Washington/Idaho border hunt?

[grundy53]

I was just thinking about the possibility of doing a week long hunt on the border. I got to thinking about this because of time issues (I have an 8 day honeymoon 2 weeks before bow season and thought I might be able to maximize my time by doing one week long hunt on the border instead of 2 week long trips (one to each state). Would there be any possible legal issues? Also if there is possibly a wolf hunt in Idaho that would be another bonus. What do you guys think?

[rtspring]

Skip the honeymoon and go scouting....

[grundy53]

lol I'm definitely going to scout where ever I hunt but I think I will do it before and after the honey moon. lol or it might be the shortest marriage in history.

[huntnnw]

be careful with hunting in WA and parking in ID and hiking into WA.. they were trying to nail us one year for doing this. We went down and had a heated argument with the officials in CDA 

[Guy]

I could see how that could be a very interesting conversation...

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Was it an issue? I never thought that was a problem since I knew where the border was and was not gonna get caught with a elk down on the wrong side! I found a way in from wa finally but is it illegal to park in Idaho and hunt Washington?

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

And to address your topic, there are good spots but it's thick and hard to dial in the animals with out scouting. Seasons in Idaho are longer this year for elk so maybe that will help you to hunt both states.

[bigtex]

I think the only "issue" is for example parking in Idaho where there is no open season or you don't have a license, walking thru a field or whatever your hunting to get to an open area in WA. A Officer could say you are hunting in a closed area (if it is) or without a license (if you don't have one) while you are in Idaho. But if you have licenses/tags for both states and there is an open season then you should be fine.

[huntnnw]

open on both sides.. it saved us about 2 hrs of walking by parking in ID and walking to our spot.. I told the official that u better be ticketing every ID guide or hunter who parks in ID and uses horses to get to a spot in MT and vice versa..I said this crap goes on all over on the MT\ID border.

[bigtex]

open on both sides.. it saved us about 2 hrs of walking by parking in ID and walking to our spot.. I told the official that u better be ticketing every ID guide or hunter who parks in ID and uses horses to get to a spot in MT and vice versa..I said this crap goes on all over on the MT\ID border.

Did you have licenses for both though?

[bigtex]

Just for everybodys info. Those who do hunt across state lines really need to make sure they are following all state regs when they transport their game across state lines. Because even the most simple/small violation becomes a federal offense (Lacey Act) once you cross the state lines, I am talking about violations as "small" as tagging & proof of sex.

State agencies and especially the feds (USFWS) are starting to hammer the people who violate state hunting (and fishing) laws and bring game into another state.

[grundy53]

I will have a license for both states.

[bigtex]

I will have a license for both states.

Shouldn't be any issues then

[bobcat]

open on both sides.. it saved us about 2 hrs of walking by parking in ID and walking to our spot.. I told the official that u better be ticketing every ID guide or hunter who parks in ID and uses horses to get to a spot in MT and vice versa..I said this crap goes on all over on the MT\ID border.

That's true. I went on a guided bear hunt in Idaho with my dad several years ago. We met the outfitter in St. Regis, Montana, and due to the deep snow still on the roads (this was in April), we had to park the trucks in Montana, several miles from the Idaho border, and ride snowmobiles up and over a pass, on Forest Service roads, and then down to the outfitter's camp, which was in Idaho. Could we have been charged with hunting in Montana just because we were riding through on snowmobiles? Or is it only if you are not using a vehicle? If walking with a gun do game wardens always assume one is hunting? What if your gun is not loaded?

[bigtex]

open on both sides.. it saved us about 2 hrs of walking by parking in ID and walking to our spot.. I told the official that u better be ticketing every ID guide or hunter who parks in ID and uses horses to get to a spot in MT and vice versa..I said this crap goes on all over on the MT\ID border.

If walking with a gun do game wardens always assume one is hunting? What if your gun is not loaded?

If you add walking with a gun plus camo and any other hunting gear then your going to have to prove to the judge that you weren't hunting because most likely the officer will cite you. I know somebody who was legally hunting, hunting hours expired so he unloaded but still had about a 1/2 mile to walk to his truck and when he got to the truck there wasn an officer there and he cited him for hunting after shooting hours. He lawyered up and the judge actually still found him guilty in a bench trial. Obviously this example was a little different then your question but still has similar circumstances.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

If you add walking with a gun plus camo and any other hunting gear then your going to have to prove to the judge that you weren't hunting because most likely the officer will cite you. I know somebody who was legally hunting, hunting hours expired so he unloaded but still had about a 1/2 mile to walk to his truck and when he got to the truck there wasn an officer there and he cited him for hunting after shooting hours. He lawyered up and the judge actually still found him guilty in a bench trial. Obviously this example was a little different then your question but still has similar circumstances.

I am NEVER in my vehicle before dark, although I am carrying a bow and not a firearm, 1/2 mile walk is nothing, sometimes I am well over a mile.
I would think there was more to this story, or he was in an area that had a "case law" (where weapons must be cased after hours)
or the officer heard shooting after legal hours..
but then again, I have heard some pretty silly stories about some ridiculous citations..

[bigtex]

If you add walking with a gun plus camo and any other hunting gear then your going to have to prove to the judge that you weren't hunting because most likely the officer will cite you. I know somebody who was legally hunting, hunting hours expired so he unloaded but still had about a 1/2 mile to walk to his truck and when he got to the truck there wasn an officer there and he cited him for hunting after shooting hours. He lawyered up and the judge actually still found him guilty in a bench trial. Obviously this example was a little different then your question but still has similar circumstances.

I am NEVER in my vehicle before dark, although I am carrying a bow and not a firearm, 1/2 mile walk is nothing, sometimes I am well over a mile.
I would think there was more to this story, or he was in an area that had a "case law" (where weapons must be cased after hours)
or the officer heard shooting after legal hours..
but then again, I have heard some pretty silly stories about some ridiculous citations..

Nope. Just as I typed it. And I personally read the case report.

[bobcat]

That is ridiculous. Walking is a form of transportation. Yet apparently someone walking with a gun is assumed to be hunting by law enforcement? But if they're driving out of their hunting area in a truck it's not a problem if they are driving through a closed area, correct? (or before of after legal hunting time)

Many times I have hiked three to four miles into an area to hunt deer and I would start my hike at around 3:30 in the morning. So I could be cited for hunting before hours?   

This is just unbelievable. How many people wait until legal hunting time to get out of their truck and start hiking to their hunting area?

[bigtex]

Many times I have hiked three to four miles into an area to hunt deer and I would start my hike at around 3:30 in the morning. So I could be cited for hunting before hours?   

This is just unbelievable. How many people wait until legal hunting time to get out of their truck and start hiking to their hunting area?

Well I brought that up as just one (extreme) example. Obviously there are a ton of people who get into/leave the woods before/after hours and aren't cited. It all depends on the officer and how they justified the citation, and in the case I mentioned the judge agreed with the officer.

[Curly]

Many times I have hiked three to four miles into an area to hunt deer and I would start my hike at around 3:30 in the morning. So I could be cited for hunting before hours?   

This is just unbelievable. How many people wait until legal hunting time to get out of their truck and start hiking to their hunting area?

Well I brought that up as just one (extreme) example. Obviously there are a ton of people who get into/leave the woods before/after hours and aren't cited. It all depends on the officer and how they justified the citation, and in the case I mentioned the judge agreed with the officer.

Well, the case you mention Bigtex, IMO the WDFW officer should be fired and the judge should be removed.  That is total injustice and I wouldn't be surprised if the poor sportsman that got treated so badly never hunts again in this state........I know I wouldn't if I had been treated that way.

[724wd]

i'm thinking there's more to this story... like what kind of names was the hunter calling the gamie before the ticket was issued?  what other violations were cited?  there HAD to be more than just walking out after dark.

[grundy53]

Many times I have hiked three to four miles into an area to hunt deer and I would start my hike at around 3:30 in the morning. So I could be cited for hunting before hours?   

This is just unbelievable. How many people wait until legal hunting time to get out of their truck and start hiking to their hunting area?

Well I brought that up as just one (extreme) example. Obviously there are a ton of people who get into/leave the woods before/after hours and aren't cited. It all depends on the officer and how they justified the citation, and in the case I mentioned the judge agreed with the officer.

Well, the case you mention Bigtex, IMO the WDFW officer should be fired and the judge should be removed.  That is total injustice and I wouldn't be surprised if the poor sportsman that got treated so badly never hunts again in this state........I know I wouldn't if I had been treated that way.

 

[Curly]

724wd, love the avatar. 

[bigtex]

Many times I have hiked three to four miles into an area to hunt deer and I would start my hike at around 3:30 in the morning. So I could be cited for hunting before hours?   

This is just unbelievable. How many people wait until legal hunting time to get out of their truck and start hiking to their hunting area?

Well I brought that up as just one (extreme) example. Obviously there are a ton of people who get into/leave the woods before/after hours and aren't cited. It all depends on the officer and how they justified the citation, and in the case I mentioned the judge agreed with the officer.

Well, the case you mention Bigtex, IMO the WDFW officer should be fired and the judge should be removed.  That is total injustice and I wouldn't be surprised if the poor sportsman that got treated so badly never hunts again in this state........I know I wouldn't if I had been treated that way.

Well he still hunts to this day, and now he takes his kids out hunting.
I think the issue is within the WAC. WAC 232-12-291 states "It is unlawful to hunt wild animals or wild birds contrary to posted or official hunting hours in current season regulations". According to RCW 77.08.010: "To hunt" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, capture, or harass a wild animal or wild bird. So if the officer could make a strong enough case that you were actually hunting then it could be a tough case to prove that you weren't. Obviously if the WAC involved shooting something after hours then thats a different story and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[MtnMuley]

Curly said it well.  IMO, anybody in the enforcement field that would cite one for that should be fired.  Obviously he/she has NO common sense.

[Machias]

Hey Bobcat, we're you going over Hoodoo Pass and down into Kelly Creek area of ID?  How did that hunt go for you?  I'm thinking of running a couple of bear baits in that area this spring.