Legal to hunt railroad tracks?

[dscubame]

Nothing wrong with tracks.  Done all the time with many others, never heard of a single issue.

[Hunt4ever]

Nothing wrong with tracks.  Done all the time with many others, never heard of a single issue.

Been doing it for years... But the tracks i hunt are used very very little...

[boneaddict]

Is it legal to cross the tracks, to get to state land for instance?

I know several track crossings that are posted as no trespassing here in the Yakima e burg area.   I know because there was a huge bull on the otherside I wanted to photograph.   

[BiggLuke]

Not 100% sure....
But my bet would be that if a gemey caught you with a dead dear on railroad property, he'd ticket you on the spot.
Like if you got caught with a dead dear on the highway, or a golf course.

I mean, hell. There has to be a reason why STAYING OFF railroads is a key thing they point out during Hunter Ed.

All though..... if the tracks weren't in use any more.... you could try contacting the county office and seeing who still owns them, then getting a written permission slip?

That would seem to cover all your bases.  right guys?

[Bullets_n_Octane]

Remember that is may be jus personal opinion from gamie to gamie about what to do or say in the instance of someone being on or hunting on RR property. Any railroad property that is maintained, and ALOT that isn't IS Private property, even just to cross. Railroad police (UP & BNSF) have EXTREMELY different outlooks and enforcement policies than you're everyday Gamie, and can & most likely will, cite you. Also, I'm pretty sure there isn't any 'dedicated' Amtrak property in Washington, save for maybe some sidings in Dowtown Seattle and a few in the Everett Delta Yard. Most ALL of Washington tracks are enforced and patrolled by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Police Department. Likely walking on a railway with a loaded rifle would be treated the same as walking down a city street with a loaded rifle. It is still goverened federally by the NTSB, and by local/state DOT.

I wouldn't risk it. but that's my advice and 

[Kowsrule30]

I haven't done it in a while but a place where I grew up as a kid I and a few other kids all played and hunted off the tracks...      Don't remember ever seeing a no tresspassing sign...

[bigtex]

Remember that is may be jus personal opinion from gamie to gamie about what to do or say in the instance of someone being on or hunting on RR property. Any railroad property that is maintained, and ALOT that isn't IS Private property, even just to cross. Railroad police (UP & BNSF) have EXTREMELY different outlooks and enforcement policies than you're everyday Gamie, and can & most likely will, cite you. Also, I'm pretty sure there isn't any 'dedicated' Amtrak property in Washington, save for maybe some sidings in Dowtown Seattle and a few in the Everett Delta Yard. Most ALL of Washington tracks are enforced and patrolled by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Police Department. Likely walking on a railway with a loaded rifle would be treated the same as walking down a city street with a loaded rifle. It is still goverened federally by the NTSB, and by local/state DOT.

I wouldn't risk it. but that's my advice and 

 
The RR companies also have a contract with WDFW allowing WDFW Officers to cite for trespassing on RR property.

[Hunterman]

I've shot quite a few deer on rail road tracks, even had a couple of gamies help drag a couple to my truck  Hell a M.P. helped me one time..Never a poblem. I'd still do it this day and age if given a chance

Hunterman(Tony)

[Dmanmastertracker]

 My father worked for BN for 40 years.

 What I know:

 Abandoned tracks are treated differently -I would ask the owner about those lines, there are many abandoned tracks today that will not be restored to service in rural area's and often these lands are no longer even owned by the RR.

 As far as active lines, it is very foolish to hunt those today for a number of reasons, I can't tell you how many times dad had to help clean up after accidents on the tracks involving folks who thought is was safe to walk them. The security since 9-11 on tracks has changed things as well, you are likely to get escorted off any track you are hunting today in cuffs, they would take armed trespassing very seriously. I still work land agreements with the railroad today and as far as I have ever known, there are no exceptions.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

I have never heard of this being a problem where I hunted.  We had to walk the railroad tracks out to the duck blinds in Burbank (tri cities area).  Trains still use it and every time a train is stopped or a work crew was out there they always wanted to know how we did. Unless you had a boat or felt like swimming, the tracks were the only way to the blinds we hunted.

[dscubame]

Tri Cities yep......along the Snake River yep........Various in the Palouse yep.  No issues maybe it is a Eastern WA thing?

[CedarPants]

I see plenty of guys walking the tracks that border my land to the east.  I wish I could say they were just walking from point A to point B, but experience has told me that's not the case.  50 feet on either side of the tracks is an awfully narrow lane to drop a deer, assuming your plan is to drop it where it stands so that it doesn't wander off and die on private property that you don't have access to.

I've lost track of how many times I (and my property neighbors) have caught people that wandered in off the tracks because they either saw an animal, or because it was just too tempting to hop off the tracks and up the ridge to see what's on top.

Is it actually legal to hunt the tracks?  I honestly don't know.  What I do know from my observations is that hunting the tracks more often than not leads to trespassing on land people know dang well they shouldn't be on

[mdbuck5x5]

I see plenty of guys walking the tracks that border my land to the east.  I wish I could say they were just walking from point A to point B, but experience has told me that's not the case.  50 feet on either side of the tracks is an awfully narrow lane to drop a deer, assuming your plan is to drop it where it stands so that it doesn't wander off and die on private property that you don't have access to.

I've lost track of how many times I (and my property neighbors) have caught people that wandered in off the tracks because they either saw an animal, or because it was just too tempting to hop off the tracks and up the ridge to see what's on top.

Is it actually legal to hunt the tracks?  I honestly don't know.  What I do know from my observations is that hunting the tracks more often than not leads to trespassing on land people know dang well they shouldn't be on

And there in lies part of the problem. It is absolutely illegal to be on the tracks little own be hunting from them, its private poperty and people are trespassing plain and simple. How do know I this? Because I have worked for the RR (BNSF) for the past 7 years. You guys want a for sure answer, I will email one of our special agents and ask what kind of penalties you'd be looking at if you got caught!

[CedarPants]

I see plenty of guys walking the tracks that border my land to the east.  I wish I could say they were just walking from point A to point B, but experience has told me that's not the case.  50 feet on either side of the tracks is an awfully narrow lane to drop a deer, assuming your plan is to drop it where it stands so that it doesn't wander off and die on private property that you don't have access to.

I've lost track of how many times I (and my property neighbors) have caught people that wandered in off the tracks because they either saw an animal, or because it was just too tempting to hop off the tracks and up the ridge to see what's on top.

Is it actually legal to hunt the tracks?  I honestly don't know.  What I do know from my observations is that hunting the tracks more often than not leads to trespassing on land people know dang well they shouldn't be on

And there in lies part of the problem. It is absolutely illegal to be on the tracks little own be hunting from them, its private poperty and people are trespassing plain and simple. How do know I this? Because I have worked for the RR (BNSF) for the past 7 years. You guys want a for sure answer, I will email one of our special agents and ask what kind of penalties you'd be looking at if you got caught!

 

BNSF are the tracks I was referring to.  You are welcome at my place anytime.  I've ran into those guys several times, always great guys

[mdbuck5x5]

I see plenty of guys walking the tracks that border my land to the east.  I wish I could say they were just walking from point A to point B, but experience has told me that's not the case.  50 feet on either side of the tracks is an awfully narrow lane to drop a deer, assuming your plan is to drop it where it stands so that it doesn't wander off and die on private property that you don't have access to.

I've lost track of how many times I (and my property neighbors) have caught people that wandered in off the tracks because they either saw an animal, or because it was just too tempting to hop off the tracks and up the ridge to see what's on top.

Is it actually legal to hunt the tracks?  I honestly don't know.  What I do know from my observations is that hunting the tracks more often than not leads to trespassing on land people know dang well they shouldn't be on

And there in lies part of the problem. It is absolutely illegal to be on the tracks little own be hunting from them, its private poperty and people are trespassing plain and simple. How do know I this? Because I have worked for the RR (BNSF) for the past 7 years. You guys want a for sure answer, I will email one of our special agents and ask what kind of penalties you'd be looking at if you got caught!

 

BNSF are the tracks I was referring to.  You are welcome at my place anytime.  I've ran into those guys several times, always great guys

   Alright Cedar, thanks man I appreciate that! A couple of guys I work with are actually members on here as well.