White Tailed Deer season opened last Monday in Saskatchewan, and while hunters who like to push the bush or a slough to find their deer are likely aware of the implied right of access to land that doesn't have 'no hunting' signs posted, road warriors need permission from the land owner in all cases.

This is according to Conservation Officer Lindsey Leko with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, who said quads are one type of vehicle prohibited from being used in conjunction with firearms.

"In all of the zones around Weyburn for example, you can legally drive [regular vehicles]," he noted. "The only issue is that you have to have written permission from the landowner. So if you're driving in and around a slough, or something like that, that's legal, as long as you have that written permission." 

If you don't have written permission, he said, then it's a violation.

"As long as you're following the posted signs, you know, whatever signs they have up. If it's not posted, then hunters for now have got the implied right of access," he explained. "But if it's posted, you have to follow whatever conditions they want. If the sign says 'no hunting', that doesn't necessarily mean it's no hunting. You can still go out there as long as you have permission from the landowner. But if you're going to drive, then you must have written permission from the landowners." 

Leko said this is, ultimately, an ethics issue.

"It's just being courteous," he commented. "You know, the farmers, they just want to know who's out there on their land and and that's part of it." 

He said landowners need to post a sign to avoid confusion if they don't want anyone bush hunting on their land. 

"We have no recourse for that," he explained. "If the landowner comes up and tells you to leave, then you gotta leave. If you don't, well, then we can look at some other options. But yeah, if the sign's not posted, there's not really a whole lot we can do under the wildlife act. So that's why I use the word implied right of access."

Conservation Officers are investigating a case of illegal dumping. Read more HERE.