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Other Hunting => Coyote, Small Game, Varmints => Topic started by: CP on May 27, 2008, 01:10:54 PM


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Title: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: CP on May 27, 2008, 01:10:54 PM
I’m having trouble interpreting the regulation below as it applies to small game and varmint hunting in a firearm restricted area.  Say I’m hunting raccoons in Snohomish county West of highway 9.  It’s raccoon season but not deer or elk season.  What is legal and what isn’t?  Does this reg even apply or is it just for deer & elk? 

I think it is:
Centerfire & rimfire rifles = illegal (makes sense)
Any revolver = legal (doesn’t make sense)
Any other handgun, auto, single shot, etc. = illegal (makes no sense)
Muzzleloader = legal ( OK )
Shotgun = legal (makes sense)
Bow/arrow = legal ( OK )

Or am looking in the wrong place entirely? 


Firearm Restriction Areas
The firearm restriction areas listed have been
established by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Centerfire and rimfire rifles are not legal for hunting
in these areas.
In firearm restriction areas, hunters may hunt only
during the season allowed by their tag.
Archery tag holders may hunt during
archery seasons with archery equipment.
Muzzleloader tag holders may hunt during
muzzleloader seasons with muzzleloader
equipment except in the GMU 652
restriction area outlined for King County.
Modern firearm tag holders may hunt
during modern firearm seasons with bows
and arrows, muzzleloaders, or revolvertype
handguns meeting equipment
restrictions, or legal shotguns firing slugs
or buckshot.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Snowman on May 27, 2008, 01:29:33 PM
If you're west of highway 9 you can only use shotgun, pistol, muzzle laoder and bow. Doesn't matter if it is not a big game season or not. The unit is 407. It will tell you the units numbers when you read the regs.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: cascademountainhunter on May 29, 2008, 06:35:38 PM
ya the battle ground (564) unit is the same way
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Snowman on May 29, 2008, 06:58:49 PM
Yep hunted down there one year. Got nothing. Any unit that is restricted means exactly that all year no exceptions. Now the 407 unit has a triangle piece that is not restricted, but it is all private property.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: bobcat on May 29, 2008, 07:10:34 PM
Any unit that is restricted means exactly that all year no exceptions.

Almost, but not totally true. There is an Firearm Restriction Area in Grays Harbor County that is only in effect during modern firearm elk season. It's ok to hunt deer in the same area with a rifle. Kinda weird but that's the way it is.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Snowman on May 29, 2008, 07:13:17 PM
That's wierd. Yeah did alot of research on the 407 unit and found that just a triangle piece lies just over the line for the restricted areas around here. Kinda cool where I keep my horses has a late hunt and have permission to hunt there.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Armadillo on May 29, 2008, 07:25:43 PM
What about behind DNR gates that say "No shooting except as allowed by state hunting regulations". It leads me to think that you can fire centerfire in those areas if your only hunting there. I cant find any information on what it really means, does anyone know?
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Snowman on May 29, 2008, 07:38:08 PM
The dnr doesn't want target shooting. That is what those signs mean.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Snowman on May 29, 2008, 07:42:07 PM
If it is not firearm restricted during modern hunting seasons than you can legally hunt in there. They're tired of people shooting up the trees and leaving garbage.
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Armadillo on May 30, 2008, 08:12:44 AM
Cool. The DNR really did clean up the Marckworth state forest by installing the gates but even after hiking about 3 miles in I still found a bunch of fresh shells and beer cans but its improved from what it was
Title: Re: Legal weapons in a firearm restricted area
Post by: Snowman on May 30, 2008, 09:18:41 AM
Yeah that's stossel creek for me, that's my old stomping grounds. Done my fair share of partying up there. We always packed our crude out as we hunted there to. Have shot alot of deer there and got my first bear up there. Haven't been there in awhile as it was really jammed up with hunters there and the roads are horrible. I know there is some really good hunting there, just have to hike a ways. All valley kids party up there, would imageing not to much any more as all gates are locked. Pm sometime and will share some info on that area.
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