Crown land camping

A bit of a rant. Why is it or is it allowed to leave your camper setup and not use it?

We are currently camping and there are 3 campers setup and nobody occupying them.

Each camper had a not affixed to their doors with nasty notes along the lines of, thanks for taking up great camping sites on the Canada day long weekend and your not even using it. So it sounds like they were here before June 30.

In the past couple days, 2 of the owners have come into check on their campers. One guy was pissed at us cuz he thought we were too close, but he left. 2nd guy said the third camper was coming in to move his today, but haven't seen him yet.

The one has a mat down on the grass and that grass underneath is dead.

A couple years ago a CO came into check and the other people that were there confessed to being here 21 days. The CO said there was only 2 guys patrolling a large area.

What do you guys think? Should there be a law? Is there one?

Camps may only be set up for 21 days then they have to be moved. Enforcing it is the tough part. There's no end to inconsiderate people.

Not sure what area you are referring to Cramadog2, but here near the Soo, it's just as bad! People go out, find a good spot, then park their gear so they've got it when their holidays start. Happens all the time and little to nothing can be done? MNRF can only do something from the time they are notified and attend the site..
If it is FN campers, then nothing can be done. This is happening more frequently here, whereby FN citizens are specifically parking campers n trailers on site for the entire summer, and they aren't even there.

It's a wonder the "found abandoned" ;) campers aren't growing feet and disappearing.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

It's a wonder the "found abandoned" ;) campers aren't growing feet and disappearing.

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Or irresponsible campfires destroying them.

Happens here all the time.
You see the same tent set up on the same point or beach all summer.

But you also see folks camped out in some nasty desolation like an abandoned sand pit or clear cut. This summer I've seen a camper on an old abandoned gravel runway. I bet no one is complaining about those spots being hogged by camping squatters.

Answer to the problem--- MNR should create a "tag" that must be posted were ever a camp is set up. It should have "notch outs" like our big game tags for a date. First day of camp site occupancy must be notched out and the tag posted.

MNR is never going to hire more CO's to police this issue. But the "tag" system would make enforcement easier

Wouldnt that be paying for camping on crown land?

It seems that way but something has to be done to stop people from hogging choice spots year after year. We have a lake on the way to my camp where trailers start moving in as soon as the snow is gone in the spring and they don't move out until after moose season. This went on for years and it looks like finally last year the MNR went in and read the riot act.
I agree with some sort of tag/permit system only if it costs enough to cover the expense of issuing them. Its still darn cheap camping for 3 weeks compared to a provincial park--which is also crown land btw.

From what I hear,lots of people simply ignore them and set up beside them. If someone eventually shows up,tough bananas. Like hunting and fishing,there's no reservation system for Crown land.

T21, we have been down that road before. Some people think that a certain area on crown land is theirs to hunt every year and only them, forever.

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Originally Posted by dean.f

Or irresponsible campfires destroying them.

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We all remember the thread about the spontaneous barn fire , of the new resident in the county, who did not allow the locals to do as they have always done. Some on here thought that was fine, because he was a 'citiot'. But a camper, what 'longstanding' beef would that resolve.

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

We all remember the thread about the spontaneous barn fire , of the new resident in the county, who did not allow the locals to do as they have always done. Some on here thought that was fine, because he was a 'citiot'. But a camper, what 'longstanding' beef would that resolve.

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Just an attempt at humour not, a legitimate solution.

This is the law. In Ottawa, you can apply for a longer permit and it will be posted in the window.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

Camps may only be set up for 21 days then they have to be moved. Enforcing it is the tough part. There's no end to inconsiderate people.

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Originally Posted by Bushmoose

Not sure what area you are referring to Cramadog2, but here near the Soo, it's just as bad! People go out, find a good spot, then park their gear so they've got it when their holidays start. Happens all the time and little to nothing can be done? MNRF can only do something from the time they are notified and attend the site..
If it is FN campers, then nothing can be done. This is happening more frequently here, whereby FN citizens are specifically parking campers n trailers on site for the entire summer, and they aren't even there.

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144 watershed area.

A group of 3 campers came in yesterday. The guy was French, but every other word was the f bomb because of the campers parked, not being used.

The guy that was supposed to come Sunday to remove his camper, came late yesterday afternoon.

One of the derelict camper owners came into stay yesterday. I'm pretty sure he thinks that the 21 day limit is himself being here 21 days and if he goes home, those days don't count.

No shortage of inconsiderate people. As population grows, so does our exposure to it.

MNRF have very little enforcement resources, period. They tend to have to pick and choose what they enforce. However, the crown land camping law is not subject to interpretation, and it's not just COs that can enforce. A call to the local OPP detachment, giving the location, or the GPS coordinates, as well as a call to the local municipality will often yield the desired results. I tend to do things via email, as then I have a written record. Very difficult for a LEO or municipal staff to ignore when you do that.

Playing devils advocate, I'm sure there are a number of folks out there that don't understand that the 21 days applies to the camper, or tent itself, not the number of days occupied.

Why is no one saying now, what they say about people complaining, about some people using the best hunting spots on crown land yearly ?..... "Go somewhere else to hunt, there is LOTS of crown land".... Well ? Not the same thing? Go somewhere else to camp......

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

T21, we have been down that road before. Some people think that a certain area on crown land is theirs to hunt every year and only them, forever.

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

Why is no one saying now, what they say about people complaining, about some people using the best hunting spots on crown land yearly ?..... "Go somewhere else to hunt, there is LOTS of crown land".... Well ? Not the same thing? Go somewhere else to camp......

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Yessir,we certainly have gone down this road a few times. It's always a contentious issue with the "entitled" set.

We have a camper set up on the road into our lake and they even have a Welcome sign up, don't think they are leaving after 21 days , come to think of it they've been there over a month already. I think everyones concern is where is the Grey Water being dumped? and of course you have the weekend warriors setting up tents and packing up Sunday and leaving all their garbage behind and giving ALL Campers a bad name.

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

Why is no one saying now, what they say about people complaining, about some people using the best hunting spots on crown land yearly ?..... "Go somewhere else to hunt, there is LOTS of crown land".... Well ? Not the same thing? Go somewhere else to camp......

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Clearly, you're not a camper?

Yes indeed I have been camping for over 50 years, even with a cottage, but we always go to a PP, ( been to 90% of those in Ontario), at least once a year. Started with a pup tent, then as the family grew , moved to a bigger tent , then a hard camper , now that it is only the wife and I, we have a soft top crank up tent trailer. Now much easier that you can book in advance, used to have to send courier letters or line up at the gate. My point was.... some hunters on here stake out a claim on crown land for years, so why are the same guys not defending campers who do the same?

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

Yes indeed I have been camping for over 50 years, even with a cottage, but we always go to a PP, ( been to 90% of those in Ontario), at least once a year. Started with a pup tent, then as the family grew , moved to a bigger tent , then a hard camper , now that it is only the wife and I, we have a soft top crank up tent trailer. Now much easier that you can book in advance, used to have to send courier letters or line up at the gate. My point was.... some hunters on here stake out a claim on crown land for years, so why are the same guys not defending campers who do the same?

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Funny. My dad and I camped for years ( since I was about 5). I never knew what a PP was, until I was in my 20s and a bunch of folks wanted to go "camping"...

"What's that shack over there?".....

"Oh that?....that's the showers and washrooms"

"GTFO....seriously?!!!....this is camping??!!!"

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Originally Posted by Bluebulldog

Funny. My dad and I camped for years ( since I was about 5). I never knew what a PP was, until I was in my 20s and a bunch of folks wanted to go "camping"...

"What's that shack over there?".....

"Oh that?....that's the showers and washrooms"

"GTFO....seriously?!!!....this is camping??!!!"

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[emoji23] Good one.

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

Yes indeed I have been camping for over 50 years, even with a cottage, but we always go to a PP, ( been to 90% of those in Ontario), at least once a year. Started with a pup tent, then as the family grew , moved to a bigger tent , then a hard camper , now that it is only the wife and I, we have a soft top crank up tent trailer. Now much easier that you can book in advance, used to have to send courier letters or line up at the gate. My point was.... some hunters on here stake out a claim on crown land for years, so why are the same guys not defending campers who do the same?

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To answer your last sentence,probably because their position is untenable. Strange that you mentioned that other 'barn burn" thread. A week ago at a local flee market,an elderly gentleman walked up to me asking "Aren't you Constable .........and weren't you one of the officers that was at my barn fire?" Well,that was quite the conversation even after 30 years imparting some very interesting information. Wheels of justice can sometimes seem to move incredibly slow,but,they DO move.LOL

Did the fire have the desired affect or did he still live there?

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Originally Posted by Bluebulldog

Funny. My dad and I camped for years ( since I was about 5). I never knew what a PP was, until I was in my 20s and a bunch of folks wanted to go "camping"...

"What's that shack over there?".....

"Oh that?....that's the showers and washrooms"

"GTFO....seriously?!!!....this is camping??!!!"

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We had showers and washrooms at camp growing up...One was called the lake/river and the other "Out Behind a bush";)

Yup a truly real camping experience.

Any LE can move them along, it doesn't have to be MNR, especially if the are reprobates.

"Camping" in a PP is about as realistic to actual camping as "hunting" in a petting zoo is to fair chase.

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Originally Posted by fishermccann

Did the fire have the desired affect or did he still live there?

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It had the desired effect,for sure,and they sold and moved back to the "bright lights" which was,for them,a very wise move. Their caustic,urban personalities did not serve them well in a rural setting....to say the least. The case is still open. Knowing who did it is one thing,but,proving it is quite something else.

Yes sort of like those folks in the urban jungle, who won't snitch on their criminal neighbors to the cops. Nobody wants their barn to be the next one to burn down. Play by our rules or we will drive you out, even if we have to break the law and endanger lives to do so.