Carrying 2 rifles? during Grouse and Deer season?

[Master Baiter 1]

Okay I put my name in for the deer draw and came across this, now maybe I'm reading this wrong as I am tired! But this just doesn't seem right to me? The way I'm reading this is that it would be legal for me to carry two firearms during grouse and deer season.......ie. my .308 and my .22LR Is this correct or am I just stupid tired?

Here's the article from the 2007 Regs

INFORMATION FOR ALL DEER HUNTERS

Licence fees can be found on page 12.

Firearms

Big game, including deer, may only be hunted with a

firearm (this includes bows). When hunting deer you

may use or carry (on your person, in a vehicle or boat) only a

firearm of the type permitted for hunting deer at that time in

that WMU. For example, when hunting deer during an archeryonly

season, you may use or carry only archery equipment.

You may not carry a rifle or shotgun for hunting other game

species. However, when hunting deer during a rifle/shotgun

season you may also carry a rifle or shotgun for small game (in

addition to your firearm that meets the specifications to hunt

deer) because it is the same type of firearm.

Let me know

Mike

[crisop 65]

mike it is alright to carry 2 guns. kinda hard to shoot grouse with a 308 isn't it?

heck sometimes i even carry 3 guns with me. 1 is always locked and encased just incase and it's normally a backup gun. never know in the bush

[Guest Big Moose]

I also carry atleast two guns in the bush as Crisop stated you never know anything can go wrong out there and you'd probably be in more sh it for wackin a grouse with a 308 not much left to eat.

[Some Old Guy 968]

MNR Answer: This is correct. If deer gun season is open (Oct 6th in the Thunder Bay area) upland game bird season would also be open. You could carry both a rifle for deer and a separate one for birds if you were licenced for both deer and small game.

When there is a big game gun season open, you must be licenced for either bear, deer or moose to carry or possess a rifle of greater calibre or projectile power than a .22-calibre rim-fire rifle chambered for cartridges known as a .22 short, .22 long or .22 long rifle; or

( shells loaded with ball or shot larger than number two shot

If you were only licenced for deer, and were carrying a .22 cal rifle, you could be charged with either hunting game birds without a licence or hunting deer with a firearm of insufficient power.

As one of the readers suggests, shooting a grouse with a .308 would probably land you in hot water with the game warden as there likely wouldn’t be much left of the bird.

Ross Johnston

Community Liaison

Conservation Officer

Suite B001, 435 S. James St.

Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6S8

Telephone: 807-475-1521

Facsimile: 807-475-1527

Email: ross.johnston@ontario.ca

website: www.mnr.gov.on.ca