Trespassing Question.

[Ice Cap]

A guy in my office asked me a question today about trespassing.

If you are on public land and shoot a coyote on private land next to
the public land but you never set foot on said private land are you guilty of trespassing?

My first reaction was to tell him that it would be considered trespassing but after I thought
about it for a bit I couldn't accurately answer his question.

Any thoughts on this?

[singleshot12]

hmmm? good question.. probabely only trespassing if he retrieved the coyote dunno

[bobcat]

Sure it is- you caused your bullet to trespass.  

Seriously I think they could get you for trespassing. It could be said that you were in fact hunting on land that you didn't have permission to hunt. Even though you were actually standing on public land.

Wouldn't it be the same thing if you shot an elk that was in a closed GMU while you were standing in a GMU that was open? I guess different in the fact that you could leave the coyote, whereas you'd have to actually cross into the closed area to retrieve the elk.

So I don't know. Chances are you'd never have to deal with the landowner or law enforcement if you shot the coyote and didn't want to retrieve it. But like I said, they could get your BULLET for trespassing.   

[ICEMAN]

His bullet trespassed.

I wouldn't do it. His property, his coyote. Why risk getting cited for anything over a dawg?


Edit: bobcat, you beat me to it...

[carpsniperg2]

Your bullet is considered part of your property. If you kill a animal on land that you don't have permission to hunt on. It is against the law, even if you don't get cited for trespassing.

[singleshot12]

no it wouldn't be worth it.. could also be cited for reckless endangerment

[runamuk]

A guy in my office asked me a question today about trespassing.

If you are on public land and shoot a coyote on private land next to
the public land but you never set foot on said private land are you guilty of trespassing?

My first reaction was to tell him that it would be considered trespassing but after I thought
about it for a bit I couldn't accurately answer his question.

Any thoughts on this?

depends on where you are who owns the property and all kinds of scenarios....neighbors of my friend in Idaho shot coyotes on her land in her pasture and she and her dad got pissed and had the guy cited for endangerment or something...probably only a 10 ticket but still it would depend...on circumstances I think

[trotterlg]

I am kind of thinking I would just say I shot it on public land and it ran over on the private land to die.......................Game over.  Thats my story and I am sticking to it.  Has creativity just died or what?  Larry

[jbeaumont21]

If you shot the yote on public land and then it ran onto private land you could legally go onto the private land to retreive your kill.  You have to leave your weapon behind on the public land though.

[PolarBear]

You still have to ask permission to go onto private land to retrieve an animal.  Trespassing is trespassing.

[carpsniperg2]

If you shot the yote on public land and then it ran onto private land you could legally go onto the private land to retreive your kill.  You have to leave your weapon behind on the public land though.

  You have to first contact a game warden. Then show them the animal was on the public property. Then go from there, you can't just go onto private property. You cannot under any instance trespass. This statement is not accurate. There would be a lot more animals shot on "public ground" that magically got onto private property. I know for a fact that this is not true and have the court paper work to back it up Had a guy tell me the same thing, and tell the warden the same thing when he showed up. Guess what he lost! Doesn't matter were the animal was shot at its about were the animal ends up. Just because it dies on another piece or private property, legally does not give you the right to break the law and trespass.

[Little Dave]

If you shot the yote on public land and then it ran onto private land you could legally go onto the private land to retrieve your kill.  You have to leave your weapon behind on the public land though.

Not in Washington.  It could be that way in another state.
Leave the guns behind if you like, even strip stark naked and hold daisies, if an animal falls on private land the law in this state does not grant you the right to retrieve it without first gaining permission to enter the property.  If you cannot negotiate access and you are concerned about the animal wasting, you can request assistance from an game enforcement officer to retrieve the animal for you.  I figure it a slow day for them if they have time to help you with a coyote.

[Bean Counter]

It's disrespectful to the landowner, this would be  would be my preliminary guiding light. 

[Skyvalhunter]

Look at it this way. You are elk hunting on the border or the park, you see an elk in the park and shoot it. Is this legal? Heck no its not because of where the animal is at during the time of shooting. You can't go retrieve an animal on private property without permission or assistance from the gammie.

[rasbo]

I wouldnt consider  doing that at all..I would feel tresspassed against if someone shot a deer or yote  on my property...