Crown land camping

[cramadog2]

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?

[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.

[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.

[trimmer21]

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

[dean.f]

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

Or irresponsible campfires destroying them.

[johny]

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

[thunderbelly]

Wouldnt that be paying for camping on crown land?

[sawbill]

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.

[trimmer21]

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.

[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.