Post by: Atroxus on August 18, 2010, 12:49:40 PM
Post by: washelkhntr on August 18, 2010, 12:52:37 PM
Post by: h20hunter on August 18, 2010, 12:53:02 PM
Post by: woodman on August 18, 2010, 12:59:14 PM
I can't see where you would have a problem. Just don't shoot an animal and then have him tag it. I would keep my rifle (or take another) and look for yotes to pop. Help your buddy out with your extra eyes and ears. Then, when he bags it you can help with the knife work and the pack/haul out.
I talked to a game warden about something similar to this and he just got an angry look in his eye, then he said that he would frown on it.
Post by: KimberRich on August 18, 2010, 12:59:41 PM
I can't see where you would have a problem. Just don't shoot an animal and then have him tag it. I would keep my rifle (or take another) and look for yotes to pop. Help your buddy out with your extra eyes and ears. Then, when he bags it you can help with the knife work and the pack/haul out.
Agreed. Coyote's always open. I've been lucky enough to be in this position and I pushed through some brushy bottoms and did a ton of leg work for my buddy to try and help him get his animal and I scouted a few canyons away for future hunts. I know he would do the same for me.
Post by: bigtex on August 18, 2010, 01:03:52 PM
I can't see where you would have a problem. Just don't shoot an animal and then have him tag it. I would keep my rifle (or take another) and look for yotes to pop. Help your buddy out with your extra eyes and ears. Then, when he bags it you can help with the knife work and the pack/haul out.
I talked to a game warden about something similar to this and he just got an angry look in his eye, then he said that he would frown on it.
:yeah:
It would be different if say you were using a 30-06 for the deer then carried a .22 when you were with your buddy. You will be walking a thin line just like the warden said. There are several counties in this state, especially eastern washington that take fishing and hunting violations very seriously. And those counties tend to be where the best hunting is. Personally, I wouldn't take the risk. There really is no need for you to take yoru gun.
Post by: h20hunter on August 18, 2010, 01:06:40 PM
Post by: uplandhunter870 on August 18, 2010, 01:07:19 PM
Post by: rasbo on August 18, 2010, 01:11:42 PM
Post by: Tony on August 18, 2010, 01:12:09 PM
I can't see where you would have a problem. Just don't shoot an animal and then have him tag it. I would keep my rifle (or take another) and look for yotes to pop. Help your buddy out with your extra eyes and ears. Then, when he bags it you can help with the knife work and the pack/haul out.
I talked to a game warden about something similar to this and he just got an angry look in his eye, then he said that he would frown on it.
A game warden can frown on this all they want as long as you are not shooting an animal for someone else to tag and you have a valid license for somthing that is in season. If you not breaking the law you don't have anything to worry about.
Post by: dirty24d on August 18, 2010, 01:13:38 PM
theres no law stating that you need a tag to carry a rifle in the woods, coyotes will be fair game as will be cougar (depending on your GMU) and bears will still be open. as long as you dont poach anything or shoot your buddy's deer and have him tag it then you're fine
To cover your butt if you are legitamately just there to assist and not shoot it for him, i would suggest ensuring you are carrying two different caliber rifles. Not suggesting that should you run across a warden that he is a ballistics and forensic expert but you could probably prove that the animal was harvested with one vs the other. :dunno: just a thought. In my mind i see nothing wrong with it but could also see how a warden would frown upon it, however frowning doesnt make it illegal..
Post by: seth30 on August 18, 2010, 01:14:12 PM
I can't see where you would have a problem. Just don't shoot an animal and then have him tag it. I would keep my rifle (or take another) and look for yotes to pop. Help your buddy out with your extra eyes and ears. Then, when he bags it you can help with the knife work and the pack/haul out.whoa buddy stop and read the regs, during deer season there is a certain caliber you cant exceed for yote hunting. Better to be safe than sorry :twocents:
Post by: wildmanoutdoors on August 18, 2010, 01:14:35 PM
Frown all ya want Gammie...
Post by: bobcat on August 18, 2010, 01:15:19 PM
Post by: Atroxus on August 18, 2010, 01:17:15 PM
Post by: 300magman on August 18, 2010, 01:22:15 PM
to hell with him, as long as you are not breaking the law.......He can shut his mouth and go back to doing nothing to help the wildlife, which they all seem to do very well. They think they can bust you or write you a ticket for just about any damn thing. Study the laws and the black and white rules, then when they start their " I KNOW EVERYTHING" take them to school and make them look like idiots.
Got no use for any of them, very few care about the animals they protect and what they forget is we the hunters pay their paycheck............
Post by: bobcat on August 18, 2010, 01:23:54 PM
Thanks for the info everyone. I think just to be safe I will leave my rifle at home if this happens. Will just bring my handgun for self defense and call it good.
That's not a bad way to go. I often don't bring a rifle when I'm along to help others on their hunts. Sometimes I prefer to just carry binoculars, camera, and perhaps a spotting scope and tripod.
Post by: seth30 on August 18, 2010, 01:25:17 PM
I would definitely carry my rifle if I was in an area where seeing a bear was likely. Not sure about coyotes, I wouldn't want to be shooting at them while hunting deer. Also there's always a small chance of seeing a cougar. If you have bear and cougar tags there's no reason you should go in the woods without a rifle.I never leave home without the judge for those special moments
Post by: bobcat on August 18, 2010, 01:26:54 PM
Post by: Ray on August 18, 2010, 01:28:07 PM
Post by: dirty24d on August 18, 2010, 01:31:58 PM
Thanks for the info everyone. I think just to be safe I will leave my rifle at home if this happens. Will just bring my handgun for self defense and call it good.
Dont short change yourself. Like Bobcat said if you have tags for other big game in season in the area you are traveling i would take your rifle. You paid for those tags and it well within your rights. If i was to be in that situation and ran across a gamie the first question normally out of there mouth is what are you hunting for. I would tell the truth.
Post by: Atroxus on August 18, 2010, 01:36:58 PM
Post by: testar77 on August 18, 2010, 01:48:13 PM
I only have deer and elk tags this year, and the seasons don't overlap in the area we will be hunting, so I am not too worried about that aspect. I just wanted to make sure that we don't get in trouble helping eachother if one of us get an animal but not the other.
If you don't have a Bear tag, then I would probably leave the Rifle and carry a pistol. But that's just me. If you had a Bear tag then you should DEFINATELY carry a rifle, and there isn't a damn thing they can do about it. You would be WELL within your rights
Toby
Post by: chrisb on August 18, 2010, 02:10:04 PM
I can't see where you would have a problem. Just don't shoot an animal and then have him tag it. I would keep my rifle (or take another) and look for yotes to pop. Help your buddy out with your extra eyes and ears. Then, when he bags it you can help with the knife work and the pack/haul out.whoa buddy stop and read the regs, during deer season there is a certain caliber you cant exceed for yote hunting. Better to be safe than sorry :twocents:
Where is this in the regs. All i saw was that it was illegal to take a game animal with a caliber smaller than .24. Nothing about required to carry a certain caliber for yotes during deer season.
Post by: bobcat on August 18, 2010, 02:13:12 PM
Post by: KimberRich on August 18, 2010, 02:16:04 PM
What is "the judge" ???
What?? Bobcat doesn't know everything?? I'm amazed. :chuckle:
Post by: Bofire on August 18, 2010, 02:39:31 PM
deer or elk seasons:
You may not hunt wildlife during any modern
firearm deer or elk season, with any firearm
24 caliber or larger or containing slugs or
buckshot for big game, unless you have a valid
license, permit and tag for one of the following:
deer, elk, black bear, cougar, mountain goat,
bighorn sheep, or moose.
this is from this years regs.
Carl
Post by: bobcat on August 18, 2010, 03:07:26 PM
Post by: whacker1 on August 18, 2010, 03:14:19 PM
ingorance to this law is no excuse, but it is a bit obscure compared to other states.
Post by: Bofire on August 18, 2010, 05:39:08 PM
aint that what it says?
Carl
Post by: Hangfire on August 18, 2010, 09:04:01 PM
Post by: Bscman on August 18, 2010, 09:18:31 PM
Notice it says firearm, 24 cal. or larger. If you decide to leave the rifle home and carry the handgun it still has to be under 24 cal.
Nah, this is where it gets really shady.
For instance, you can't use a handgun with a barrel under 4" for harvesting big game...so theoretically, then, couldn't you carry a pistol with a barrel under 4" no matter the caliber? That would be the same as just a pistol under .24 caliber--neither one is big game legal.
What if you have a concealed carry permit? Then you can carry concealed for defensive reasons whether you are in the woods or not.
Or, what about he carry exemptions? You can carry a pistol if you are on your way to/from, or actively participating with the following: Hunting, hiking, fishing, camping, or horseback riding...without a permit!
With all the grow operations, meth labs, and the rest of the shady stuff out there...I think a warden would have a VERY hard time getting that ticket to stick.
Now, if you're packing a TC Encore in .308 with a 2-7x scope...that pistol may come into question!
Post by: bobcat on August 18, 2010, 09:20:43 PM
Post by: Bscman on August 18, 2010, 09:30:03 PM
The long and short of it, he pointed out Washington's definition of HUNTING:
"(53) "To hunt" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, capture, or harass a wild animal or wild bird"
In the end he simply pointed out that it is the officer's discretion to cite based the actions the officer observes. He pointed out to me that I don't even need to have tags in my pocket or a firearm or bow on my person to technically be considered "hunting" in this state.
Seems as though we really have to "tip-toe through the tulips" with some officers, in some areas, as some of these laws are REALLY open to interpretation.
I'll have to dig through my archived emails and see if I can come up with the exact emails and verbage.
In my eyes, and I'm sure in some officer's eyes as well, two guys packing rifles through the woods...with only one of them actually having tags for a current, open season will appear a bit shady. I wouldn't be caught packing a .300winmag and be "coyote hunting" while you're spotting the elk 400yds away (through your own scope) while your buddy lines up to take a shot...
I say, the less "guilty" you can make yourself appear...the better off for everyone. I don't want to go out in the woods to spend an hour debating with the officer. I'd rather be hunting...leave your rifle home. Pack a pistol or go buy a bear tag--they're cheap.
Post by: grundy53 on August 18, 2010, 09:43:58 PM
Post by: FC on August 18, 2010, 10:04:56 PM
Post by: Jeremy S on August 19, 2010, 04:38:52 AM
I would definitely carry my rifle if I was in an area where seeing a bear was likely. Not sure about coyotes, I wouldn't want to be shooting at them while hunting deer. Also there's always a small chance of seeing a cougar. If you have bear and cougar tags there's no reason you should go in the woods without a rifle.:yeah:
Post by: ICEMAN on August 19, 2010, 05:20:17 AM
Post by: bobcat on August 19, 2010, 07:09:18 AM
Carry some targets with you and a roll of masking tape.
:chuckle: