Hunting regulations question

[Jojoe]

I just wrote my Ontario Hunter Education Exam. After having posing questions to the administrators I still have some confusion - so I thought I'd come to the experts - figured you guys would straighten me out.:cool__1:

We were instructed that while hunting in Ontario you could not have a loaded firearm in a vehicle - car, plane, ATV or motorized boat. The vehicle that I have questions about is the motorboat - is this your understanding of the regulation(s)? - having to have your gun unloaded before and while you are on the motorboat?

Prior to taking the course I thought the regulations were such that your boat had to be stopped before you could fire you gun. I asked the instructors directly, noting the fact that the 2007 hunting regulation summary, on page 24, states that "There is an exception to this rule if you are hunting waterfowl in accordance with the Migratory Birds Convention Act.". Unfortunately it does not state the nature of the "exception".

So, do I need to unload before I get "permission to come aboard sir" OR can I "park" my boat in the middle of the bay and "fire at will"?

OR am I wrong on both counts:cry_1:

Oh ya, I passed the test, but that'll be another thread once my paperwork arrived.:omg:

[Kevin Hannah]

You can fire from a motorized boat, the engine has to be off.

Usually guns are in cases for the trip out and once we are set up and in place the guns come out. They are back in cases again before we pull out to pick up.

Kevin

[3 black dogs]

Kevin is right the only time the motor could be used in conjuction with a loaded fire arm is chasing down a cripple and still this is a grey area as you "must do everything with in your power to retrieve downed game" and a runaway cripple can get tricky.

The other issue you may want to check on is in the bay you are going to park out in the middle of is there any regulations as to how far off shore you can hunt? As there is in Long point bay?

Chris

[Kevin Hannah]

As far as a cripple goes if we could not catch it I would probably have my partner shoot it, done it a few times. If we by chance got caught doing it I think I would fight it on the grounds Chris mentioned.

[Spear]

Isn't the motor supposed to out of the water as well? Seems to ring a bell for me.

[Greg]

Congrats on the pass :)

We'll have to go out for a day together!

I understood that your motor could not be running and your boat can not be moving forward.

[Kevin Hannah]

Isn't the motor supposed to out of the water as well? Seems to ring a bell for me.

Motor can be in the water, it needs to be turned off and any forward motion as a result of the motor needs to have stopped before firing.

[Jojoe]

Thanks guys,
The course instructors were very good but they were not waterfowl hunters - one was a rabbit hunter and the other was a large game bow hunter. Glad you guys cleared that question up for me. I did a little internet digging last night and came up with this to confirm your answer - only posting this so those that read this later on see it from a govn't source. Note that this quote is in reference to Migratory Bird hunting ONLY - see web site for context.
"Hunting From a Boat
Hunters are permitted to hunt from a power boat as long as the motor is turned off (not in operation) and the boat has stopped its forward progress before firing commences. "
Source: http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/enforcement/hunting-e.html (http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/enforcement/hunting-e.html)

As I type this, a flock of 50 Canada Geese just landed off the end of my dock. Maybe I just need a lawnchair and a cup of coffee...

[Greg]

I booked marked it.

I'd be glad to come up and help you with those geese. I'll bring the coffee & decoys LOL! :)