atv trails and memberships ?

[ginochipchip]

was telling my friend about a spot that i want to hunt and fish camp with family and told him i was going to ride my atv in. he told me that i need a trail pass to do this even tho its on crown land ??
i began to tell him how crown is for all to use but he wouldnt back down so i started to look into it and have found some of a gray area hear ?
some help please
gg

[contaucreek]

What is the location?

[oaknut]

Depends on your location but for the most part you are good to go on crown land. There are a few scenarios where you could run into an issue would be private land locked crown or crossing culverts installed by the local club but that's pretty rare. In any case should you get a charge I'm sure the court would be quick to dismiss it on the fact that most trails were built not by atv clubs but loggers.

[blasted_saber]

If it crosses private property you need a permit. You are trespassing otherwise. The further noth you go the less of an issue this is. Generally speaking south of North Bay this would be a concern for me. Here in Muskoka/Parry Sound almost all of our trails cross private property at some point.

[chris lavoie]

Here you can use trails to fish, hunt or access your land if it does not cross anothers private land, without a permit. There is no part of the trail here that crosses private.

[Foxx]

Here you can use trails to fish, hunt or access your land if it does not cross anothers private land, without a permit. There is no part of the trail here that crosses private.

You are correct Chris. If the trail you are on is the normal route to access your hunt camp or if you are going to a back lake to fish , you are legally allowed on groomed snowmobile trails.

[Matt Walker]

My concern with this growing topic is that, in the recent past there seems to be a lot of "clubs" ie.. (Jeep, ATV, and snowmobile just to name a few) laying claim to random tracts of crown land, with the suggestion that their club is the authority in the region, and if you have not paid their tole, you are not welcome to use said tract of land, and should you continue, this could lead to monetary loss.

Now there is the subject of depending on the season, just because you can, should you be travelling on a recognized snowmobile trail, I personally try to respect other user groups, in their defined season.

That said, for the average Canadian it is somewhat misleading, when no matter what outdoor activity you choose as a hobby, there are 17 groups that feel you should be purchasing one of their permits to continue to enjoy the use of crown land.

In reality their is no merit to their claim.

[Longgun]

It depends where you are going. If you plan on going in the Kawartha Signature Park you can not take any vehicle. You have to be part of a camp or a land owner and have a GPS registered trail.
deb

[trimmer21]

My concern with this growing topic is that, in the recent past there seems to be a lot of "clubs" ie.. (Jeep, ATV, and snowmobile just to name a few) laying claim to random tracts of crown land, with the suggestion that their club is the authority in the region, and if you have not paid their tole, you are not welcome to use said tract of land, and should you continue, this could lead to monetary loss.

Now there is the subject of depending on the season, just because you can, should you be travelling on a recognized snowmobile trail, I personally try to respect other user groups, in their defined season.

That said, for the average Canadian it is somewhat misleading, when no matter what outdoor activity you choose as a hobby, there are 17 groups that feel you should be purchasing one of their permits to continue to enjoy the use of crown land.

In reality their is no merit to their claim.

Absolutely correct. This has been a burr under my saddle for a very long time. No organization should be able to demand membership to access public land or to set any "rules" as to their use outside of provincial or federal law. Membership should be completely voluntary and if folks want to abide by their by-laws or a club constitution....go nuts. Leave the rest of us alone.

[Fishy Wishy]

Are we talking using it in winter (snow in the ground groomed trails) or summer?

To use an OFSC trail for recreation is against the law unless you are a permit holder or you are using the most direct route from an access point to the lake or your camp etc. These clubs used to get on my nerves as it seemed often they would take long time trails over and start grooming them essentially trying to force everyone to buy one of their permits.

If you are talking ATV trails in the summer it depends where and what property ownership is and even local bylaws.

In some municipal/county forests their bylaws state you must have a membership with x-club to use the trails.

In some places the trail club has secured land owner rights to cross land, anyone not holding a membership/permit is trespassing.

In some places common trails do cross deeded land, but you would never know as the land is not marked as prescribed in the TPA. In these cases you cannot be charged with an offence to TPA.

Now somethings boil down to your integrity and the integrity of the clubs (see my comment above). These clubs secure MNRF work permits and materials and labour to construct bridges, install culverts, brush out trails, groom trails (snowmobile), if you are using the bridge, culvert and enjoying the brushed out trail/groomed trail that much more than the unadulterated trail, is the cost of a permit really that much of a burden for someone considering purchasing a camp/acreage?

Just my $.05 (no more pennies)