Legal question

[Curly]

I assume it is rather difficult to get WAC's and RCW's changed.  Wouldn't it be easier for the WDFW enforcement chief to let all his officers know that he doesn't want any of his officers writing someone up for wasting wildlife if they shoot a coyote and don't eat the meat?  (At least that seems like a solution until some point when the RCW's and WAC's can be revised.)

Doesn't the legislature have more important things to deal with than changing wildlife wastage laws?  I never even would have thought it to be an issue except that it was stated in this thread about some officers in Grant and Adams counties writing citations to coyote hunters......

[Bob33]

I assume it is rather difficult to get WAC's and RCW's changed.  Wouldn't it be easier for the WDFW enforcement chief to let all his officers know that he doesn't want any of his officers writing someone up for wasting wildlife if they shoot a coyote and don't eat the meat?

What if the Chief supports it? Some of those who have posted on here do.

[Curly]

I assume it is rather difficult to get WAC's and RCW's changed.  Wouldn't it be easier for the WDFW enforcement chief to let all his officers know that he doesn't want any of his officers writing someone up for wasting wildlife if they shoot a coyote and don't eat the meat?

What if the Chief supports it? Some of those who have posted on here do.

Just seems like an ethical issue to me.  Some people see no problem leaving a coyote, some people do see a problem.  I guess there is also the issue as to whether a coyote is left out in the open for everyone to see.  But, to me there needs to be more definitive wording on what constitutes wastage.  I mean, do they expect you to eat it for it to not be considered waste?

What if Bigtex is the Chief?  Then that is scary because he sees no problem with his guys writing coyote hunters up for wastage.  I'd like to know what circumstance the officer is writing for?  The case this thread started out, the coyote would not have been visible to anyone except maybe if the farmer was to walk out through the field he may find it. 

Bigtex was on another thread about Nutria telling someone that he shouldn't shoot nutria because he could get charged with waste of wildlife. 

I do like the info Bigtex gives on this site; he is valuable.  But he is contradicting what WDFW wildlife services is telling and contradicting what I bet 98% of hunters think in regards to waste of wildlife (which is what the regs say about "game").

[Curly]

You know, most hunters don't go read the RCW's.  We just look in the regs and go hunting.  And I've hunted in this state for 35 years and this is the first I've heard of anyone being cited for leaving a coyote lay.  We shouldn't have to go read all the RCW's and WAC's.......the hunting regs should suffice.

  for dragging this one out.  It started out as a question where I knew the situation was an unethical one with some gray areas in there as far as what an officer might cite a guy for, but it ended up with an answer I no way could have predicted about being cited for wastage. 

[Bob33]

What I'd pay to see is a hunter charged with wasting a coyote taking some barbequed coyote to court to give to the judge. "Here you go - I retrieved it for you so it wouldn't be wasted. Eat up."

[bobcat]

[Curly]

Would you pay more to see BBQ nutria in court or BBQ coyote? 

 

[Bob33]

BBQ possum.

I see the "Roadkill Cafe Cookbook" experiencing a surge in Washington state sales.

[stevemiller]

WAC 246-203-121 this explains a little more about the issue.   ILLEGAL I guess in more ways than 1

[Buckmark]

Coyotes just need a little attention every now and then, a little scratching behind the ears...

[Gringo31]

I hate to see anyone in the spot of trying to say "what it all means" when the laws are so goofy...


I don't leave my coyotes lay...I make a big pile of them so the ravens and eagles have an easy spot to get their necessary energy during the winter months 

But this discussion of the animal kingdom.... wow.  Makes me think of all the critters I shoot to let lay.  Rock chucks, pigeons, starlings or even mice? 

I will say that in Alaska, you are not to waste ANYTHING!  If you shoot a rock chuck, you better plan on skinning or eating it.  Their waste laws are crystal clear.  (from what I understand)

[Bob33]

Don't forget this part from RCW 77.08.010:

"The term "wildlife" includes all stages of development and the bodily parts of wildlife members."

If you shoot a cow elk in December, a fetus would be considered wildlife by this definition. Better not waste it!

[bigtex]

I assume it is rather difficult to get WAC's and RCW's changed.  Wouldn't it be easier for the WDFW enforcement chief to let all his officers know that he doesn't want any of his officers writing someone up for wasting wildlife if they shoot a coyote and don't eat the meat?  (At least that seems like a solution until some point when the RCW's and WAC's can be revised.)

Doesn't the legislature have more important things to deal with than changing wildlife wastage laws?  I never even would have thought it to be an issue except that it was stated in this thread about some officers in Grant and Adams counties writing citations to coyote hunters......

The easiest thing to get changes is the WAC because WAC's are changed by the agency boards/commissions. So all WDFW would have to do is say change the WAC, they give the commission a proposal, commission votes and approves it.

The RCW has to change by the legislature. Recently, WDFW LE has had a pretty run on changing RCWs on the violation/penalty side, they had two big overhauls in 2012 and 2014.

Now in order for the wastage law to change the change would need to come in the RCW, so thus the legislature. The RCW is the law that says "wildlife" so it would require the legislature to change that law to game animals, etc.

I assume it is rather difficult to get WAC's and RCW's changed.  Wouldn't it be easier for the WDFW enforcement chief to let all his officers know that he doesn't want any of his officers writing someone up for wasting wildlife if they shoot a coyote and don't eat the meat?

What if the Chief supports it? Some of those who have posted on here do.

Just seems like an ethical issue to me.  Some people see no problem leaving a coyote, some people do see a problem.  I guess there is also the issue as to whether a coyote is left out in the open for everyone to see.  But, to me there needs to be more definitive wording on what constitutes wastage.  I mean, do they expect you to eat it for it to not be considered waste?

What if Bigtex is the Chief?  Then that is scary because he sees no problem with his guys writing coyote hunters up for wastage.  I'd like to know what circumstance the officer is writing for?  The case this thread started out, the coyote would not have been visible to anyone except maybe if the farmer was to walk out through the field he may find it. 

Bigtex was on another thread about Nutria telling someone that he shouldn't shoot nutria because he could get charged with waste of wildlife. 

I do like the info Bigtex gives on this site; he is valuable.  But he is contradicting what WDFW wildlife services is telling and contradicting what I bet 98% of hunters think in regards to waste of wildlife (which is what the regs say about "game").

I am not contradicting what WDFW is saying. WDFW is basically contradicting what the law says, the state law says you can't waste wildlife, read the law yourself. Coyotes and all other animals are considered "wildlife" per state law.

As far as me being Chief. I have no problem with officers enforcing the laws that are on the books, are there laws they should concentrate their time on compaired to others, certainly. You can ask any LEO out there and they will tell you a handful of laws that they don't think should exist, yet they still do enforce. A large amount of WDFW Officers, especially the old timers don't think bear baiting should be illegal, yet they are out making baiting cases. I personally have a list of laws across the natural resource spectrum that I would abolish or amend, however until that day comes I must still enforce it. I am not saying officers should go looking for hunters carrying flashlights at night, dumping nutria, or leaving a coyote lay, but if they stumble across it, then sure they can do their job.

[HawkCreek]

I assume it is rather difficult to get WAC's and RCW's changed.  Wouldn't it be easier for the WDFW enforcement chief to let all his officers know that he doesn't want any of his officers writing someone up for wasting wildlife if they shoot a coyote and don't eat the meat?

What if the Chief supports it? Some of those who have posted on here do.

Bigtex was on another thread about Nutria telling someone that he shouldn't shoot nutria because he could get charged with waste of wildlife. 

That was my thread. He never said I couldn't kill a nutria he said it wasn't legal to leave it lay. I was reading an outdated RCW (not that it matters since its come to light that wildlife and game are the same things on the rule books) that said over $250 or a game animal.

Yes I still thinks its a stupid law that I could be cited for if I killed an invasive species (called so by the very state that would cite me) but I'm not so old I can't learn a new trick. So I just pick it up and dump it in the trash, apparently that's enough. Whatever, it's not the first time I've played the games until things changed.

[bobcat]

Yes I still thinks its a stupid law that I could be cited for if I killed an invasive species (called so by the very state that would cite me) but I'm not so old I can't learn a new trick. So I just pick it up and dump it in the trash, apparently that's enough. Whatever, it's not the first time I've played the games until things changed.

Yes, it's an extremely stupid law. Even more stupid is the fact that the WDFW might actually enforce it, when it's an invasive species that the state would like to get rid of.   

Now I have always tried to support the WDFW but with stuff like this, it's not so easy anymore. This is just ridiculous. It's beyond stupid