Saw my first WDFW deer decoy

[Shank]

So define spotlighting please.
 We all have been driving down a FS road heading back to camp at night and have seeing  legal animal cross the road, or been right off the road. Stopped whipped out the lights to just get a better look, with ZERO intent of shooting, only intent was to see the animal and plan for the morning.....how is that wrong?

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[birddogdad]

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.

sure thing BA, honest is honest... however, setting a decoy within 10 yds of car, an atv, ect.. to my mind is a complete attempt to setup someone.. in this case OP. If they had prior complaints or intel toward acts then that would be different....... no film crew for TV show, maybe because if they did film it would have not held up in court by this reasoning (if OP had unloaded on it)

many years ago, PA/ NY state had decoys that were equipped with headgear qualifying as trophy bucks, several thrown out court cases due to this entrapment concept ..... now they use small rack, plain bucks to hook poachers back east...

there is walking the line and then there is this.... BAD FORM by wdfw (IMO) on this kind of very pointed sting, this warden was after THIS hunter period and that is NOT how they are supposed to operate, again, unless they had some intel and complaints on this or some ATV afterhours shooting in the area prior to setup...

[Bob33]

So define spotlighting please.
 We all have been driving down a FS road heading back to camp at night and have seeing  legal animal cross the road, or been right off the road. Stopped whipped out the lights to just get a better look, with ZERO intent of shooting, only intent was to see the animal and plan for the morning.....how is that wrong?

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Using a spotlight with firearms/archery  gear in the vehicle will get you cited.

wdfw.wa.gov/help/questions/78/Is+it+legal+to+spotlight+big+game+if+no+hunting+equipment+is+in+my+vehicle%3F+


It is legal to spotlight big game if no hunting equipment is in your vehicle. However, if you have any firearms, archery equipment, or crossbows in your vehicle, whether or not they meet legal hunting requirements, you are considered to be hunting.

It is illegal to hunt big game with the aid of an artificial light or spotlight.

It is illegal to use any vehicle to pursue, concentrate, or harass wild animals or wild birds.

WDFW recommends hunters do not spotlight big game at any time.

[h20hunter]

I've only come across one decoy. A few years back we were out for a midday drive to scout and kill some time. Across a draw as a deer standing broadside with his vitals, head, and neck showing. We of course got out, glassed it up, and knew it was a decoy. Nobody had laid a hand on a rifle or made any moves to shoot. Within a minute a warden came out of the woods, checked us over, asked us to move along. Not 45 seconds after we left, just rounding the corner we hear a truck come to a quick stop and KABOOM the shot rings out. Never heard a door open or anything....sure enough they were still getting their paperwork when we came back that way.

[luvmystang67]

I would prefer that LEOs were placing 10K in cash on the seat of a car and leaving it around Seattle.  Better targeting would be to leave it in South Seattle somewhere with a super realistic airsoft gun left on the seat.

Maybe cops should sit at sasquach concert and hold up a cardboard sign that says MDMA for sale and bust everyone who pulls out cash and shows intent to purchase.

Maybe they should send divers down and fill crab pots with more keepers than a person can have and watch them pull it to see if they make the right choice.


If we think of other forms of this it could start to sound a little messed up, but I am glad they're getting poachers.  I'm more concerned about fair and equal laws than poaching though.

[westsidehntr]

I would prefer that LEOs were placing 10K in cash on the seat of a car and leaving it around Seattle.  Better targeting would be to leave it in South Seattle somewhere with a super realistic airsoft gun left on the seat.

Maybe cops should sit at sasquach concert and hold up a cardboard sign that says MDMA for sale and bust everyone who pulls out cash and shows intent to purchase.

Maybe they should send divers down and fill crab pots with more keepers than a person can have and watch them pull it to see if they make the right choice.


If we think of other forms of this it could start to sound a little messed up, but I am glad they're getting poachers.  I'm more concerned about fair and equal laws than poaching though.

 
If it is illegal to leave your car warming up on the street unattended because it is an enticing opportunity for thieves, how is it legal for WDFW to entice would be poachers?

[bobcat]

I'm glad they're using the decoys to catch law breakers, I only wish they would use the method more outside of hunting seasons than they do during hunting season. Seems they would catch more of the hard core poachers rather than just some hunter who gets excited and shoots 3 minutes after legal hunting hours.

[baldopepper]

I don't know about Washington, but I know Utah uses them year around.  I have an older brother who has done a lot of work for the wardens in that state (he's a forensic guy and an expert witness in ballistics and blood) and he's gone along on several stake outs.  He's got video of some that are really funny.  One is of a couple of guys who literally empty their guns into a decoy (cussing out loud after every shot) because the decoy won't fall over.  Wardens are laughing so hard they nearly let the guys drive off but nailed them when they stopped to reload.  They are very effective and even more effective in the off season (poachers seem to be in a bigger hurry and don't look as close).

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I would prefer that LEOs were placing 10K in cash on the seat of a car and leaving it around Seattle.  Better targeting would be to leave it in South Seattle somewhere with a super realistic airsoft gun left on the seat.

Maybe cops should sit at sasquach concert and hold up a cardboard sign that says MDMA for sale and bust everyone who pulls out cash and shows intent to purchase.

Maybe they should send divers down and fill crab pots with more keepers than a person can have and watch them pull it to see if they make the right choice.


If we think of other forms of this it could start to sound a little messed up, but I am glad they're getting poachers.  I'm more concerned about fair and equal laws than poaching though.

 
If it is illegal to leave your car warming up on the street unattended because it is an enticing opportunity for thieves, how is it legal for WDFW to entice would be poachers?

Interesting point of view. And a good question.

My answer would be that it shouldn't be illegal to leave your car unlocked with the keys in them. (it might be stupid, but shouldn't be illegal) Making the victims responsible for the perpetrators' actions is ridiculous. It's the same thing as saying a rape victim is responsible because she wore a short skirt, or she went into a biker bar.  You don't make people responsible for their own actions by blaming someone else.

[rosscrazyelk]

I want to see one so I can take a selfie. LOL

[Bob33]

I want to see one so I can take a selfie. LOL

Make sure you notch and attach your tag first, and be sure to wear orange.

[Curly]

Do they really charge the shooter for damages to the decoy if they put holes in it? 

[westsidehntr]

I would prefer that LEOs were placing 10K in cash on the seat of a car and leaving it around Seattle.  Better targeting would be to leave it in South Seattle somewhere with a super realistic airsoft gun left on the seat.

Maybe cops should sit at sasquach concert and hold up a cardboard sign that says MDMA for sale and bust everyone who pulls out cash and shows intent to purchase.

Maybe they should send divers down and fill crab pots with more keepers than a person can have and watch them pull it to see if they make the right choice.


If we think of other forms of this it could start to sound a little messed up, but I am glad they're getting poachers.  I'm more concerned about fair and equal laws than poaching though.

 
If it is illegal to leave your car warming up on the street unattended because it is an enticing opportunity for thieves, how is it legal for WDFW to entice would be poachers?

Interesting point of view. And a good question.

My answer would be that it shouldn't be illegal to leave your car unlocked with the keys in them. (it might be stupid, but shouldn't be illegal) Making the victims responsible for the perpetrators' actions is ridiculous. It's the same thing as saying a rape victim is responsible because she wore a short skirt, or she went into a biker bar.  You don't make people responsible for their own actions by blaming someone else.

I agree, it shouldn't be illegal to warm up your car. But it is, and I'd like to hear bigtex thoughts on this.

I do feel like bait cars, decoy setups, etc, are stupid. Prosecute real crimes, don't create them.

[hogslayer]

Guess you learn something new everyday.  There is a sewage plant next to wherein hunt so they could have called me in for spot lighting.  Every night on my way home I shine my head lamp on the sides of the road in the brush to see where the deer are coming out from.  Didn't know it was illegal.  More just a scouting tactic for the morning. 

[KFhunter]

I'm glad they're using the decoys to catch law breakers, I only wish they would use the method more outside of hunting seasons than they do during hunting season. Seems they would catch more of the hard core poachers rather than just some hunter who gets excited and shoots 3 minutes after legal hunting hours.

   a hard core poacher isn't going to wait for hunting season to do their deed.