Hunting season is in full swing in Saskatchewan, with big game animals like moose, deer and antelope all in season. However, things may look different next year as the province looks to revise the Trespass Act.
Currently, if rural land owners don’t want people like hunters or snow mobilers crossing their land it is the land owner’s responsibility to post “no trespassing” signs.
In response to rural crime concerns the province sought out public feedback on how to strengthen the provincial efforts to suppress crime. Part of this includes the idea of having people getting permission prior to entering or crossing rural private property.
The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) has around 70,000 hunters in its membership. Executive director Darrel Crabbe said that they advise hunters to get prior permission when they enter private land already.
“So for anybody to suggest it’s not going to negatively impact hunting in Saskatchewan is we think very naïve,” Crabbe said.
Initiatives the SWF has in place include having leaflets hunters can give to landowners that include the hunter’s information, type of vehicles driven, license plate, etc. They have no problem with landowners saying no hunting.
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“It’s estimated around 34 per cent of landowners don’t post their land, and the reason landowners don’t post their land is because they have no problem accessing their land to hunt,” Crabbe said.
“We’re told by most of the hunting groups that they want to get permission from the landholder anyway, they think it’s just good practice to have it,” Justice Minister Don Morgan said.
“So that’s the argument. Is should a landholder be required to go to the expense of putting it up when most hunting groups are saying it’s good practice not to, but I certainly think we want to hear what people have to say and consider it carefully.”
The consultation for the Trespass Act revision is still ongoing. There is not set date for completion or when legislation will be introduced, but Morgan hopes it can be done before Christmas.
Another concern of the SWF is the growing difficulty in getting in touch with landowners. Crabbe explained that a combination of regular land sales, growing number of commercial farms, land owners that do not live on the property and fewer people having land lines can make establishing direct contact difficult.
If this makes it more difficult go hunt, Crabbe worries people may begin to hang up their rifles.
“Hunting and angling generate almost $600 million a year into Saskatchewan’s economy, predominantly into the rural areas. It’s actually the only thing we have that moves money from the urban areas into the rural areas,” Crabbe said.
He sees a few potential problems coming from this: a loss of some economic activity in rural areas and growing wildlife populations. The latter of which can lead to greater crop damage and greater potential for wildlife related vehicle collisions.
The SWF is completing a survey a number of other provincial groups, along with Memorial University in St. John’s Newfoundland, on what the primary trespassing concerns in the province are. Crabbe said the top two complaints are rural crime related and snowmobiles/ATVs.
Crabbe feels the legislation may be weighted toward further regulating hunters since it would be easier to do since they rely on provincial licenses.
“I don’t think anybody’s so naïve to think that adding trespass laws is going to change rural crime a great deal,” Crabbe said.
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