Proposed Night Hunting Weapon Restrictions

[lokidog]

I think I hear a huge collective sigh of relief....

Thanks OG for the info and update.

[Bob33]

OG, thank you.

Perhaps as important as removing this proposed change from the draft proposal, in this instance WDFW has demonstrated that they do listen to hunters, they do consider many facets when implementing change (some of which hunters may not consider), and will change course when prudent.

[spookgus]

OG,  Thanks for the clarrification.

[bobcat]

Outdoor Guardian,

Thanks so much for taking the time to explain all that. You just saved me from having to write a letter to the Fish & Wildlife Commission regarding the proposed night hunting rules! I'm now glad that I procrastinated. 

[Machias]

Now THIS is awesome, the outcome, but more importantly the feedback and dialog.  Just awesome.  Thank you for taking the time to share the thoughts with us, very understandable concerns on some of the issues.  I for one completely agree with the no light attached or projected from the vehicle or near the vehicle.  Most poachers want quick access to their downed animal and they want to get out of the area quickly.  I thought the part about being allowed to hunt at night during big game seasons was a typo...at least I hoped it was!  Thanks again for taking the time to share with us! 

I sure wish you guys would have done this with the outlawing of dogs for coyotes, we could have helped avert bad rules there as well. 

[Special T]

This is the kind of conversation that has been lacking for so long with the WDFW... Let us hope that this trend will continue, and GOOD law will be enforced instead of vague, shotty laws. Thank you OG

[Snopczynski]

So .223, 22-250 and 3" Dead Coyote "T" Shot are still legal to hunt with correct?

[bobcat]

So .223, 22-250 and 3" Dead Coyote "T" Shot are still legal to hunt with correct?

223 and 22-250 would have been legal even under the new proposed night hunting rules, but yes, it sounds like nothing is changing for now, so your T shot will remain legal.

[carpsniperg2]

Outdoor Guardian,

Thanks so much for taking the time to explain all that. You just saved me from having to write a letter to the Fish & Wildlife Commission regarding the proposed night hunting rules! I'm now glad that I procrastinated. 

Og thanks for the update! This one has been a big worry of mine. Since I do a lot of spotlighting! I am glad to see that the people that use spotlighting in a legal way to harvest predators will still have there rights to do so. I have sent 4 different letters already before seeing this over the last week or so since the new proposals have come out. I am very happy to hear the update and think that maybe our voice was heard and that is the reason for them taking the restrictions off

[bearpaw]

Outdoor Guardian
Thankyou for responding on this topic. Good communication can resolve a lot of issues. The ommissions you mention in future night hunting recommendations are good. But, I do have a few comments about (a) and (b).

I do not always call coyotes when I go coyote hunting, sometimes I travel mountain roads looking for coyotes, and sometimes I simply sit in a parked truck (in which cases we of course get out to shoot). If night hunting I have a spotlight that plugs into my cigarrette lighter and a person can scan for coyotes with the light from time to time.

To hound hunt in my area, raccoon is all there is since WDFW outlawed coyote hunting with dogs. Where I live we do not have a lot of raccoon, so it helps to cover ground with a vehicle and I have used my cigarette plug-in spotlight to shine waterways or openings in areas where there may be raccoon. Then we get the dogs out, hike to where we saw the raccoon and start the track. Even by employing this method, success is low due to the low raccoon population in our area. We have been checked numerous times through the years by various LE officers and everything checked out OK.

In the interest of making these types of hunting more identifiable, I would suggest requiring hunters to stop a vehicle before shining a light while night hunting, that seems reasonable. If officers see a moving vehicle spotlighting and the people have a gun, that would be a violation.

I know a lot of folks who increasingly use 4x4 trucks or ATV's for hunting. When I get older I can see myself hunting more and more with the aid of moterized travel. As long as a person gets out of or off of the vehicle I beleive they should be able to shoot.

I understand your concerns for officers, but I honestly feel it is too easy to forget about the opportunities that are lost to some individuals because of the desire to make the job easier for law enforcement. I get a fair number of hunters who are not capable of much hiking, I hate to see more and more rules that make it harder and harder for these individuals to recreate. Not all hunters are physically fit for much hiking but they are perfectly capable of getting out of a motor vehicle to shoot. (They don't need a disabled permit to shoot from inside the vehicle because they can get out.)

It also seems like measuring off 50 feet to where an officer thought a person was standing in darkness would be a bit of a challenge to prove.

With all these issues in mind I would like to suggest the following language:

WAC 232-12-063  Hunting at night‑-Regulations‑-Penalties. 
     (1) It is unlawful to hunt small game animals or unclassified wildlife at night, unless all of the following requirements are met:
          (a) Artificial lights used in the hunting activity are not projected from a moving motor vehicle.
          (b) Weapons can not be discharged while in or on a motor vehicle.
          (c) During the months of September, October, or November hunting does not occur in areas open to modern firearms seasons for deer or elk.
          (d) The hunting activity occurs within published open seasons.

     (2) Private landowners or their designees that possess a valid depredation permit issued by the department are exempt from the above requirements while hunting on the permit designated property.  Nothing in this section removes the right of property owners, their immediate family members, their documented employees, or tenants of real property, pursuant to RCW 77.36.030, to trap or kill wildlife that is threatening human health and safety or causing property damage on that property, without the licenses required under RCW 77.32.010 or authorization from the director under RCW 77.12.240.
 
     (3) A violation of this section involving killing, hunting, taking, holding, possessing, or maliciously injuring or harming unclassified wildlife is an infraction punishable under RCW 77.15.160.  A violation of this section involving killing, hunting, taking, holding, possessing, or maliciously injuring or harming big game animals, small game animals, protected wildlife, or endangered wildlife is a crime punishable under RCW 77.15.410, 77.15.430, 77.15.130, or 77.15.120, depending on the animal or wildlife killed, hunted, taken, held, possessed, or maliciously injured or harmed.

[Special T]

I must say i don't like the idea of not using a spotlight while driving... Not all places and conditions are the same. If i'm out shining a wheat stubble field out in the middle of no where, its not the same a timber or hill country. I saw plenty of deer when i waas shining coyotes for the Warden coyote derby, doesn't mean i was poatching, or even had the inclination...

[bearpaw]

I must say i don't like the idea of not using a spotlight while driving... Not all places and conditions are the same. If i'm out shining a wheat stubble field out in the middle of no where, its not the same a timber or hill country. I saw plenty of deer when i waas shining coyotes for the Warden coyote derby, doesn't mean i was poatching, or even had the inclination...

Very true, this is a great example of why it's good to get input from many people. Perhaps that part needs dropped altogether?

[Machias]

I use a spotlight from the truck all the time will coon hunting, I understand the reasoning behind it somewhat. but when I have young dogs to train it works out good to be able to see a coon, and turn the young dogs loose on a fresh track. One that you know is desired game.

There is actually a much easier, cheaper and better way to start pups.  You can build a coon feeder.  Great way to know where the coons will be, start hot tracks.  Plus as long as you don't shoot them the coons will usually give you a good race and tree not too far away and keep coming back.  Just a thought.

[Special T]

Saw 2 coons crossing the road the other morning. They saw the Subaru and  ran like hell over the beaver damn.... Even they know my rig can go anywhere! 

[Bob33]

They saw the Subaru and  ran like hell over the beaver damn. 

I thought Subarus were only owned by liberal animal lovers that would never harm another living thing?