Shooting elk from GMU 524 into GMU 520

[bobcat]

Did anybody say anything about it being illegal to shoot over water  

[secamd1]

"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." 

This is the original statement so I gathered all the facts, researched the law and made my interpretation of the statute. In some states ie... Oregon it is illegal to discharge weapons against bodies of water. I know we don't live in Oregon but it matters. Every instance is different. 

[GUHunter]

My thought is that both game and hunter must both be within the open unit at the time of the shot. I don't care if you're walking through a closed unit with rifle/bow/muzzleloader in hand. If you don't take a shot from that closed unit or into a closed unit, I see nothing wrong with that.

[Curly]

The boundary is the Green River and I believe the 1000 line is in the Margaret, so I guess that might mean that they shot across the river to kill the cow.  


What about a scenario like this:  Say the cow makes it across the river and the guys that shot it legally in the Winston track it and follow it across the river.  They wouldn't legally be able to finish it off would they?  Apparently they shouldn't even enter the Margaret Unit tracking the cow?

[Bob33]

The boundary is the Green River and I believe the 1000 line is in the Margaret, so I guess that might mean that they shot across the river to kill the cow.  


What about a scenario like this:  Say the cow makes it across the river and the guys that shot it legally in the Winston track it and follow it across the river.  They wouldn't legally be able to finish it off would they?  Apparently they shouldn't even enter the Margaret Unit tracking the cow?

Your interpretation is correct.  You could not legally finish off the animal in the closed unit. In fact, I don't believe you could legally harvest it without permission. I had a friend that shot an elk that ran 20 yards into a national park. Could not retrieve it without permission. 

[steeleywhopper]

NO

If I'm standing in the Margaret I'm hunting from the Margaret and I better have a permit to elk hunt from the Margaret.
 If I am standing in the Winston and shoot an elk in the Margaret I better have permit to hunt the Margaret.

No grey area for me at all.

I agree with this one 100%! No frills and no gimmicks, just common sense. Zero gray area here.

[bobcat]

I just can't agree with that. To me if the animal is in the open unit, it's legal. I don't care where I happen to be standing. What if the only way to see into a certain area in the open GMU is from the other side of a creek or trail, which also happens to be the GMY boundary. If I'm standing 1 foot on the other side of the boundary and shoot an animal that is 300 yards into the open GMU, I just don't see why that is a problem.

[fisheral87]

They stated they would probly write the ticket and let the judge figure it out.

Sucks, but until they color in the gray areas in the regs this will be standard for those situations.

[HntnFsh]

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

In that area it wouldnt be illegal because they are all Weyco rds.No state or county rds in there.

[Bob33]

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

In that area it wouldnt be illegal because they are all Weyco rds.No state or county rds in there.

And to muddy the waters even more...it would only be illegal on public roads if done "negligently"...

[ICEMAN]

So what happened to the elk?

[Bob33]

So what happened to the elk?

I think it died from stress: the arguments over whether or not it was shot legally finally put it down?

[sportsman002001]

Hey thanks for all the info and input. The guy that shot the elk in our camp ended up with the elk and it is in a cooler.
I was just looking for others opion and thanks to all that responded.