Shooting elk from GMU 524 into GMU 520

[sportsman002001]

I am looking for opions on this topic. Here is a situation that happend to one of the guys in our camp this year.
We are archery hunting in the winston unit and one of our guys shot an elk off the 1100 down toward the green river and the elk ended up bedding down along the green river. There were some guys driving the 1000 line in the Margret unit when they seen this cow they stopped and she got up and they put an arrow into her.
Needless to say they tried to claim the elk but once they were told we would call the game department and explain that they shot from the Margret to the winston unit they backed off. We had seen 2 game wardens up there and asked them if you can legally shoot from the Margret into the winston unit and they could not answer that question.

So looking for your guys opion on this subject.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Not an enforcement officer, but in my opinion, if you are in the unit,  kind of falls into the "From, along, or across" rule.
If you shoot while you are in a unit, you are legaly hunting in that unit, no matter where your target is.
 I do know that if you shoot an animal in the Winston, and it runs into the Margaret, you better get hold of a warden before tagging, gutting, or anything,
 I know a guy that was ticketed, it was dissmissed after explaining to the judge, (and might have gotten the warden to listen to him but ran his mouth).
But still a hassle.

[bankwalker]

if both units are open for elk. and the shot elk is legal in BOTH units then i see no reason for concern........

[sportsman002001]

The Margret unit is a permit only unit and winston is general unit...

[bobcat]

Margaret is permit only. But if they were in the area legally, I don't see why it wouldn't be legal to shoot an animal that was on the other side of the boundary, in a GMU that was open for elk hunting. I could see possibly being written up for it by the game warden, but then having it dropped in court. I don't see how they could make that stick. There is nothing in the law that specifically says you have to be standing in the same GMU as the animal that you shoot.

[bobcat]

The other question I'd have though, is did they shoot from the road? If so, then THAT would be illegal.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I know a guy that got ticketed for hunting in a closed unit, he was walking down the road on the 3330 in Manastash during late season,
Taneum, across the creek was open.
The game warden wrote him a citation because he had a tag in his pocket, broadheads in his quiver, and was in a closed area.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

And yes, I do know a lot of guys that have received tickets., comes from hunting with idiots (in the past 32 years), and the last one is even a WSP officer.

[the1rod]

if the elk was legal in both units then i dont see any reason why it would be an issue. i would have no problem shooting across a gmu boundary if i knew both sides were legal, unless the boundary was a road.

[Alan K]

I know a guy that got ticketed for hunting in a closed unit, he was walking down the road on the 3330 in Manastash during late season,
Taneum, across the creek was open.
The game warden wrote him a citation because he had a tag in his pocket, broadheads in his quiver, and was in a closed area.

Now that's a bunch of BS! I'm sure I've driven through units that aren't open with my tag in my pocket and rifle by my side. . . Sounds to me like that GW was either a moron or the guy ran his mouth to him.

I think that so long as the animal is harvested in a legal unit it should be just fine. Doesn't particularly matter where the shot was fired from in my opinion if the animal itself is in the open unit.  

[bullcanyon]

Interesting. My buddies lost two elk to people down there on friday. First one with a sub 100 yd blood trail.  Buddy went to get help and come back to a guy claiming his son dropped it in its tracks. Second one had guys taking up his blood trail while he was waiting for the cow to expire. Guess one needs to just chase right after em and not let em lay down and die. He's too easy going and wanted to avoid controversy.  Wtf is wrong with people?? Tagging a cow is so important that you will claim one that you didn't hunt yourself. Ill be honest. Im not as easy going and would of probably chose a different path than my buddy. Although I will admit that it would of probably been the wrong choice.  Im not letting some puke steal from me.

[Curly]

How could it possibly not be legal to shoot from the Margaret into the Winston.  

The other way around though, would be an interesting question.  What if a guy was to shoot a cow in the Winston and it ran over into the Margaret?  I would think that you would not be allowed to finish it off in a unit that is not open to you.....

[sportsman002001]

How could it possibly not be legal to shoot from the Margaret into the Winston.   

The Margaret unit is a permit only unit and to the knowledge we gathered these guys did not have a Margaret permit.
Now if they had a Magaret permit I would say it would be okay because they would be legal in both units.

[Curly]

Oh, I see now.  I assumed they had a Margaret permit.  That is a good question then.  Kind of a grey area..........

[sportsman002001]

Yes very grey area. Two game wardens could not even answer that question. They stated they would probly write the ticket and let the judge figure it out.