What's a hunter to do?

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

I just made the same post on my blog (http://ducksdogsdownriggers.blogspot.com/), but I thought you guys might enjoy discussing (please skip #5, please).

What's a hunter to do if....

1)  ...you see a cripple floating down the river, obviously downed by another hunting party (happens more than you might think when river hunting)  Are you required to retrieve the wounded bird, or just the good ethical thing to do?   Does it count against your daily limit or your bag limit, or...? 

 2)  ...you down a bird over public land/water that lands on private property (Indian Reservation etc)  If you retrieve your downed bird without consent, any means including a hunting dog, it is technically trespassing.  If you don't retrieve your bird, you are wasting game.   

3)  ...you accidentally down a species that causes you to go over the limit for that species???  For example:  I've shot a young hen Canvasback in a group of Mallards right at shooting time...  had no idea there was a Can in the group until it was in the blind.  If there had been two Cans downed in the group, conceivably I could have gone over the limit.

4)  ...you're out in the blind with your buddies, hours from anywhere, and halfway through the hunt you realize you've left your license at home?

5)  ... and this is a biggie...  you call one WDFW office and they tell you that possession limit is 14, no more than that, period.  Then you call a different WDFW office and they tell you possession limit only pertains to "in the field, to and from your residence" and that you can have as many processed birds in your freezer as you want.

[chester]

1) finish it off and see about getting it back to the other hunting party.they shot it its on their limit. maybe the werent able to get it?

2) Get it and get off the property. try not to shoot on property without consent but id probably get on grab the bird and get off as quick as possible.

3)It probably happens more often then people think. breast it there, take note that they can sneak in on you and Call it a day.

4) sweat it out. remember it next time. start leaving it in your waders.

5) stop asking so many damned questions 

[h2ofowlr]

1)    Ethically you could pick it up, but it would add to your daily bag limit.  I tend not to grab those birds as unless it was just shot you could be getting a sick bird.

 2)  You would have to seek permission to retrieve your downed bird or you assume all responsibility and could face a trespassing ticket or arrest.

3)   If your over your limit you technically would have to call a warden.  He or she then would issue you a $175 citation for exceeding your limit and probably let you keep the bird.  Otherwise you pucker up end up breaking the law and deal with a possible citation.

4)  I would continue hunting as they now have your DL, SSN, First child, last wife, the girl you dated in H.S. on record.  You would probably be cited as you couldn’t prove you had a Federal duck stamp, but you could fight it in court.  Or avoid all the above and drive your back and grab it.  I photo copy both sides of my license and throw it in my rig.  I have a shot of talking myself out of a ticket.

5)    Sometime you need to use common sense.  If you try to play the system you have a 50/50 shot of getting ticketed.  Read the regs and know them.  Many game wardens know the rules of there territory or the game they deal with.  Floater that come in to help out may not be rule specialist, but they should.  Call Olympia to verify or make sure you have the Wardens name and badge number that provided the contradictory statement.  They can call him.

[Madison]

1)  ...you see a cripple floating down the river, obviously downed by another hunting party (happens more than you might think when river hunting)Huh?  Are you required to retrieve the wounded bird, or just the good ethical thing to do?   Does it count against your daily limit or your bag limit, or...? Kill it and leave it.  I wont count other's birds as part of my bag.  I want to know the story behind what i am eating.

 2)  ...you down a bird over public land/water that lands on private property (Indian Reservation etc)Huh?  If you retrieve your downed bird without consent, any means including a hunting dog, it is technically trespassing.  If you don't retrieve your bird, you are wasting game.   go retrieve it or make a best effort.  Be more selective in your shots.

3)  ...you accidentally down a species that causes you to go over the limit for that species???  For example:  I've shot a young hen Canvasback in a group of Mallards right at shooting time...  had no idea there was a Can in the group until it was in the blind.  If there had been two Cans downed in the group, conceivably I could have gone over the limit.This is a matter of knowing your target and taking good shots.  If you do end up with more birds than the limit.  Take it out with you and cross your fingers.

4)  ...you're out in the blind with your buddies, hours from anywhere, and halfway through the hunt you realize you've left your license at home? finish up and go get it.

[CP]

1)  You have no requirement to retrieve the bird but if you do it counts toward your limit.

 2)  You have no requirement to retrieve the bird but if you do without permission you are trespassing.

3)  You are over your limit, you broke the law; it’s that simple.  What do you do?  You could try to cover up your crime, you could turn yourself in, you could take your birds home and hope that you don’t get caught.

4)  You broke the law again. 

5)  Skipping this one, but, no it isn’t a biggie.

Consider this for what it is worth:
I have hunted and fished for many decades in many states and I can count on one hand the number of times that I have been stopped and checked by wildlife enforcement. 
o   Observed, sometimes but not very often
o   Talked to, occasionally
o   Asked for paperwork, rarely
o   Searched, maybe once 

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

I never been checked anywhere, ever, until last year when I was checked on consecutive days.  The 1st day I was picking up decoys and hurriedly put my license in my shirt pocket and got back to retrieving dekes.  Of course I didn't wear the same shirt the next day...  The WDFW guy was cool...  basically, as h2ofowler stated, they can confirm on the computer everything but your federal stamp.  Now when I buy my license I make sure to get a receipt (dated) that shows that I purchased the federal duck stamp and file it away-just in case my absentmindedness causes me to end up in front of a judge someday.  I may still get a citation, but at least I'll be able to prove I'm not a poacher. 

[Stilly bay]

now there is what is legal and what is morally correct and sometimes those two don't always dovetail...

1.. legally- I have no idea.
morally- I will pick it up and add it to my bag if the other hunters don't ask for it back. just seems wrong to watch one die and choose not to retrieve it even if you had the ability to.

2. legally- you must make a reasonable attempt to retrieve the bird. so legally I would end the hunt try to contact the land owners.
 morally- if I knew where the bird landed or could see it I would send the dog in to do the dirty work. or I would just walk over and get it and deal with the consequences.

3. been there done that. called the warden and he said I should have a buddy with a license show up and claim the bird before the end of the day when he will be waiting for me at my truck with his ticket book... I had just turned myself in and it sounded like my honesty was barely appreciated. not sure what I will do next time I make an easy mistake.

4. legally- if we took my truck I wouldn't sweat it since my parking pass with my wild ID is visible... but if we took a different rig I would say your done for the day.
Morally- not worth the headache to keep hunting IMO. if I was hunting in my home town, I might risk it since the courthouse isn't that far away and it would be a mild hassle to prove that I really did have a license.  but if I was out of state forgettaboutit!  
always keep your license in your wallet. a guy with no money, no drivers license, no wallet and no hunting license is more believable than a guy with just no hunting license... but then again it all boils down to what kinda mood the gamey is in.

5.  if your worrying about the game dept checking your freezer you have bigger problems than a couple extra ducks.

[270Shooter]

1. I guess it depends more on how the day is going. If its slow go and shoot it and keep it if it has been shot very recently. If its a good day I might not, not my responsibility to claim it.
2. It happens if you hunt near a boundary, I would run over there and grab it if I saw it die. Howver, if it was crippled I probably wouldn't do it, no need to be poking around on someones elses land without permission.
3. Breast it if possible, try not to waste the meat.
4. If you still have 7 more ducks to shoot for your party I would stop, if you need less than 7 you might as well fill your limit as it won't matter if you have your limit or not.
5. Its a BS rule that you can only have 14 ducks, processed or not in your freezer. I personally don't think its anything to worry about as long as you havent been suspected of taking over your limit. To me its like how would they know when or where you shot those ducks? Just like if a guy fills his deer tag in WA and in ID and has both deer processed and frozen. How would he prove that he didn't shoot both deer in Washington? Sometimes the gamies consider guys guilty until proven innocent....

[ellensburgpo]

1: If the bird is wounded, and it's prolonged life will only consist of suffering until it starves to death, I would kill it. I would count it towards my total for the day. I wouldn't look at having done this as "losing" a bird for the day because I feel it's the right thing to do. I wouldn't want to eat it though due to health concerns.

2: This one is tough. My father owns a farm, and I've always thought that during Deer season I wouldn't mind if people needed to look for a Deer they shot on the adjoining public land. But, I would want them to let us know so that A: I wouldn't think they were just tresspassing and B: so I could help them find/ process the animal. So for this I would have to go with if at all possible seek permission, and if not practical, send the dog for the bird and be willing to accept the consequence. And if I had to go with the dog to help it I would leave my gun with a friend on public land so it was more obvious what I was doing. 

3: Well, we're past the point of should have ID'd your target with this one. I'd be done for the day and heading home with the birds. I can't imagine leaving them behind and wasting the "over" bird.

4: Not worth the headache to hunt. A buddy more or less had this happen this year and he sat out that day. If I was with a bunch of buddies I would leave the gun in the truck and be the boat "B" that day.