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r/canadaguns•
IBX

Discharge of firearm from road and transmission lines

Trying to figure out the exact letter of the law, hoping someone knows otherwise I'll be calling the CFO tomorrow.

In Manitoba, it states that no person may discharge a firearm from, along or across a provincial road or provincial trunk highway. Two questions: 1) is there no minimum distance from a road? 2) are unmaintained fire trails considered to be roads in this instance?

Additionally, are there any regulations pertaining to shooting near Manitoba Hydro transmission lines (eg minimum distance from) provided that it is being done in a safe manner and that it is on crown land, and not an easement of private property?

Thanks y'all

UPDATE: I called sustainable development and they steered me in the right direction.

  1. So long as you're not on the road allowance, you're good. There's no minimum distance from roads.

  2. Fire trails are not considered roads.

  3. There's no minimum distance to be from the transmission lines provided you're being safe, aren't on private property without permission and aren't going to cause damage to the equipment.

All in all, pretty straightforward stuff. I like when laws can be summed up with "don't be dumb". When out there just remember to be sure of your target and what's beyond. Always watch out for other users, such as hikers and atvers.

Posted May 12, 2019, 6:04 PM UTC · edited

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medic247•

You should give Sustainable Development (Conservation) a call too. If you get an answer can you post it?

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IBXOP•

Will do!

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oldballsmcgee•

The whole road allowance is off limits, so the road and both ditches. This is for both Provincial and Municipal roads. The road allowance usually 99' wide. In rural farmland areas this would be from one fence line to the one on the other side of the road.

Provincial Parks do not allow discharge within 300m of prescribed trails. Provincial forests and other resource areas have no regulations on resource roads. There is no mention of fire trails in the Guide. It wouldn't hurt to inquire with a warden or someone else from Sustainable Development if you have questions about particular trails.

This old post has a bit about Hydro. AFAIK, shooting around power lines in my rural area has never been much cause for concern but it would be wise to ask Hydro regardless. I would assume that the big transmission lines are a little different story. Lineman are often doing their thing along all lines so even if Hydro oks it, please be careful.

2018 Hunting Guide (The only thing I could dig up about stuff like this)

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Stathakosmb•

Interested in the answer as a fellow Manitoban

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IBXOP•

I updated my main post with what I found out

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outline8668•

I've been approached by a CO when shooting on crown land in MB. All they cared about was that I had targets setup so they knew I wasn't poaching and that I wasn't firing across the fire guard road. Beside it was fine they said. Worth noting, the two guys didn't even bother to get out of their truck.

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ChalkoMilk•

I think in Nova Scotia it's 30m from any highway. Forestry and other work sites have a limit as well. DNR is who you would ask in this province. I'd probably try calling whatever Manitoba's DNR is before the CFO, they're more likely to have the right answer I'd reckon.

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Comanche6•

"When common sense is not available, refer to the standard operating procedures (commonly overheard at army bases)."

The Ontario hunting regs have stuff on this too and it varies by county and the phases of the moon and such /s

Generally, fire trails, logging roads and some roads around dwellings and cottage areas are considered "un-maintained" (i.e. they do not get plowed in the winter). Anything else is generally considered a roadway, including the shoulder. Common sense dictates you don't want to be shooting across or from a roadway. In Ontario, the buffer is 8m, I believe but call it 10m or 30 feet, to be safe. I also unload my firearm if I come to a roadway and reload on the other side. Just to be extra safe.

It's one of the things that caused me to switch to hunting rifles with magazines instead of internal mags.

So for me, common sense is, unload near a roadway = no shooting. Your mileage may vary.

I've never seen anything about hydro lines and one of my fave hunting spots in the Lanark Highlands was from a hill in a cleared hydro line in the woods. Other guys would use it for 600m+ precision rifle practice.

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IBXOP•

Obviously common sense is great when finding a way to do something safely, but ultimately it falls short when trying to figure out how to do it legally.

Last thing I want is to be shooting in a safe manner, and then a CO comes up and says I'm breaking the law by firing within 600m of a transmission line.

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Comanche6•

Every place you go to shoot or hunt.

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