Can I carry a gun while bow hunting?

[rf2]

For my second question, I am not still clear and appreciate to share your opinion, the question is how if I go for bow hunting in the morning and go for waterfowl in the afternoon in different location, am I allowed to carry shotgun (not a rifle) INSIDE my vehicle? Or I should back home and leave my bow and take the shotgun? The problem is that most of the time it is not practical because the distance of the hunting site is too far from the home....

I wonder the same thing myself. So far I have been very cautious about this, and when I go archery hunting, I only carry archery equipment with me and in the vehicle I use to get to the site. The reason is that the regulations summary to me suggests that this is what is required. I do think it is pretty ridiculous, but it seems to be the law.

To get a real answer, you should contact the MNRF. If you get the official answer, please post it here.

[seabast]

Like Trimmer said, that paragraph means carry a firearm on your person, in your truck or boat WHILE hunting deer, moose AND bear at the same time. It says nothing about carrying or using a rifle during archery only seasons to hunt other game.

Again, you are wrong. If you decide to go bow hunting for deer and the "DEER" rifle or shotgun season is closed, do not have a gun in your vehicle.
Personally, I don't worry about it and will not change my habits but if I get caught I won't be crying here.

[trimmer21]

A cased shotgun in your vehicle is still in a firearm in your vehicle. I don't see how you can argue that having it cased makes it "not a firearm". I received a verbal warning about this once, and I'll go with that. No arguing its a bad law, but it is there.

I definitely wouldn't be arguing that it's not a firearm,of course it is,but what I would be arguing,most strenuously in Court,is that it was not available,not in my possession while hunting and encased and securely stored as prescribed in law,therefore taking it completely out of the equation. Why the CO even "warned" you doesn't make a lot of sense. I can speak from personal experience (although it's been many moons) that a Justice or Judge wouldn't be too impressed with such a literal interpretation. A charge laid under this premise would very likely be tossed,outright.

[rick_iles]

Again, you are wrong. If you decide to go bow hunting for deer and the "DEER" rifle or shotgun season is closed, do not have a gun in your vehicle.
Personally, I don't worry about it and will not change my habits but if I get caught I won't be crying here.

When the Act says "use or carry", it means exactly that. Physically using or physically carrying. It does not mean having it in your vehicle. I can have any legal firearm in my vehicle, properly stored etc, anywhere and any time. If I'm in the bush deer hunting with a bow, my encased rifle in my truck is certainly not being used or carried while deer hunting.

[Fox]

A cased shotgun in your vehicle is still in a firearm in your vehicle. I don't see how you can argue that having it cased makes it "not a firearm". I received a verbal warning about this once, and I'll go with that. No arguing its a bad law, but it is there.

You were given a warning because there is no law that states that you cannot store a firearm in your car while you are hunting with your bow.

If you are bow hunting for deer then you are in pursuit of a deer with a bow, you are not in your vehicle with a rifle.

If you were to be charged for having a rifle in your car during a deer season that is bow only then every single deer hunter who goes up in the Sunday before the hunt will have to be charged as they all have their rifles in their vehicles as they go to the camp. Heck, anyone who shoots their gun to sight it in must be charged as well, pretty much all of Ontario has an open bow season for deer from Oct 1st through at least the end of November, so every single person who hunts or shoots or even has a gun in their vehicle during a bow only season must be charged.

The CO was warning you to not have it out.

This is like being charged with illegal hunting when you are sitting in a diner with camo or orange on, unless you are hunting you are not hunting.

[werner.reiche]

Like Trimmer said, that paragraph means carry a firearm on your person, in your truck or boat WHILE hunting deer, moose AND bear at the same time. It says nothing about carrying or using a rifle during archery only seasons to hunt other game.

"Firearms

Big game, including black bears, may only be hunted with a firearm (this includes bows).
If you are hunting deer or moose at the same time you are hunting black bears, you may only use or carry (on your person, in a vehicle or boat) a firearm of the type permitted for deer or moose, as the case may be, at that time in that Wildlife Management Unit (WMU).

Specifications on rifles, shotguns, bows, bolts and arrows that are permitted when hunting black bear can be found on page 24.
"
The summary paragraph states "bears", but the actual law is "anything".

[canthitathing]

When the Act says "use or carry", it means exactly that. Physically using or physically carrying. It does not mean having it in your vehicle. I can have any legal firearm in my vehicle, properly stored etc, anywhere and any time. If I'm in the bush deer hunting with a bow, my encased rifle in my truck is certainly not being used or carried while deer hunting.

FWIW, I concur.

edit: Given what PV just posted, on the premise of this applying to any animal and not just bear hunting (I've never hunted bear) I may have to reconsider my position, lol. I completely agree on a sensible level with RI. If I'm hunting a long distance from where I'm lodging or maybe sleeping in the truck as my "camp", I'll have my bow for hunting and my shotgun stowed for an optional grouse hunt. I believe there should be changes to this section prescribing the potentially offensive firearm being excepted if encased and trigger locked.

[rick_iles]

"Firearms

Big game, including black bears, may only be hunted with a firearm (this includes bows).
If you are hunting deer or moose at the same time you are hunting black bears, you may only use or carry (on your person, in a vehicle or boat) a firearm of the type permitted for deer or moose, as the case may be, at that time in that Wildlife Management Unit (WMU).

Specifications on rifles, shotguns, bows, bolts and arrows that are permitted when hunting black bear can be found on page 24.
"
The summary paragraph states "bears", but the actual law is "anything".

Once again.....it says "use or carry"....on your person or vehicle or boat....dissected, it says, use a gun, or carry it physically or in your truck or boat WHILE hunting for deer, moose or bear....a gun stored in your truck, encased, is neither used or carried !
That paragraph simply says, if you are hunting bears and deer and moose at the same time, you have to use or carry a firearm that is legal for moose and deer. It says nothing about storing a gun in your truck...

[redd foxx]

A

cased shotgun in your vehicle is still in a firearm in your vehicle. I don't see how you can argue that having it cased makes it "not a firearm". I received a verbal warning about this once, and I'll go with that. No arguing its a bad law, but it is there.

It is illegal to hunt from a vehicle or use a vehicle to hunt, so, if I'm travelling from one place to another, have a gun encased and am not "hunting" from or with my vehicle, having the gun is not illegal. If you wish to say it is, then it would be illegal to have the bow there as well because I'd be using the vehicle to hunt. Rick Iles has it right from what I see.

[redd foxx]

That paragraph simply says, if you are hunting bears and deer and moose at the same time, you have to use or carry a firearm that is legal for moose and deer. It says nothing about storing a gun in your truck...

And....you have to be "hunting for bears"....and either deer or moose at the same time. Remember that what is in the summary is just that...a summary.