Shooting from Within your Vehicle Now Legal

[sakoshooter]

I've been writing and calling the WDFW for about 10 years concerning their omittance of the word "Negligently" from the reg concerning shooting from a road.
Last year they added it to the waterfowl regs.
This year they added it to the Big Game regs but screwed it up big time in my opinion.
They also didn't highlight in red like they're supposed to do with anything new but then they're good at sneaking things into the regs.
It now reads:
Negligently discharging a firearm from, across, or along the maintained portion of any public highway, regardless of surface, or from within a moving vehicle or moving off-road vehicle is prohibitied, except for hunters with disabilities in compliance with WAC 232-12-828

[Brad Harshman]

So if I'm pulled off the maintained portion of the road and parked, I can legally fire my weapon as long as I'm shooting away from the road.  Just great 

[bigtex]

The WDFW Commission didn't change the law, the state legislature changed the law in 2012.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=77.15.460

It remains illegal under federal law to discharge a weapon from a USFS road, doesn't matter if your in your vehicle or standing on the road.

[snowpack]

Only with a handgun though, right?  Long guns still can't be loaded inside a vehicle.

[Brad Harshman]

Better yet, while on a "trail" on my stopped, but still running, four-wheeler, I can shoot my weapon.

Here we go..

[bigtex]

Only with a handgun though, right?  Long guns still can't be loaded inside a vehicle.

There's an exception for long guns

(the section refers to loaded firearms in vehicles)
(4) This section does not apply if the person:
(c) Discharges the rifle or shotgun from upon a nonmoving motor vehicle or a nonmoving off-road vehicle, as long as the engine is turned off and the motor vehicle or off-road vehicle is not parked on or beside the maintained portion of a public road, except as authorized by the commission by rule.

EFFECTIVE JUNE 2014 THE FOLLOWING TAKES EFFECT
(c) Discharges the rifle or shotgun from upon a nonmoving motor vehicle, as long as the engine is turned off and the motor vehicle is not parked on or beside the maintained portion of a public road, except as authorized by the commission by rule. This subsection (4)(c) does not apply to off-road vehicles, which are unlawful to use for hunting under RCW 46.09.480, unless the person has a department permit issued under RCW 77.32.237.

[bobcat]

The change really only applies to private property. So if you're on Weyerhaeuser property, you could shoot over the hood of your truck but on state land you cannot.


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[MarkyMark]

So answer this one for me fellas: I'm driving down a public road in state owned land. I spy a legal deer during the appropriate season. How far off the road must I walk before I'm no longer "road hunting"? Across the open ditch? On the other side of the fence if there is one ( like CRP land)?

[bobcat]

So answer this one for me fellas: I'm driving down a public road in state owned land. I spy a legal deer during the appropriate season. How far off the road must I walk before I'm no longer "road hunting"? Across the open ditch? On the other side of the fence if there is one ( like CRP land)?

Road hunting by whose definition? You'd be legal to shoot from the road, as long as you weren't "negligent."

[MarkyMark]

Oh I promise not to be negligent.

[JJB11B]

This is going to make Coyote hunting EASY!

[Bob33]

No you cannot legally discharge a firearm from within a vehicle!

The law changed two years ago to to allow a firearm to be discharged from upon a motor vehicle, under certain conditions. It is still illegal to discharge from within. The change occurring in June restricts off road vehicles.

The term "negligently" has been in the RCW for many years. It is a good example of why the big game regulations are not always definitive.

[MarkyMark]

So is it ok to use the hood of your truck that is in the road as a rest to shoot from?

[Bob33]

So is it ok to use the hood of your truck that is in the road as a rest to shoot from?

What do you think?

(4) This section does not apply if the person:
...
(c) Discharges the rifle or shotgun from upon a nonmoving motor vehicle or a nonmoving off-road vehicle, as long as the engine is turned off and the motor vehicle or off-road vehicle is not parked on or beside the maintained portion of a public road, except as authorized by the commission by rule.

[MarkyMark]

I'm gonna go with a no answer.