Shooting off a road question

[leonpeon2]

Was out hunting a lot today and on our way back we see a few deer Along a county road. I had thought to shoot anything you needed to be five feet off the road. My hunting partner thought it was 100 ft of the road.
Either way we didn't know so we passed on them.

I know you can't shoot across a road   
But what is the law about being on a road and shooting off of it.

Also is there a difference from a logging road and a county rod?  Or are they both just concidered a road and same law is in effect.

[Blacktail Sniper]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/help/questions/70/What+are+the+rules+about+shooting+from+a+road%3F

[benhuntin]

No defined distance.


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[benhuntin]

I was told the key word is "negligently"


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[bobcat]

It's actually not illegal to shoot from a road. It's only illegal if done "negligently." There's definitely no specific distance from the road that you need to be. As to what would be considered negligent, I don't know. I'm not sure I'd ever shoot from a paved county road. But technically, it's not illegal. Of course that's assuming you're on public land, or private land that's open to the general public.

[bobcat]

One more point, it's actually illegal under federal law to shoot from a National Forest road. So it doesn't matter what the state law says, the federal law is what matters if you're on federal land.

[leonpeon2]

Dang.  You guys are quick. Thank you for the info.
I should have shot the deer and had me some for dinner tonight.


Thank you for the quick response.

[Blacktail Sniper]

It is what we live for....

Good luck, looking forward to some success pictures and a story!!

[Smoke]

yes... the law was changed this year, for rifles... it's still illegal to shoot from the road with a muzzy or bow... (I know it doesn't make sence to me too)...  still illegal to shoot from a vehicle.. have heard that even tho your out of the truck.. if you use the hood, bed or door for a rest, it's a ticket..

[buckcanyonlodge]

 the law was changed this year, for rifles... it's still illegal to shoot from the road with a muzzy or bow.     The law has been the same for at least 6 years that I know of. We were checked at a game dept. check station and three wardens told us then that you could shoot from a county road as long as it was not negligent. You can NOT shoot from a county road with a bow. Can someone show me where it says you can't shoot from a county road with a muzzy? Thank you..

[Bango skank]

 the law was changed this year, for rifles... it's still illegal to shoot from the road with a muzzy or bow.     The law has been the same for at least 6 years that I know of. We were checked at a game dept. check station and three wardens told us then that you could shoot from a county road as long as it was not negligent. You can NOT shoot from a county road with a bow. Can someone show me where it says you can't shoot from a county road with a muzzy? Thank you..

How about shooting mule deer from sr25? Heard a couple winners were trying to pull that off this year.   

[Blacktail Sniper]

yes... the law was changed this year, for rifles... it's still illegal to shoot from the road with a muzzy or bow... (I know it doesn't make sence to me too)...  still illegal to shoot from a vehicle.. have heard that even tho your out of the truck.. if you use the hood, bed or door for a rest, it's a ticket..

Looks like that may have changed:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/help/questions/109/Is+it+legal+to+use+the+hood+of+my+vehicle+as+a+rest+while+sighting-in+my+rifle+or+aiming+at+an+animal%3F

[JDHasty]

The word negligent was added recently.  I actually had a conversation with an enforcement guy regarding that change when it was illegal period to shoot from, along or across any roadway.

I would climb up into a talus slope that had a maintained road below it and could see approaching vehicles or people or livestock for a half mile in every direction except behind me.  I shot up and down the slope, but never across the road into the alfalfa there. 

He said that there was an effort to change the wording in such a way that it would be legal for me to shoot across a road such as that one, that only has one vehicle on it every 15 minutes or so.  Especially when it is a situation like that. 

I said it would be nice, but it wasn't a big deal to me either way.  I always try to avoid any confrontation when I am chuck shooting and shooting across the road from my friend's property to his alfalfa just doesn't impress me with being consistent with not giving anyone any reason to complain. 

[bobcat]

The word "negligent" has always been part of the law regarding shooting from a public road. They only recently added that word to the summary of the law that's printed in the hunting regulations.

As for using a vehicle as a rest while shooting, that law was recently changed so that it is legal, but only if you're on a private road or if you're on public land then your vehicle has to be off of the road.

[bobcat]

How about shooting mule deer from sr25? Heard a couple winners were trying to pull that off this year.   

A state highway is no different than a county road when it comes to the law that applies to shooting from roads. They're both public roads and the law doesn't make any distinction between whether it's county or state.