Saw my first WDFW deer decoy

[grundy53]

I didn't know it was illegal to to shoot deer targets after shooting hours....lol would have been tempted to blow it's head off for fun

I thought the same thing. The law only states that during the months of October and November during modern firearm deer and elk season, that you can not  hunt deer, elk, bobcat, raccoon and coyote at night. Nothing said about target shooting. I have seen the mechanical deer on many occasions. And it is totally obvious it is a target.. Again, no where does it say you can not shoot a target... I would have to fight it in court, until the laws are changed.

Shooting from a roadway...Shooting from a motor vehicle...Loaded firearm in a vehicle...Spotlighting...

All the above are potential violations in decoy operations.

Spot lighting isn't illegal.

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It is if they have firearms in the vehicle.

My point was that it is illegal to hunt with the aid of artificial light. It is not illegal to just spot light. I agree you definitely shouldn't have a weapon with you if you are going to do it. However, I used to have a good family friend who was a sergeant for the WDFW (sadly, he passed away). He was telling me stories one day about some of the weird stuff he's come across and some of the most ingenuitive poachers he's caught. Anyway, it comes up in the conversation that it technically isn't illegal to have a weapon with you while spot lighting. He said you will definitely get a ticket but if you took it to court and had a decent lawyer you would beat the charge every time because for the charge to stick they would have to prove intent. Just having a weapon in the truck doesn't prove intent. Obviously it's  smarter and cheaper to just not have a gun in the rig and way less headache. But for some reason his point always stuck with me so now whenever someone talks about spot lighting being illegal I always remember that story. Even if it is just a dumb technicality.

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[grundy53]

Its also not legal to spotlight during modern deer elk seasons.

Incorrect

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[PolarBear]

That's funny. They don't like it when you take selfies with the decoys either 

They also don't like it when you sneak in and hang beer cans off of it then sneak off undetected.   

[grundy53]

That's funny. They don't like it when you take selfies with the decoys either 

They also don't like it when you sneak in and hang beer cans off of it then sneak off undetected.   

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[Bob33]

I didn't know it was illegal to to shoot deer targets after shooting hours....lol would have been tempted to blow it's head off for fun

I thought the same thing. The law only states that during the months of October and November during modern firearm deer and elk season, that you can not  hunt deer, elk, bobcat, raccoon and coyote at night. Nothing said about target shooting. I have seen the mechanical deer on many occasions. And it is totally obvious it is a target.. Again, no where does it say you can not shoot a target... I would have to fight it in court, until the laws are changed.

Shooting from a roadway...Shooting from a motor vehicle...Loaded firearm in a vehicle...Spotlighting...

All the above are potential violations in decoy operations.

Spot lighting isn't illegal.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

It is if they have firearms in the vehicle.

My point was that it is illegal to hunt with the aid of artificial light. It is not illegal to just spot light. I agree you definitely shouldn't have a weapon with you if you are going to do it. However, I used to have a good family friend who was a sergeant for the WDFW (sadly, he passed away). He was telling me stories one day about some of the weird stuff he's come across and some of the most ingenuitive poachers he's caught. Anyway, it comes up in the conversation that it technically isn't illegal to have a weapon with you while spot lighting. He said you will definitely get a ticket but if you took it to court and had a decent lawyer you would beat the charge every time because for the charge to stick they would have to prove intent. Just having a weapon in the truck doesn't prove intent. Obviously it's  smarter and cheaper to just not have a gun in the rig and way less headache. But for some reason his point always stuck with me so now whenever someone talks about spot lighting being illegal I always remember that story. Even if it is just a dumb technicality.

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I believe most judges consider the presence of firearms as sufficient proof of intent., but you could possibly convince one otherwise.

[grundy53]

I didn't know it was illegal to to shoot deer targets after shooting hours....lol would have been tempted to blow it's head off for fun

I thought the same thing. The law only states that during the months of October and November during modern firearm deer and elk season, that you can not  hunt deer, elk, bobcat, raccoon and coyote at night. Nothing said about target shooting. I have seen the mechanical deer on many occasions. And it is totally obvious it is a target.. Again, no where does it say you can not shoot a target... I would have to fight it in court, until the laws are changed.

Shooting from a roadway...Shooting from a motor vehicle...Loaded firearm in a vehicle...Spotlighting...

All the above are potential violations in decoy operations.

Spot lighting isn't illegal.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

It is if they have firearms in the vehicle.

My point was that it is illegal to hunt with the aid of artificial light. It is not illegal to just spot light. I agree you definitely shouldn't have a weapon with you if you are going to do it. However, I used to have a good family friend who was a sergeant for the WDFW (sadly, he passed away). He was telling me stories one day about some of the weird stuff he's come across and some of the most ingenuitive poachers he's caught. Anyway, it comes up in the conversation that it technically isn't illegal to have a weapon with you while spot lighting. He said you will definitely get a ticket but if you took it to court and had a decent lawyer you would beat the charge every time because for the charge to stick they would have to prove intent. Just having a weapon in the truck doesn't prove intent. Obviously it's  smarter and cheaper to just not have a gun in the rig and way less headache. But for some reason his point always stuck with me so now whenever someone talks about spot lighting being illegal I always remember that story. Even if it is just a dumb technicality.

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I believe most judges consider the presence of firearms as sufficient proof of intent., but you could possibly convince one otherwise.

Like I said this isn't my theory. The warden disagreed. He said the presence of a firearm doesn't prove intent. I do think it would be really stupid to have a firearm with you.

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[bwhntr350]

     I have a friend who was hunting with his buddy in E. Wa. a few years back. They saw a decoy below the road in an open area. They both got out of the rig and My friends buddy shot it, lol. Instantly, they heard voices to put down their guns.

     My friend, who did not shoot, got a ticket for not wearing his required orange. The shooter got hit with over $700 in fines and damages to the decoy. I think they got him for no orange and shooting a firearm from a right of way. The largest part of the ticket was the damage to the decoy.

     My friend has no ill feelings about it. He said they done wrong and had nothing to complain about.

[PolarBear]

As funny as it all is, we complain everyday about poachers, and all they are trying to do is catch some.  I'm glad they are out there.

We need more of them!

[ELKBURGER]

As funny as it all is, we complain everyday about poachers, and all they are trying to do is catch some.  I'm glad they are out there.

We need more of them!

:yeah:X2

[The Gobble-stopper]

Just pulled this off the WDFW web sight. Someone asked them about the spotlighting. Here is their answer!
Can I hunt bobcat, raccoon or coyote at night with a spotlight?

You can hunt bobcat, raccoon, or coyote at night with a spotlight during their open seasons. However, you cannot hunt them with a spotlight during September, October, or November in any area open to a modern firearm deer or elk season.

[grundy53]

Just pulled this off the WDFW web sight. Someone asked them about the spotlighting. Here is their answer!
Can I hunt bobcat, raccoon or coyote at night with a spotlight?

You can hunt bobcat, raccoon, or coyote at night with a spotlight during their open seasons. However, you cannot hunt them with a spotlight during September, October, or November in any area open to a modern firearm deer or elk season.

It says that in the regs too.

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[hogslayer]

On the power lines by Lakeland village.

[floatinghat]

Dang! Out of all places I wouldn't really expect em to be using a decoy in the Belfair area. I'm not asking for your super secret hunting spot, I'm just curious where abouts    this was? Good for you for following the rules!

Why not, I have seen my share of marginal activity in the Belfair area (most have been fishing related).  Like anywhere there is a meat on the table damn the rules percentage.

[Piscatory_5]

That's funny. They don't like it when you take selfies with the decoys either 

If like to see some of those.
😈

I wonder if you announced you were going to shoot the hell out of the decoy I unless you wardens come out of hiding. Then pump 3 rounds of 00 buckshot into it. Do they record everything during the sting operations?

[Elkrunner]

That's funny. They don't like it when you take selfies with the decoys either 

If like to see some of those.
😈

I wonder if you announced you were going to shoot the hell out of the decoy I unless you wardens come out of hiding. Then pump 3 rounds of 00 buckshot into it. Do they record everything during the sting operations?

Honestly, I do not see the point as to why you would want to shoot the decoy.  In my opinion you are being part of the problem when doing that.  It's just childish on a certain level.