bear repellent

Sorry but hunters do not own the forest and people have ALWAYS gone hiking, camping, at all times of the year.


True fuji, but others should take responsibility for their actions and in this case, non hunters should dress accordingly, for their own safety.


So every time I go out for a hike or a camping trip I have to dress like a pylon?


During hunting season, yes you should.


Then that prompts the question... how irresponsible are hunters?
Shooting at anything that moves without discrimination?
You'd think that the would be more responsible... forget humans, what about game that isn't in season? Hunters can get serious fines for killing animals they don't have a tag for.

Last time I checked:
1. No human I have ever met looks like a game animal.
2. I don't shoot firearms, but I am very familiar with bow and arrow... you never release until you are aiming at precisely what you intend to hit.

Not irresponsible, but accidents have happened and do happen.

To summarize, you should dress as the hunters dress, for your own safety. If you are dressed in a brown or tan coat and dogs are pushing deer and you just happen to be between or behind some deer that are being pushed, you could be in the firing line. Your clothing matters, because if one doesn't stand out, one blends in and in this case, knowing your target is one thing, but not being able to differentiate what's behind or near it is another thing. Up north the radios and police tell everyone about staying safe in the woods during hunting seasons and about wearing hunter orange. If those people don't listen to local radio, they are putting themselves and their families in danger. What they are doing is irresponsible, not to mention what they would put the poor hunter through.

It's one thing to shoot on a range and it's another thing entirely different to be shooting in thick bush. It's not a good feeling when someone just appears in the direction you are expecting a game animal from and they are dressed inappropriately for what's going on. It's happened to me a few times having seen non hunters in the bush, with those who don't dress properly and those that do. It's always a relief with those that do wear orange, as there is no doubt as to what they are.
 
To summarize, you should dress as the hunters dress, for your own safety. If you are dressed in a brown or tan coat and dogs are pushing deer and you just happen to be between or behind some deer that are being pushed, you could be in the firing line. Your clothing matters, because if one doesn't stand out, one blends in and in this case, knowing your target is one thing, but not being able to differentiate what's behind or near it is another thing. Up north the radios and police tell everyone about staying safe in the woods. If those people don't listen to local radio, they are putting themselves and their families in danger. What they are doing is irresponsible, not to mention what they would put the poor hunter through.

Never thought of it that way. Now that makes sense.
 
Tourist information doesn't recommend hiking and camping in crown land ( even if it's allowed) , so anyone who venture there does it at his own risks

Can you provide links?
Crown land is some of the most beautiful land in Ontario... and it is OURS!
I spent spent Saturday night camping on Crown land and look forward to doing much more of that this season.
 
Then that prompts the question... how irresponsible are hunters?
Shooting at anything that moves without discrimination?
You'd think that the would be more responsible... forget humans, what about game that isn't in season? Hunters can get serious fines for killing animals they don't have a tag for.

Last time I checked:
1. No human I have ever met looks like a game animal.
2. I don't shoot firearms, but I am very familiar with bow and arrow... you never release until you are aiming at precisely what you intend to hit.

For the most part hunters are very responsible . Stupid accidents happen but not very often . It is against the law to shoot game that's not in season or you don't have a tag for .

Just like walking down a road or riding a bicycle at night . People wear reflective or visible clothing so the drivers can see them . You would think that the drivers would be more responsible while driving so people wouldn't have to wear that type of clothing . Can we conclude that people who drive at night are not very responsible .

People can be charged with vehicle manslaughter and end up in jail for running someone over . People on bicycles and walking on the side of the road at night are not targets but they do get hit every year.

I'll bet there're more people who are hit by walking or riding a bicycle on the road than are accidently killed or shot while someone is hunting every year .

The roads belong to all of us but for some reason there're drivers who don't think like that .
 
Tourist information doesn't recommend hiking and camping in crown land ( even if it's allowed) , so anyone who venture there does it at his own risks

Where are you getting this stuff or are you just making it up ? I do all of my camping on crown land for 6 weeks of the year . Not once have I felt unsafe while being on crown land . I even bring a few toys with me to use at an abandoned quarry . I know what my back stop is . Never shoot into the bush or up into the air . You never know were that bullet might end up .

Hunter orange is very visible . You can see a person very easily in the bush and at a far distance . Yes it is a nice feeling when you here a noise in the bush and your hunting buddies are walking towards you after pushing . That hunter orange works .

That's why people have to take a hunting safety course . Learning how to be safe hunter in the bush .
 
They don't recommend means they don't give you maps of crown land or any related information, they don't even tell you where those trails are located. I have asked some visitor centers and they told me that they only provide information about national and provincial parks. I can imagine they would be liable if someone gets hurts or lost in crown land by advising him to go there.

As John Henry asked... where are you getting your information from?
Not providing information = not recommending?
That's a hell of a leap.
Tourism information places are there to generate revenue for the government. The government gets exactly ZERO DOLLARS when people camp on Crown land.
 
Not only they don't provide information but they decline to give it to you if you ask them, even though they are locals and know those spots

So what?
Whether they are locals or not... they are employees... whose goal is to generate revenue for the province... again, they generate ZERO DOLLARS when people camp on Crown land.
Besides, they cater to tourists... that is why they are called TOURIST information centres.
How do you think John and Sally with their two kids and pet dog would feel if they were excited about exploring Ontario and an Ontario TOURIST information centre sent them into the woods where there were no trails, no marked camp sites, no clean running water, no showers, and no toilets?

Give your head a shake.
 
They don't recommend means they don't give you maps of crown land or any related information, they don't even tell you where those trails are located. I have asked some visitor centers and they told me that they only provide information about national and provincial parks. I can imagine they would be liable if someone gets hurts or lost in crown land by advising him to go there.

Visitor centres are not a good place to get maps of crown land . You have to go to a map place and get them there . They will show the lakes and roads but no trails . Some even have topographical maps which are good to use . If you want to you could use google maps ( click on the earth button at the bottom of the page when your map pops up ) and maybe see the trails or abandon lumber trails . That's what I have done .

How would anyone be held libel for anything . You can get hurt or lost just as easily on assigned trails of a park . Visitor centre is not responsible for where you wish to go
 
So what?
Whether they are locals or not... they are employees... whose goal is to generate revenue for the province... again, they generate ZERO DOLLARS when people camp on Crown land.
Besides, they cater to tourists... that is why they are called TOURIST information centres.
How do you think John and Sally with their two kids and pet dog would feel if they were excited about exploring Ontario and an Ontario TOURIST information centre sent them into the woods where there were no trails, no marked camp sites, no clean running water, no showers, and no toilets?

Give your head a shake.

That's a good one .
 
Because in national parks they check trails safety and there are park rangers who can come to rescue you. Sometimes they close some trails deemed unsafe. Which is not the case in crown land

And every trail that I have ever been on in Crown land has had a 'use at your own risk' sign posted.
Also, I have a brain, so I know that when I am on Crown land, which by definition is not maintained, I use at my own risk, even if I don't see a sign telling me as such.
 
... if you want to eat some wild game you need to take a gun course to get your PAL . ...

He could try his hand with archery. There are even a few people who really test their skills and hunt with spears.

Of course he's not actually looking for answers; he just wants to complain.
 
... Using your head during open seasons is not prevalent amongst city dwellers.

Obviously both sides have responsibility. Hikers and campers should be aware of when and where hunting seasons are (especially trapping since they have no prey recognition) and hunters should be clearly identifying targets before they fire.

Just as there are some city folk who are idiots, there are hunters that are the same. I went hunting with a friend and his hunting buddies a decade ago (actually I just sat around drinking - don't feel the desire to hunt) and a couple of his (now former) pals were drunk off their asses while sitting in their stand. Thankfully they were making enough noise that everyone including the animals could tell to stay away.
 
That's was my point why visitor center doesn't tell you about crown land because they don't want to be liable when you get hurt or lost, while in national parks they have rangers, and they check for trail safety

What are you even talking about?
It is an established fact that using Crown land is "use at your own risk", but they don't want to be liable? Liable for what? It is USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.
And do you REALLY think that Search and Rescue gives a rats ass WHERE you get hurt or lost? Their job is to SEARCH for you and RESCUE you. That. Is. All.
 
You said some national parks allow hunting to reduce moose population, so it's the responsibility of parks administration to have separate trails for hunters and hikers during hunting season.

Wow. You are ridiculous.
On the next episode of the GoWest Gong Show... we talk to MTO and insist that they create separate highways for transport trucks.
 
They don't recommend means they don't give you maps of crown land or any related information, they don't even tell you where those trails are located.???.

Actually the government sells topos of the entire country. There is also a site where the Ontario government shows exactly what land is crown and what the zoning is. Almost all crown land is zoned for recreation like camping except very ecologically sensitive are where restrictions have been in place because of high use. And yes, trail information is pretty easily available.

And I'm glad that the local tourist info doesn't hand out info to anyone who asks. That would be the fastest way to destroy the area with uncontrolled usage.
 
Is it easier to find someone in national park where they already have a team of rangers or in some random remote crown land ?

So what if it is easier?
It is easier to find someone in the parking lot of a shopping mall that in a national park.
What is your point? Do YOU even have any idea what point you are trying to make? Or are you just making things up as you go along?
 
Actually the government sells topos of the entire country. There is also a site where the Ontario government shows exactly what land is crown and what the zoning is. Almost all crown land is zoned for recreation like camping except very ecologically sensitive are where restrictions have been in place because of high use. And yes, trail information is pretty easily available.

And I'm glad that the local tourist info doesn't hand out info to anyone who asks. That would be the fastest way to destroy the area with uncontrolled usage.

THIS! Thank you... and I posted the Crown Land Use Policy Atlas in an earlier post. I wish it was more user friendly... but then I kinda wish they keep it just like it is... anything to keep people off Crown land so that people that actually make the effort to enjoy it can experience land that is as pristine as possible.