. Some of what you saw was illegal, all of it unethical. As a teen I thought shooting sitting partridge was unethical living in Niagara, then dad bought a cottage up north, attitudes changed.
Big Cliff Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Posted September 28, 2015 Backwards, waterfowl are Federal and moose is Provincial. Shooting from a boat under power is definitely illegal. Some of what you saw was illegal, all of it unethical. As a teen I thought shooting sitting partridge was unethical living in Niagara, then dad bought a cottage up north, attitudes changed. Thanks! Like I said, she didn't seem to know much of anything! man, I am so mad!
Fang Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 don't know if you can actually ever see this printed in a formal regulation but this is how I and all my duck hunting buddies were taught and have since practiced From FAQ published by Government Canada site on Migratory Bird Hunting Question: While hunting from a boat, may I start shooting at waterfowl as soon as the engine has been turned off? Answer: No. Hunting may only commence once the motor has been turned off and the boat (any boat, canoe or yacht equipped with a motor) has stopped its forward progress. The only exception I ever ran across is there is a moderate allowance if you are drifting a river where the water speed is carrying you along.
Fisherman Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Yes you can legally shoot migratory birds from a motorboat. http://Question: While hunting from a boat, may I start shooting at waterfowl as soon as the engine has been turned off? Answer: No. Hunting may only commence once the motor has been turned off and the boat (any boat, canoe or yacht equipped with a motor) has stopped its forward progress. Ah Fang beat me by a keystroke. Edited September 28, 2015 by Fisherman
Fang Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 As a follow up, MNR officer I heard discussing this at a hunting show said if your anchor is down then I'll be 100% sure your forward momentum is stopped
Rod Caster Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 I thought ducks/migratory birds had to be in flight, not on the water surface, in order to fire. Seems dangerous to be shooting flat instead of in the air as well. Shot falling out of the air is harmless, but shot moving laterally, yikes. Please correct me if I'm wrong (I've never actually duck hunted).
FloatnFly Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 i would think its illegal to shoot at birds on the water, not in flight, simply because bullets will deflect off the waters surface, also pretty sure you can;t shoot towards houses
porkpie Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 No law against shooting ducks on the water, but it's not very sporting. You can't shoot from a moving boat if it has a motor. Engine stopped, all forward motion ceased. You must however make all attempts reasonable to recovered a wounded bird, and under those circumstances only you can give chase in order to finish a cripple. You can most certainly use manual power to scull or sneak on ducks with a paddle driven craft, and you can also use the current in a river to drift downstream and still legally harvest birds.
Old Ironmaker Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 I'm going back 30 years ago when we had a camp on the Ottawa. I didn't hunt but the guys would shoot waterfowl and I was told NO you can't shoot a sitting duck. It must of changed if it's legal now, I would be mad as hell to Cliff especially for these lugins shooting at shore, that's just stupid. A well placed throw of a stone in the middle of the flock would piss them off I bet, or a blast from a safety horn. Idiotos.
DRIFTER_016 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 I'm going back 30 years ago when we had a camp on the Ottawa. I didn't hunt but the guys would shoot waterfowl and I was told NO you can't shoot a sitting duck. It must of changed if it's legal now, I would be mad as hell to Cliff especially for these lugins shooting at shore, that's just stupid. A well placed throw of a stone in the middle of the flock would piss them off I bet, or a blast from a safety horn. Idiotos. Unfortunately, you would then be doing something illegal.
mike rousseau Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 Unfortunately, you would then be doing something illegal. Yup
Big Cliff Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Posted September 28, 2015 Well, I guess my shooting at ducks from shore would be illegale too then would it? Especially if the ducks are between me and a boat that was shooting at them! (no, I wouldn't do it) but it sure makes me mad that these idiots feel the need to kill something so badly that they will run around in boats blasting at ducks on the water with 12 gauges. These are the idiots that give "sportsmen" a bad name.
Dara Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) You can't shoot from a motor boat unless its stopped and the motor is covered. We always motored out to where we were going to hunt, then tied up and covered the motor with the bag we had our decoys in. Then you're legal I see no issue about shooting towards shore. You are shooting a shotgun with pellets, not a bullet Chasing ducks with a motorboat and shooting them on the wing would be really fun, but its really illegal too Edited September 28, 2015 by Dara
AKRISONER Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 not gonna lie, but after fishing pigeon this weekend, the whole duck/goose hunt is friggin cringe worthy. Gotta love having shotguns shot directly over your head while fishing all day. i understand its everyone's resources, they could argue that I shouldn't be there fishing, but all its going to take is one slip and someones kid is going to get hurt. At least me casting isnt going to kill anyone.
Fisherman Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 You can't shoot from a motor boat unless its stopped and the motor is covered. We always motored out to where we were going to hunt, then tied up and covered the motor with the bag we had our decoys in. Then you're legal Please quote where it says the motor has to be covered.
Brettiop Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 Please quote where it says the motor has to be covered. Wondering that as well... That sounds wrong.
wallyboss Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 If their shotguns were loaded while travelling with the boat (that is illegal) If the boat was stopped by the time they shot ( That's legal) Shooting at the water with a shotgun is legal. With a rifle it is not legal. Shooting a duck that is floating on the water is legal ( maybe not moral) But shooting towards shore where there is houses is plain stupid.
jimmer Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 Idiots. My son (2 years old at the time) and I almost got shot by a hunter that did this. He just waited until we were out of sight, but the pellets still blasted through the trees and almost hit us. I went running down there and the guy just took off without saying anything. I called the cops, but they said there wasn't much they could do once he was gone. He was shooting at one green wing teal. It was a battle field out on Pigeon with all the hunters and anglers out there at the same time.
tb4me Posted September 28, 2015 Report Posted September 28, 2015 I cant help but laugh when out on the Trent river..If the guys bird hunting would sit and wait they would get some birds..It sounds like a darn war going on out there..Never seen them carry any birds in either..Cracks me up cause all that gun fire and no birds..what are they doing out there anyway? My neighbor Simon duck hunts from his john boat it has a nice blind-cover.. He never shoots from a moving boat never travels with a loaded firearm in the boat.. always trims the motor all the way up, then deploys the duck blind before pulling out a gun. He is a respectful hunter and always comes back with the grub..You should have seen the look on my wife's face when he let my then 12 year old daughter hold his 12 gauge (unloaded of course) that made mama happy...lol
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