Abondoned Rail Lines for Rabbit

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December 29th, 2020, 12:17 PM
JP Outdoors

Abondoned Rail Lines for Rabbit

Hi everyone - new forum member here and relatively new hunter! Thought I'd ask if anyone could help me with finding some new rabbit hunting areas. I'm located in Halton Hills, ON. I've heard of there being some abandoned rail lines in both Norfolk County and London, ON but not sure where those are located specifically. Does anyone know?

Of course if you know of any other decent rabbit hunting spots nearby/in those areas, feel free to pass those along ;)

Thanks for the support! Looking forward to chatting with you all on here.

Jeff
December 29th, 2020, 12:39 PM
finsfurfeathers

lots of public land in Norfolk to hunt just goggle norfolk and hunting. Do remeber to hunt rabbits in Norfolk need a township permit also.
December 29th, 2020, 12:41 PM
Birdbuff

Welcome aboard. Many people on this board are great and full of knowledge but something simple like the geographic question you are asking can be googled.

Best of luck.
December 29th, 2020, 12:56 PM
Woodsman

Just because a railbed is abandoned doesn't mean it's automatically opened for hunting.
December 29th, 2020, 01:01 PM
LiveBates

Hey Jeff, welcome to the forum. I too am in Halton Hills. As you know, not much around for local hunting, unless you like seeing the other hunters from your tree stand. Haha. I believe there's a tract near Fergus though that holds the odd rabbit.....
December 29th, 2020, 01:56 PM
JP Outdoors

Quote:

Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

lots of public land in Norfolk to hunt just goggle norfolk and hunting. Do remeber to hunt rabbits in Norfolk need a township permit also.

Thanks. I do have my Norfolk Rabbit/Pheasant Hunting Permit and do a lot of my hunting there but was just wondering about where these rail lines I've heard of are. Can never have too much hunting property. :)
December 29th, 2020, 01:59 PM
JP Outdoors

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiveBates

Hey Jeff, welcome to the forum. I too am in Halton Hills. As you know, not much around for local hunting, unless you like seeing the other hunters from your tree stand. Haha. I believe there's a tract near Fergus though that holds the odd rabbit.....

Thanks - I'll check it out!
December 29th, 2020, 02:31 PM
finsfurfeathers

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Outdoors

Thanks. I do have my Norfolk Rabbit/Pheasant Hunting Permit and do a lot of my hunting there but was just wondering about where these rail lines I've heard of are. Can never have too much hunting property. :)

Info don't come cheap.
I need to do some looking around Norfolk next fall seems someone built a house adjacent to my end of season woodcock spot.
If you see anything that looks like this in a moist location send me a PM
https://live.staticflickr.com/4444/3...dd3df97e_k.jpg[url=https://flic.kr/p/ZFLw4F]
December 29th, 2020, 03:31 PM
trimmer21

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Outdoors

Hi everyone - new forum member here and relatively new hunter! Thought I'd ask if anyone could help me with finding some new rabbit hunting areas. I'm located in Halton Hills, ON. I've heard of there being some abandoned rail lines in both Norfolk County and London, ON but not sure where those are located specifically. Does anyone know?

Of course if you know of any other decent rabbit hunting spots nearby/in those areas, feel free to pass those along ;)

Thanks for the support! Looking forward to chatting with you all on here.

Jeff

Welcome to the forum. "Abandoned" rail lines were deeded to the property owners whose land they crossed many years ago in 95% of southern Ontario making them private property that you'll need permission to hunt. The other 5% were deeded to the municipalities they were in and were turned into hiking/walking trails. Most are regulated by municipal firearm discharge by-laws. Allowing hunting along them is sketchy at best.
December 29th, 2020, 04:03 PM
ninepointer

I've shot many cottontails along overgrown railway ditches of former or inactive rail lines. But as others have indicated, one must know your right to be there and safety considerations. Some former rail line are now private property or are still owned by the railway even if inactive or the tracks ripped up.

Others have been converted to public multi-use trails where, even if hunting is legal, it is not always appreciated by other trail uses or by adjacent property owners. The only times I've ever been yelled while hunting have is in such locations, even though I was conducting myself legally, safely and conscientiously (or so I thought). One of my woodcock honey-holes is in such a spot, and I've taken to only hunting it on weekdays when there are fewer walkers along the nearby rail-trail.
December 29th, 2020, 05:49 PM
dean.f

The former rail corridor in my neck of the woods is posted with MNR Aurora district signs, I've never bothered to ask if hunting is permitted since I would never want to bother. The amount of foot traffic and bicycles is crazy. It's also a snowmobile trail in the winter.

Not my cup of tea having conflict with the general (often misinformed) public.
December 29th, 2020, 09:53 PM
punkrockerpj

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP Outdoors

Hi everyone - new forum member here and relatively new hunter! Thought I'd ask if anyone could help me with finding some new rabbit hunting areas. I'm located in Halton Hills, ON. I've heard of there being some abandoned rail lines in both Norfolk County and London, ON but not sure where those are located specifically. Does anyone know?

Of course if you know of any other decent rabbit hunting spots nearby/in those areas, feel free to pass those along ;)

Thanks for the support! Looking forward to chatting with you all on here.

Jeff

PM you
December 30th, 2020, 08:54 AM
huntinaddict

The abandoned tracks around London. Were bought by a company. And are posted no hunting. Mnr travels then regularly. Heard of many ppl getting fines there.

some ppl have even gone as far as ripping down the signs. Some guys just don’t learn. So if you do find a set of tracks with no sign. Think twice
December 30th, 2020, 09:39 AM
JP Outdoors

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntinaddict

The abandoned tracks around London. Were bought by a company. And are posted no hunting. Mnr travels then regularly. Heard of many ppl getting fines there.

some ppl have even gone as far as ripping down the signs. Some guys just don’t learn. So if you do find a set of tracks with no sign. Think twice

Fair points! Definitely not into causing a ruckus and breaking any rules so all this advice has been helpful. Thanks everyone for your feedback - super helpful!
December 30th, 2020, 11:13 AM
KennyT

I live in Brant County and hunt around Norfolk as well. The abandoned rail lines in both Brant and Norfolk which I am aware of were typically purchased by the adjacent property owners. I know of one in particular that is owned privately for almost its whole length. So I would check before assuming you can hunt them.
Also, the others in my area were converted to walking/biking trails where hunting is prohibited. So again, no hunting access. Just make sure you know, as the CO's around here will not accept ignorance as an excuse.
December 30th, 2020, 12:07 PM
JP Outdoors

Quote:

Originally Posted by KennyT

I live in Brant County and hunt around Norfolk as well. The abandoned rail lines in both Brant and Norfolk which I am aware of were typically purchased by the adjacent property owners. I know of one in particular that is owned privately for almost its whole length. So I would check before assuming you can hunt them.
Also, the others in my area were converted to walking/biking trails where hunting is prohibited. So again, no hunting access. Just make sure you know, as the CO's around here will not accept ignorance as an excuse.

Thanks for letting me know! Appreciate it.
December 31st, 2020, 01:01 PM
mark270wsm

how can that be when the fish and wild life act says different

Quote:

Originally Posted by trimmer21

Welcome to the forum. "Abandoned" rail lines were deeded to the property owners whose land they crossed many years ago in 95% of southern Ontario making them private property that you'll need permission to hunt. The other 5% were deeded to the municipalities they were in and were turned into hiking/walking trails. Most are regulated by municipal firearm discharge by-laws. Allowing hunting along them is sketchy at best.
December 31st, 2020, 01:31 PM
trimmer21

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark270wsm

how can that be when the fish and wild life act says different

If you're referring to Sect 10 (7) (a) and (b),the key words are "railway lands" which they are no longer,having been deeded to adjacent landowners and municipalities making them effectively private property subject to the TPA and OLA and municipal by-laws.
December 31st, 2020, 03:34 PM
JP Outdoors

Quote:

Originally Posted by trimmer21

If you're referring to Sect 10 (7) (a) and (b),the key words are "railway lands" which they are no longer,having been deeded to adjacent landowners and municipalities making them effectively private property subject to the TPA and OLA and municipal by-laws.

So I guess the interpretation of the legislation would be that you could hunt railway lands but because, in reality, most are no longer railway lands because they're abandoned or no longer in use and are now private property they can no longer be hunted. Makes sense I guess.