The fall of 2006 was a very busy one for conservation officers stationed in the Meadow Lake area. It seemed like every time we ventured out into the field, we found some mischief going on. October 4th was one of those nights where we ran into a number of poachers in the Hwy #903 and Stewart Lake Road Corridors. There are regulations that apply to No Hunting along Road Corridor Game Preserves, and some folks we encountered that night were not abiding by the rules. More on that later.

There are regulations that apply to many different types of roadways that you as a hunter may be traveling on in our province. For example, you may be traveling on any of the following:

• a “normal” highway or grid road,
• a highway that is bordered by a Road Corridor Game Preserve,
• a highway in a provincial park that is bordered by a safety zone,
• you might be moose hunting on designated trails in the Cumberland Delta;
• you might be on roads and trails on private land while mule deer hunting in southeast Saskatchewan or,
• you may be hunting in a PFRA pasture.

All these roadways have specific regulations that apply. Let’s have a look at each of these roadways, and the hunting regulations that apply.

In the first example, “normal” highways or grid roads… say it's moose season in the fall of '07 and you plan to go hunting south of Meadow Lake in the Provincial Forest. You get about 30 km south of Meadow Lake, enroute to your hunting camp, and you see a bull moose standing in the ditch (or highway right-of-way) about 20 metres off the highway. (By the way, for those of you not familiar with Hwy #4 south of Meadow Lake, there isn't a road corridor game preserve along this highway.) Is it legal to shoot this moose? Legally, does your firearm have to be encased while driving down this highway? Yes, it's legal for you to shoot this moose, and your rifle does not have to be encased while driving down a highway like this one. It's legal to shoot at this moose as long as you are not shooting along or across the traveled portion of the highway. So, if you are shooting from off and away from the highway you are legal. Those violators who choose to shoot along or across the traveled portion of the highway face fines of at least $400 plus a Victim of Crime surcharge. Also, if a person were to get really excited and shoot at the moose as it's crossing the highway, and other vehicles are in the area, the section of the Wildlife Act dealing with careless hunting would apply. Violators of the careless hunting section face a mandatory court appearance and, if convicted face a minimum fine of $1000 and will lose their hunting rights for three years.

Now let's say you are traveling on Hwy #55 through the Northern Provincial Forest between Green Lake and Big River. This area has a Road Corridor Game Preserve (RCGP) for 400 metres on each side of the highway. If you are carrying a firearm it must be encased through this area, and no hunting is allowed by any person, anytime. The main objective behind the creation of RCGP's is to protect moose along certain roadways in our province. Our department promotes “hunting” for moose, not driving along and shooting moose off highways! Also, at certain times of the year moose mainly come to the highways to lick salt, making them very vulnerable. Road Corridor Game Preserves are located primarily in the northern half of the province, and are marked with large signs at each end with small signs periodically throughout. Also, they are noted in the Hunters' & Trappers' Guide. Violators face a fine of $500 plus a $50 victim of crime surcharge plus an animal fee if they killed game in RCGP's.

Now getting back to our October 4th, 2006 night patrol on Highway #903. This has a road corridor game preserve along the portions running through the Northern Provincial Forest. Well, we caught a couple groups of poachers that night. The most memorable was when Canine Unit Conservation Officer Robin Van Koughnett had visual on the questionable activities of a unit with assistance from specialized night vision equipment. Just before 11:00 pm the suspicious vehicle had stopped, turned around, and shone headlights into the ditch along the highway, then proceeded south. We had good reason to believe the occupants of this vehicle were up to no good. As the vehicle proceeded south for a short distance, the brake lights came on and the headlights swung onto a deer in the ditch. The passenger rolled down his window, stuck his rifle out, and shot a deer. Fortunately, Officer Van Koughnett was only about 80 metres behind and witnessed the whole thing! Van Koughnett immediately engaged the red & blues, and within two minutes he had two backup units to assist. Obviously, there were a number of violation tickets written up in that situation.

Meadow Lake Provincial Park is a popular park for hunters. This provincial park has a unique official safety corridor through certain areas where the highway is in close proximity to core areas and cabins. No hunting is allowed by any person within 300 metres of each road. These safety corridors were implemented about 15 years ago following safety concerns. Cabin owners, park users, and First Nations were consulted and all supported the implementation of safety corridors. They are well signed at both ends and periodically throughout these safety zones. Violators are charged under the Parks Act.

For hunters that frequent the Cumberland House delta area, Zones 60 & 61, and also the Cypress Hills (West Block) Provincial Park, they must note regulations as they apply to designated trails. In these areas it is illegal to drive a vehicle off a designated trail or provincial highway except to retrieve legally killed big game animals using the most direct route. These designated trails are marked at the start, at intersections with other designated trails and at intervals, with diamond-shaped orange markers. In talking with Rhys Beaulieu, Wildlife Biologist with our department, he advises these designated trails were implemented in the early 1970's because moose hunters at that time could travel everywhere throughout the delta with bombardiers and other snow machines, and could surround and herd moose, making for too high of a success rate for hunters. Violators who ignore the designated trails regulations face a fine of $200 plus a $40 Victim of Crime surcharge.

In certain zones of southern Saskatchewan, mainly the southeast area during an open big game season in Zones 15 to 18 and 30 to 34, no person hunting big game shall drive off of roads or road allowances with trails without written permission from the land owner. This inlcudes retrieval of legally taken big game as well. In fact it is even an offence to be a passenger in a vehicle violating this section. A road is a prepared surface designated for vehicular traffic, and trail is a route regularly traveled by vehicles. This hunting on roads and trails regulation came into effect in the early 1980's in an attempt to enhance hunter/ landowner relations in that portion of the province. Violators face a fine of $200 plus a $40 surcharge.

Speaking of hunting on roads and trails only, PFRA and Saskatchewan Pasture Program (SPP) pastures allow vehicle traffic but they are restricted to roads and trails except to retrieve legally killed big game by the most direct route. In select pastures, designated trails are in effect. Look for signs indicating these vehicle restrictions at the entrances to these pastures.

I know most of you reading this article aren't road hunters; you are true sporthunters and like venturing off the roadways in search of the elusive white-tail buck, moose or elk. Yes, there's nothing like hiking through our prairie or forested areas during our hunting seasons with a gun or bow in hand. It reminds me of that cartoon where two hunters are walking along and one turns to the other and says, “What a beautiful day, the camaraderie, the sun is shining, the birds are singing…now if we could just kill something!”

Finally, if you're out and about on Saskatchewan's roadways and notice any hunting or fishing violation, please call our Turn-In-Poacher line at 1-800-667-7561.

That's all for now. Take care, and good luck in your 2007 hunting ventures!