Gunshots keep locals on edge during hunting season
Hunting season is in full swing in the Townships. It’s an exciting time for many hoping to get a deer, moose or other game and have plenty of food in the freezer for winter.
For those who don’t hunt, hearing shots ring while out for a walk can be unsettling.
The Record was contacted recently by a Lennoxville resident walking her dog in a wooded area near the Pères Blancs Missionary complex situated between St. Francis and Moulton Hill.
She heard a shot that was so loud and seemed so close that her dog bolted out of fear. Her daughter had heard a shot in the same area two weeks earlier.
Concerned for the safety of area residents, the woman contacted The Record to get the word out. She added that her daughter had called the police but was told it was the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife.
The Record contacted the Ministry of Wildlife (Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs) to find out what to do if a person suspects there could be hunting in a prohibited area.
The ministry representative admitted there is a grey zone given that laws pertaining to two different jurisdictions are at play.
Game wardens (also known as protection officers) are mandated to enforce laws specific to hunting. Police are responsible for enforcing the laws specific to a municipality.
Regarding the shots fired, the ministry representative said that first of all, it is difficult to determine whether the shot was illegal.
Hunters have a right to hunt, he said, even within the municipality of Sherbrooke.
When asked what a citizen should do if they hear gunshots near a residential area, the response was to contact the local police services.
If a hunter has a license, bib and proper gear, and is respecting the rules in force during the season, they have a right to shoot.
Whether or not they were too close to a home or town depends on the municipal bylaws in place regarding firearms.
“The protection officer can only check the conformity of the activity and not the firearm discharge within the city limits,” he said.
In the case of the Lennoxville gunshot, the concerned citizen pointed out that the shot most likely came from the private property of the Pères Blancs, some 50 acres of wooded area with walking paths.
The Record went to see the missionaries, who confirmed that their land was off limits to hunters. While they themselves hadn’t heard or seen any hunters this season, they said in the past they have had hunters encroach on their property. At one point, an attempt was made to mount a deer stand on their property without their permission.
According to the Wildlife Ministry, hunters who go on private property without authorization are subject to municipal trespassing laws and again, the police should be called.
The wildlife protection officer can only intervene if the property concerned is part of a territory that has an agreement with the Department (sections 3637) and then only to validate whether the hunter is legally authorized to hunt there.
The rep pointed out that there is a specific number to call related to poaching. If anyone is witness to hunting at night out of season, they should call1 800 463-2191.