Loaded Guns in Vehicle while Hunting WA?

[Bob33]

Is having a loaded gun in the bed of your truck considered in the vehicle?  For instance if you were heading back to camp and put your stuff in the bed of the truck and drove a couple miles to camp.

I heard of a couple of guys who got busted by WDFW for having a loaded rifle hanging by the sling from the side mirror of a parked truck, while in in deer camp.
And another with a loaded rifle leaning against a tire of a parked truck, while deer hunting.
Both of these were in the early 2000s.

Prior to 2014 it was illegal to have a loaded rifle or shotgun "upon" a motor vehicle.

[ghosthunter]

The RCW was amended in 2014 to change "in or upon a motor vehicle" to simply "in a motor vehicle."

You could argue that an exposed bed is not "in" a motor vehicle.

It's still not very wise.

I gotta think you would loose that argument. 
If you were driving down the road and your loaded gun flew out of the bed through the window of a car behind. I am guessing you could be charged with insecure load.
Because the firearm or any object was IN your truck.

I a guessing any game agent or LE would site you for loaded in the truck.

Can you imagine how many accidents there would be with guys caring loaded long guns in the bed of their trucks while hunting. Allowing that would be nuts.