Sniper rifle in hunting area for training?
 

Hi

I want to know if that could be tolerated to bring a sniper rifle (spring) into a usual hunting area (forest) for hunt season or out of the hunt season for training only (shoot at cardboard targets in the wood).
Since I don't hunt and it's not harmful and the sniper looks like a hunting rifle the possibility to alert and panic people is considerably reduced.
What do you think?

Like always, don't do "public" outing with your gear.
I've been hicking a lot in gear and armed (airsoft) but it was in deep bush where no one ever goes.

semi questionable, however it its crown land, and their are no laws against.dischatging a firearm or airgun in the area i dont see it causing any legal issue.
i used to bring airsoft pistols and rifles to an area near severn township. It was crown land, i used to offroad my jeep there. Quite often i would hear gunfire in the area (outside of hunting season, just rednecks shootin stuff) so seen the opp on atvs, back there prety often and they werent too.concerned about the real guns being fired so i didnt think it would be an issue. Best bet would be to contact the local provincial police and ask them the laws regarding discharge of an airgun in the area u plan on going to.

Fox , you jump too quickly on the situation. What do you mean gear? I just said I would took simply my BDU a backpack for eventually camping, and a sniper rifle in a bag just like the others hunters do. Actually, I would be more as hunter than a standard military soldier.
And I would go in deep wood. I have the field for that.

Legal activity, nothing to worry about.

Purely hypothetical question, with a bit of background experience at the wrong end of the muzzle, behind it..

In my youth in Cadets back in the dark ages, we as a group were having a survival/evasion and escape exercise in the woods. This was during hunting season. We ended up having rounds whizzing close overhead, aimed at or near us. We weren't wearing hi-viz clothing at all .. rather, grubby combats instead.

We caught up with the hunters in question later - they claimed they didn't see 'people'.. but were shooting at what they thought were a group of deer. Those deer might well have been us in the distance.

Would crawling or otherwise acting 'stealthy' through the woods, without hi-viz clothing, not put you at inordinate risk during the hunt season, or has hunter safety improved that much in intervening years?

@ HackD I'm aware of that. I go hiking and camping where they hunt. They also usually mark their territory with a sign for the others (sign on the trail). I could do the same.
They also hunt at precise hours of the day. they don't hunt on 24h. In my area they start around 3 am to 10-11am.
I also precised that could be out the hunt season

I grew up in ontario cottage country where there was a fair share of 'hunting' accidents where people get mistaken for game and get a round put in them. Either hikers getting shot or other hunters. Why would you wear your bdu/camo out there in hunting season? why wouldn't you wear high vis? it's not like you're trying to sneak up on anyone... what you're going to sneak up on cardboard?

I consider a rifle and backpack "gear". Especially if they are military styled.

That being said, you should be ok. At worst, you'll be asked questions if someone see you.

Um... Don't play in the forest during hunting season... That kinda goes without saying.

It's like saying: Don't go hunting during hunting season. It's dangerous...

Hunters have their territory reserved. They put signs, they talk to each other. They are not the best at communication I admit, but if you make sure you don't go on their territory or you put signs on your area to let them know you are here, you're saving yourself from trouble.
I don't plan to hold a game there. I will probably do the same thing they do. Hunting... cardboard target. That's only a project right now anyway. If you do it during the hunting season, I will take all measures to stay safe.." If it's not possible .. too bad, I will wait or find another place.

What's wrong with your local airsoft fields?

Are you saying that a hunter looking through his rifle scope can't tell the difference between a group of deer standing on four legs and humans standing on two legs?

I don't know what their deal was. We were a bunch of 14-15 year olds in the woods, being very loosely chaperoned by an adult officer cadet... that's about, oh.. 30 years ago.

I think i was stunned at the time, at the marvel of having rounds whizzing about to really be concerned about their logic, or the logic of the whole situation.

I'm not saying they can't tell the difference, I'm just saying they saw something tan moving and shot at it.
Hunters get shot by other hunters, not everybody checks their targets carefully.