Turning in a poacher for points

[bobcat]

No you can't carry a rifle any time you want, at least not legally.

"deer or elk seasons: You may not hunt wildlife during any modern firearm deer or elk season, with any firearm 24 caliber or larger or containing slugs or buckshot for big game, unless you have a valid
license, permit and tag for one of the following: deer, elk, black bear, cougar, mountain goat,
bighorn sheep, or moose"

OK, yeah, I was aware of that rule, but how would you know what caliber rifle these guys were carrying?

[carpsniperg2]

maybe they had shells on the butt stock or maybe they had on hunters orange showing that they were deer  hunting and following the rules who know

[Bob33]

OK, yeah, I was aware of that rule, but how would you know what caliber rifle these guys were carrying?

I would guess they would check the rifle barrel and the ammunition you have with you, but I'm not sure.

[carpsniperg2]

i think he ment, how would the guy know to call the warden if he did not know the cal of the guns

[wastickslinger]

What of they were bear or cougar hunting?  

[carpsniperg2]

yeah that is a good point, maybe the warden showed up and checked and they had deer tags in there pockets

[bobcat]

i think he ment, how would the guy know to call the warden if he did not know the cal of the guns

Yes, that is what I meant.

What if they were bear or cougar hunting?  

Another good point. Just because you have a deer tag in your pack, along with your bear and cougar tag, does not prove that you were deer hunting.

[bigtex]

i think he ment, how would the guy know to call the warden if he did not know the cal of the guns

Yes, that is what I meant.

What if they were bear or cougar hunting?  

Another good point. Just because you have a deer tag in your pack, along with your bear and cougar tag, does not prove that you were deer hunting.

In this case you want to make sure you leave the closed area tag (deer) at home. And defintely show the warden the open area tag. However there probably aren't too many bears in the desert area. A couple years ago when the White River unit for elk switched from general opener to permit only WDFW ran into alot of people who didnt know about the closure and suddenly changed their hunting approach from elk to bear/cougar when they were told of the closure for general season

[bobcat]

I would just leave the deer tag in my pack and only show the officer the bear and/or cougar tag.   

[bigtex]

I would just leave the deer tag in my pack and only show the officer the bear and/or cougar tag.   

Well the WDFW Officer (Actually any law enforcement officer) could just simply search your pack, without a warrant...

[carpsniperg2]

yeah i think it would turn bad quick if you had a deer tag in your pocket in a closed area and a rifle over 24 cal and no coug or bear tag
but if you have a coug or bear tag then it might be diffrent and i do not see how they could convict you unless they caught you shooting a deer or a dead deer in your possession

[bobcat]

I would just leave the deer tag in my pack and only show the officer the bear and/or cougar tag.   

Well the WDFW Officer (Actually any law enforcement officer) could just simply search your pack, without a warrant...

Even then, I'm not sure what it would prove if you had a deer tag in your possession. I keep all my tags and my license in a zip lock bag, and if I was hunting bears in an area that wasn't open for deer at that time, I wouldn't take the deer tag out and leave it at home. And you shouldn't have to. Having a deer tag in your possession does not mean  you are deer hunting.

[bigtex]

I would just leave the deer tag in my pack and only show the officer the bear and/or cougar tag.   

Well the WDFW Officer (Actually any law enforcement officer) could just simply search your pack, without a warrant...

Even then, I'm not sure what it would prove if you had a deer tag in your possession. I keep all my tags and my license in a zip lock bag, and if I was hunting bears in an area that wasn't open for deer at that time, I wouldn't take the deer tag out and leave it at home. And you shouldn't have to. Having a deer tag in your possession does not mean  you are deer hunting.

I completely agree with you and I do the same thing with all of my tags and licenses.

However in this case where somebody was hunting the Desert area which is only open for permit only deer, an officer/prosecutor could say that in 2008 (which is the latest year WDFW has game harvest reports published) no hunter harvested/killed a bear or cougar. The prosecutor/officer could even go to the point where they get a WDFW biologist to say that there are no populations of bear or cougar in the area. Now obviously most areas in the state do have bear or cougars with the exception of the Desert area and a couple units around it. The state big game hunting law says it is unlawful to hunt for (insert species) in a closed area. It doesn’t require you to have shot an animal. It all really depends on how much an officer/prosecutor wants to make an arrest/case out of the situation.

[bobcat]

Yes I know. It would be kind of hard to believe someone was hunting bear or cougar in the Desert unit. But maybe they're just dumb. There's no law against stupidity, right?

Anyway, all I was really wondering is how a person would know that someone in the Desert unit was illegally hunting deer just because they were carrying a rifle. Yes, I suppose if they were wearing orange that would be a pretty good clue that they were hunting deer and not coyotes.

I'm not trying to argue, just like talking about all the technicalities.   

[bigtex]

I'm not trying to argue, just like talking about all the technicalities.   

Completely understand!