Editor:
The public has lost access to former public provincial lakes and Crown Land for hunting purposes and will likely continue to lose more unless the hunting and fishing people get involved and pressure the government to stop and hopefully reverse some of this action.
I would invite the people of the Cariboo to research the court actions going on between Douglas Lake Cattle Co. and the Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club.
My understanding is Douglas Lake Cattle Co. has cut off access to 20 lakes and Crown Land for hunting purposes where one has to travel through their private property.
Most of these spots had roads or trails leading to them before the private land was deeded.
To make matters worse the provincial government has made laws that would allow private land owners to keep you off what was once a provincial lake.
Before, if the water level of a lake was raised and flooded deeded land, this land would be relinquished to the Crown.
With this new law, which is retroactive, the land remains private and the owner can stop you from accessing that lake.
Go to www.douglaslake.com/fishing.html to see their advertising.
Go to www.nvfishandgameclub.ca for the website of Nicola Valley Fish and Game Club.
You have to click on “Click here to donate” to get some history and latest updates. You do not have to donate.
Go to http://www.leg.bc.ca/40th2nd/3rd_read/gov05-3.htm to see the new law.
Part way down under “7 Section 108 of the Land Title Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 250, is amended.”
Wayne Biffert
Williams Lake