Hunter Harassment Law

[ICEMAN]

Video it a couple of times, then call Barney with your RCW in hand...

[Elliott]

yeah me and ducksdoom will be out there later this week, finally we can stop this f-er

[whacker1]

Thank you for the good information - I will print a few copies, laminate them, and put one in hunting pack and another in my fishing vest.
Regards,
Neil

[hornhunter]

I was hunting a release site once at the end of the season and my buddy and I heard a bunch of gun shots.  We thought they only released birds on the other part of the site.  There must have been 50 shots.  So after about 2 hours of walking we made our way to where the gun shots were coming from since we hadnt heard any for at least an hour.  When we got there we found about eight Snohomish County Sheriffs Vehicles.  With 4 in the back "cuffed"  They were firing in the air trying to scare the birds off!  Best part was it was the first week of Dec. and there had not been any birds released for two weeks.  I guess those  were bummed all ther efforts were for nothing!  We didnt see a bird, because there wernt any there!

[fc2038]

I was not on this site when this subject was written but I am glad someone resurrected it. I did not know there was a law on this subject. I WILL be taking copies along with me just in case I roll up on another ass trying to do his BS. I would love to see their face as Barney slaps the cuffs and bends them over the hood!

[FrankDown]

The state of Ohio has a similar law.  Some turdburglar started "fishing" in my dekes and I stood up out of my blind and asked him if he thought it was odd that the dusks didnt move.  He said he was fishing.  I told him he was interfering with a legal hunt and that it was illegal to do so.  I told him if he didnt move along I was going to call th esherriffs office.  So he did and that was that.  There had previously been a number of people that followed hunters around cursing at them and clapping at the lake that started this law.  At least one resulted in a physical altercation with a tree hugger and a hunter after they threatened him.

Im not sure what the last part of that means though fully,

d. is defending oneself or another person from bodily harm or property damage by a person attemping to prevent hunting in a legally established hunting season

I assume that it means that if someone assaults or tries to assault you there is an appendage that allows you to defend yourself without criminal recourse provided that there is evidence to do so.

[Old Wanderer]

Well allow me to throw a little napalm on this:

Department of Licensing
Summary of Citizen Arrest
October 11, 2005
Citizen Arrest in Washington State
Under Washington law, a private person can conduct a citizen’s arrest for a misdemeanor if the misdemeanor: (1) was committed in the citizen’s presence and (2) constituted a breach of the peace. State v. Gonzales, 24 Wn. App. 437, 439, 604 P.2d 168 (1979); Guijosa v. Wal-Mart Stores, 101 Wn. App. 777, 791, 6 P.3d 583 (2000).

Next time this happens...just put the jerks under arrest and call 911 to have the officer carry on from there. I have a little video camera (about the size of a pack of cigarettes) that I carry in my pocket to document.

As stated earlier, go after them for the cost of your hunt, travel, hunt preperation, etc..

RCW 77.15.212 Damages due to violation of RCW 77.15.210 — Civil
action.

Any person who is damaged by any act prohibited in RCW 77.15.210 may bring a civil action to enjoin further violations, and recover damages sustained, including a reasonable attorneys' fee. The trial court may increase the award of damages to an amount not to exceed three times the damages sustained. A party seeking civil damages under this section may recover upon proof of a violation by a preponderance of the evidence. The state of Washington may bring a civil action to enjoin violations of this section.

Also found this from the State Supreme Court regarding fines... in 2004 the total bail amount for this was $1079:[/color][/i]

Do carry a copy of the various codes (in plastic) as some officers will feign ignorance of these laws if they are of the same political stripe as the jerks...

[whacker1]

I have a couple of corrections and additions - The correct law verbage was referenced, but the wrong or different RCW number.  I pulled this from the rcw web-site a few moments ago.  Thanks for starting this thread - I just went to the web-site to print copies that showed  www.leg.wa.gov siting where I took the information from.  This way if there were some sort of dispute over the information or an officer that disagreed with my point of view - at least my references would be accurate.  Anyway, I had difficulty finding one of them, but found it in a slightly different spot.  I also found a copy of the RCW that shows that it is illegal to post no hunting signs or no fishing on signs they don't own or lease.
see the three RCW's below:
 
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.210

RCW 77.15.210
Obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife — Penalty. 

(1) A person is guilty of obstructing the taking of fish[, shellfish,] or wildlife if the person:

     (a) Harasses, drives, or disturbs fish, shellfish, or wildlife with the intent of disrupting lawful pursuit or taking thereof; or

     (b) Harasses, intimidates, or interferes with an individual engaged in the lawful taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife or lawful predator control with the intent of disrupting lawful pursuit or taking thereof.

     (2) Obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife is a gross misdemeanor.

     (3) It is an affirmative defense to a prosecution for obstructing the taking of fish, shellfish, or wildlife that the person charged was:

     (a) Interfering with a person engaged in hunting outside the legally established hunting season; or

     (b) Preventing or attempting to prevent unauthorized trespass on private property.

     (4) The person raising a defense under subsection (3) of this section has the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence.


[2001 c 253 § 30; 1998 c 190 § 24.]
 
& the next one can be found at this link

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.212

RCW 77.15.212
Damages due to violation of RCW 77.15.210 — Civil action. 

Any person who is damaged by any act prohibited in RCW 77.15.210 may bring a civil action to enjoin further violations, and recover damages sustained, including a reasonable attorneys' fee. The trial court may increase the award of damages to an amount not to exceed three times the damages sustained. A party seeking civil damages under this section may recover upon proof of a violation by a preponderance of the evidence. The state of Washington may bring a civil action to enjoin violations of this section.


[2000 c 107 § 238.]
 
And here is the one that I really like that I found by accident -

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.220


RCW 77.15.220
Unlawful posting — Penalty. 

(1) A person is guilty of unlawful posting if the individual posts signs preventing hunting or fishing on any land not owned or leased by the individual, or without the permission of the person who owns, leases, or controls the land posted.

     (2) Unlawful posting is a misdemeanor

These would be the people that are