Ethical challenge

[tonymoe]

This is interesting, I fully believe in contacting the proper people upon entering a closed unit or private property. I am kind of in a weird situation. I hunt in 7-10 miles in a wilderness and am VERY close to the PCT boundary. There is a lot of work to get an animal out that deep on foot and no livestock. I have not had an animal cross the boundary line, but, I am sure it will happen someday. I have had this in the back of my mind before.

[Bob33]

Legally you cannot enter private property without permission, or you can be cited for trespassing.  Chasing a wounded animal does not alter that.  Chasing a wounded animal into a closed GMU or park means you are hunting illegally: the same as if you were not chasing a wounded animal.

The best advice is to NOT enter the property without permission or authorization.  You can do it, and you may get away with it, and it may even be the most "ethical" course of action, but it is still illegal.

I'm a hunter education instructor and this question often comes up.  The enforcement officers always give the same answer: get permission or authorization first.  If a landowner will not give you permission, contact the local enforcement officer.  You can even call 911.  You cannot enter private property without permission, or you may be cited.

As for shooting into a closed GMU: your bullet remains your property while it is moving, and you can be cited for trespass or illegal hunting.

[huntnphool]

call wdfw and let them know whats happening if possible. it pays to cover your a$$ when you can. aside from that i agree, follow it wherever it goes.

[boneaddict]

Good post Bob

[bow4elk]

Say I shoot a deer in one GMU and have to track it into another closed unit. My gut tells me to break off the search. I haven't really seen anything written anywhere on this. Just curious what the board thinks. Thanks

By law, you are to do everything you can to recover game.  You would first need to call the WDFW enforcement and tell them about the situation.  They would instruct you on how to proceed and may even send someone out to escort you in your search.  The state patrol can also be called to get support.

Same goes for private land.  If you shoot a buck and he crosses onto land that is posted.  The landowner, by law, must allow you to recover the deer.  If they refuse, the WDFW or State Patrol will step in and escort you.

[marc10000]

OK, that's what I was looking for. I feel good about that, it just sounds right! Thanks.

[jstone]

you owe it to the animal to try what it takes to recover it. Dont hunt to close to the boundry if you wont.

[ICEMAN]

...Same goes for private land.  If you shoot a buck and he crosses onto land that is posted.  The landowner, by law, must allow you to recover the deer.  If they refuse, the WDFW or State Patrol will step in and escort you.

I heard that they do not have to let you on, private property rights trumping your right to pursue, but if they deny you access, Wildlife will give them the option of letting you look and recover, or the property owner getting a waste of wildlife citation.

[actionshooter]

...Same goes for private land.  If you shoot a buck and he crosses onto land that is posted.  The landowner, by law, must allow you to recover the deer.  If they refuse, the WDFW or State Patrol will step in and escort you.

I heard that they do not have to let you on, private property rights trumping your right to pursue, but if they deny you access, Wildlife will give them the option of letting you look and recover, or the property owner getting a waste of wildlife citation.

Thats my understanding also.

[carpsniperg2]

Bob33 is right on every word is true we have gone to cort many times over violations on are ranch you can not legally go after any deer on private ground without permision any buddy who want to disagree does not know what they are talking about as hunters we have a code of ethics yes we owe it to the animal but to break the law is still againts the law and wrong and no the fish and wildlife can not write the landowner a ticket for wasting game they did not pull the trigger come on guys lol

[ICEMAN]

Well carpsniperg, that is what I have been told by more than one gamie, if you knock and ask and are denied, they will ask the owner permission for you to get it out. If denied, the gamie will go look (their right to investigate) they find the animal, the land owner gets cited not for denying access but for waste of wildlife.

[carpsniperg2]

we have won that same battle in court more than once the game warden might just be playin big i assure you the charge would not hold up and would be droped in court personal experiance

[carpsniperg2]

i mean thats like saying if a bad guy shoots someone and they find the gun at your house that was used the crime is put on you that not how the system works and wardens only have the right to investage "from my experiance" if a wildlife crime has been commited or a report if a landowner turns down some one to go on there land that is not a crime in any way shape or form moral of the story is knock it down were the animal stands and don't worry about head shots and neck shots no tracking lol

[Wayne1]

Correct me if I'm wrong...   but when you say

we have won that same battle in court more than once the game warden might just be playin big i assure you the charge would not hold up and would be droped in court personal experiance

Does that mean you have not allowed hunters to retrieve wounded animals on your property ?

[carpsniperg2]

no it means it depends on the situation at hand but 50% yes and 50% no we have alot of road hunter shoot a deer from the road and think they should have the right to go into our private property which way just as private when they shot the deer and get it out so nnnnnnnnooooooooooo wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy