Hunting has changed greatly in the past number of years with many more people using vehicles to help them with their success rate. Aside from trucks, hunters are now using ATVs, side-by-sides, amphibious vehicles and even horses.
It should be noted that in some situations there is a difference in how the use of a vehicle to hunt is regulated. One is during an open big game season, and the other is outside of the big game season. The open big game season starts on September 1 of every year and goes as late as December 19 this year.
The first thing that everyone should know is that it is unlawful to carry a firearm on an ATV in wildlife management zones 1 to 47, 52 and 54, and in both Duck Mountain and Moose Mountain Provincial Park (basically the southern part of the province) during an open big game season.
This regulation also applies to the Regina and Prince Albert wildlife management zones.
This restriction applies to all firearms, including crossbows and bows, and includes all ATVs, such as side-by-sides, snow machines, Argos, motor bikes and three wheelers. ATVs may be used with the permission of the landowner to retrieve big game by the most direct route.
Firearms, however, are not allowed on the vehicle or even in a trailer attached to the ATV.
Provincial parks have special restrictions regarding ATV and highway vehicle use, which can be found in the Hunters and Trappers’ Guide.
Outside of an open big game season, firearms can be carried on ATVs, but they cannot be loaded.
The use of trucks and cars to hunt is a bit of a different story. In many zones, use of vehicles off roads and trails looking for game is legal.
In zones 15 to 18 and 30 to 34, no person hunting big game shall drive off roads or road allowances with trails without written consent from the landowner. This means that the act of driving around tree bluffs, sloughs and fields in search of a deer is unlawful unless you have written permission from the landowner. A person can drive trails provided the trail follows a road allowance. Road allowances are surveyed strips of municipal land situated every mile on the extreme eastern side of the province, and every mile going east and west and every two miles going north and south in the remainder of the province. An RM map available from the local rural municipality office is of great use for locating road allowances or determining who owns an individual parcel of land. Retrieval by the most direct route is OK.
In the Regina, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon wildlife management zones, vehicles are restricted to roads and trails on road allowance with no exception except to retrieve lawfully taken big game animals.
One other item of note is that vehicle use on Fish and Wildlife Development Fund Lands, commonly known as Wildlife Lands, is limited to the retrieval of lawfully taken big game. These lands have been purchased by a portion of hunters’ license fees and new regulations generally prohibit any vehicle use in order to protect habitat. The only exceptions are permitted agricultural activities and retrieval of big game.
In zones 1 to 47, 52 and 54, vehicles can be used to retrieve legally harvested animals by the most direct route. Most of the land out there is private land so hunters must ensure that they are treating it with respect.
Driving on posted land without permission is one way to guarantee refusal of access in the future. When out driving a hunter must be aware of residences, roads and seeded fields.
Hunters, while driving their vehicles, are responsible for damages and could face possible charges.
Can I use a horse to hunt wildlife?
Yes, horses can be used to hunt as long as the firearm being carried is unloaded. A hunter also cannot shoot from a horse.
Can I use an ATV to put out decoys to hunt geese?
Yes, a side-by-side, ATV or similar machine may be used to take gear out into the field, but someone has to carry the firearms as they cannot be in contact with the machine.
Are there any rules around hunting game birds with a vehicle?
As always, conservation officers suggest that permission be granted by the landowner.
Remember that it is an offence to have a loaded firearm in a vehicle or to shoot from a vehicle including the box of the truck.
What if I am hunting pheasant during the rifle season? If I see a deer while hunting pheasants can I shoot it with my rifle?
If a hunter sees a deer while hunting game birds and he or she has permission to hunt on that land, then legally he or she can shoot the deer. Of course the hunter will need to have deer tags with him or her and remember that it’s illegal to shoot the deer with bird shot. A shotgun slug or buckshot can be used or a rifle with a calibre greater than .23.
Lastly, it is a violation to shoot across or along a provincial highway, provincial road or municipal road. These roads are shown on Saskatchewan’s official road map. Hunters are advised to be extremely cautious when shooting near any road. The rule of thumb is to take one step into the ditch, ensure the hunter is properly identifying the target as legal game, that it is safe to discharge the firearm and that he or she is aiming away and not along or across the road.
Good hunter ethics include always obtaining landowner permission before hunting on private land, especially if hunters are going to use a vehicle, and minimizing all vehicle use on agricultural lands.
Until next time…keep your rod tip up.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Ministry of Environment conservation officer Lindsey Leko has spent more than 25 years as a conservation officer in Saskatchewan. For many years, Officer Leko contributed a column to local papers on a variety of issues related to hunting, fishing, and other resource-related issues. Persons with questions may contact [email protected].)
