Thread: Carrying a firearm on a public road

Hey guys, after a bit of advice/knowledge, a few property's I hunt have multiple acess points and just curious on what to go is with walking down a public road with a rifle on your back. Obviously unloaded and empty mag ect, just wondering what the law is with regards to this? Back country gravel roads with one or two cars go down a hour or so, walking from on acess point to another, is it legal? Cheers

Yep.

You have a lawful reason to have your rifle in public - traveling a road to get to a hunting location.
If for example you were walking into town with your rifle just for shits a giggles, not so much.

Possibly sensible to have the rifle slung rather than carrying it, not that that is a legal requirement of any sort, just looks less threatening to the pearl clutching brigade

Fill ya boots.

If it was me and I had to walk past private farm land etc I would just give them the heads up what I was up to.

The private farm im walking alongside/past is the property i have acess too

If a townie drives past it will be your camo clothing that scares them the most.

of course you are allowed to,if you have permission to shoot on property you are alongside you can lean on fence post and shoot...you ARENT shooting along or across road..... you have just cause for being there and are non threatening...so no problem...if really worried about it a canvas gun bag will calm the fears of all but most drugged up Karen driving past.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

of course you are allowed to,if you have permission to shoot on property you are alongside you can lean on fence post and shoot...you ARENT shooting along or across road..... you have just cause for being there and are non threatening...so no problem...if really worried about it a canvas gun bag will calm the fears of all but most drugged up Karen driving past.

Except for the fellow here in Chch who was stopped by AOS while walking home with his new (empty) gunbag........Now while I cannot speak for the situation, every gunbag I have seenhas been fairly obvious whether it is full (rigid and stiff like there is a rifle in it) or empty (soft and floppy ....)

A hard case would not have been so easy to figure out, but a gun bag????? And it was a wee while ago now...

well fair enough....I will continue to carry mine open or bolt out if n when needed.... will cross the bridge of over zealous LEO if n when they are encountered....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

of course you are allowed to,if you have permission to shoot on property you are alongside you can lean on fence post and shoot...you ARENT shooting along or across road..... you have just cause for being there and are non threatening...so no problem...if really worried about it a canvas gun bag will calm the fears of all but most drugged up Karen driving past.

I'm not so sure about that, my understanding is you cannot shoot from, to, or over a public road. Leaning on the fence post you may be technically standing on the road.

Your doing nothing wrong, you are legally allowed to. It's unfortunate now being a firearms owner makes you feel like a criminal.

My West coast labour voting grandparents would be disgusted with what is going on

Don't be ashamed of owning a firearm for recreational purposes. If you are acting within the the law, fill your boots so to speak

Time place circumstance, what you described is perfectly fine and within the law.

Just wrapp it up in a couple of old long shirt sleeves like a old fishing rod.Nobody will batt a eyelid.