Game Retrieval Tool: Is Washington Ready?

[bearpaw]

I think we should be able to recover wounded game with a leashed dog.  

[Machias]

Actually there is NOTHING against the law with using dogs to find wounded game, big game included, as long as the dog remains on the leash.  Says so right in the RULES.  Honestly!

[Machias]

Page 58:

"Transporting a dog(s) in a motorized vehicle or walking a dog on a leash is not pursuit."

[CP]

Page 72:

9. Using dogs:
• Hunting wild animals with dogs during
any deer or elk modern firearm season is
prohibited.
• Allowing a dog, owned or controlled by
you, to pursue or injure deer or elk or to
accompany you while you are hunting
deer or elk is prohibited.
• Hunting or pursuing any big game animal,
bobcat, or coyote with dogs is prohibited,
except cougar hunting as permitted by the
Fish and Wildlife Commission.

[Bob33]

Right, CP.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.15.240

I think having a dog and a gun is an infraction waiting to happen.  Wish it weren't so, but I wouldn't risk it.

[Machias]

Page 72 does not apply if you do not have a weapon and the dog does not leave the leash, if you are walking a dog on a leash no HUNTING or PURSUING has taken place.  I have this in writing from the WDFW.  Now carrying a weapon would get you a citation.  What do you guys think NO ONE takes their dog for a walk during Oct and Nov?

[WSU]

I think it is odd that you can't use a dog to track wounded game.  I can see the enforcement problems, but the law could be written so that it is enforceable.  A start would be not having a gun when tracking with a dog, or something similar.

I think the trouble is the obvious one: how would enforcement know you're tracking a wounded vs. an unwounded animal.

I agree that this is the obvious issue.  My thinking was a law saying you can track wounded game only if unarmed would create a black and white line that would make enforcement possible.  If you have a gun, you get a ticket.  There will obviously still be some issues, such as folks using the dog to find game for others to shoot, but all laws have potential gray areas.  As it is now, a person could walk unarmed with a dog and use it to push game for others and you would have the same grey area proof issue.

[WSU]

Page 72 does not apply if you do not have a weapon and the dog does not leave the leash, if you are walking a dog on a leash no HUNTING or PURSUING has taken place.  I have this in writing from the WDFW.  Now carrying a weapon would get you a citation.  What do you guys think NO ONE takes their dog for a walk during Oct and Nov?

I think the issue may be walking one's dog through some impenetrable reprod while following a sparse blood trail or something similar.  Pretty hard to argue that you are just taking your dog for a walk.

[Machias]

Heck if I was fast enough and strong enough I could tree lions, bears and bobcats with a dog, as long as the dog never leaves the leash.  

[Machias]

No aruguing needed, you could walk your dog ANYWHERE you want on national forest and follow any blood trail you want, as long as the dog remains on the leash, That is the key, the dog must remain on the leash otheriwse pursuit and or hunting has not taken place.

[Machias]

As it is now, a person could walk unarmed with a dog and use it to push game for others and you would have the same grey area proof issue.

Curious how adding a dog to a drive would make it any more effective?  Currently drives are legal.  Just asking?

[WSU]

As it is now, a person could walk unarmed with a dog and use it to push game for others and you would have the same grey area proof issue.

Curious how adding a dog to a drive would make it any more effective?  Currently drives are legal.  Just asking?

I have found that many critters, especially smart ones, will just let you walk on by.  Whitetails and blacktails are the two that come to mind first.  A dog would smell things that we walk past....

[Bob33]

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.08.010

    (53) "To hunt" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, capture, or harass a wild animal or wild bird.

If a dog is doing any of that, it could be considered as hunting.

[grundy53]

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.08.010

    (53) "To hunt" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, capture, or harass a wild animal or wild bird.

If a dog is doing any of that, it could be considered as hunting.

If its already dead you can't kill it injure it capture it or harass it. 

[CP]

I think that you laid out a good argument for using a dog on a leash to find dead game.  But if it is wounded and still alive you would most likely be guilty of “hunting”.