Advanced elk tactics -

[CP]

Date/Time: modern rifle season – early morning
Location: forest service road
Hunt Pressure Status: Pumpkin patch
Terrain: Gravel road through thickly overgrown clear cuts
Tag:  over the counter true spike only

You’re driving slowly along, rifle next to you, unloaded of course, magazine in your pocket.  You’re not exactly road hunting per say, maybe just driving between spots or heading for breakfast. 

Suddenly you see three elk bolt across the road about 20 yards in front of you.  They run up the hill next to the road a few yards and stop in a small clearing.  They stand there looking at you and you can see one of them is a legal true spike. 

What now?  You're alone, the elk are on the passenger side, you only have a few seconds to come up with a plan.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Continue driving slowly along until you are out of hearing and sight.
Park and quietly get out and start hunting.
You know a legal bull is close, now go get him!

[Jonathan_S]

I once read that 75% of Americans eat SPAM but only 5% will admit to it.

Well I'm about to do both in regards to road hunting. I get out and try to get a bullet in him.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

In my experience, once you step on the brakes elk run.
That's why you just keep going until you are out of sight.
I have harvested plenty of deer near roads, but never had a chance at an elk.
But then, I been bowhunting since 1988 so they are usually out of range when I extricate myself from the vehicle..

[buglebuster]

I would just jump out, run up to the side of road to get a good rest and kill him.

[BNAElkhntr]

Continue driving slowly along until you are out of hearing and sight.
Park and quietly get out and start hunting.
You know a legal bull is close, now go get him!

Yes This

[WilliamWallace]

Continue driving slowly along until you are out of hearing and sight.
Park and quietly get out and start hunting.
You know a legal bull is close, now go get him!

Yes This

This the "legal" answer. No sure the exact distance, however I know there is a distance you have to be off a road to legally shoot an animal.

[Jonathan_S]

Continue driving slowly along until you are out of hearing and sight.
Park and quietly get out and start hunting.
You know a legal bull is close, now go get him!

Yes This

This the "legal" answer. No sure the exact distance, however I know there is a distance you have to be off a road to legally shoot an animal.

You might be surprised at the actual wording of that rule.

[sumpnz]

Continue driving slowly along until you are out of hearing and sight.
Park and quietly get out and start hunting.
You know a legal bull is close, now go get him!

Yes This

This the "legal" answer. No sure the exact distance, however I know there is a distance you have to be off a road to legally shoot an animal.

You might be surprised at the actual wording of that rule.

7.   Negligently discharging a firearm
(RCW 77.15.460):
from, across, or along the maintained
portion of any public highway, regardless
of surface, or from within a moving
vehicle or moving off-road vehicle is
prohibited. Hunters with disabilities
with a vehicle identification placard, in
compliance with WAC 232-12-828, may
discharge a firearm or other legal hunting
device from a non-moving motor vehicle
that has the engine turned off.

So as long as you are not on the maintained portion, or shooting in such a manner as you bullet would go over the maintained portion of the road, you're good to shoot.

The question then becomes, what counts as "maintained" for the rule's purposes.  If there's a (maintained-ish) drainage ditch on the side, does that count, or just the portion you'd expect tires to run on?

The farther off of a road you are the safer (legally speaking) you are to take the shot.  Personally if you could safely and normally would expect to see someone put a tire there I'd go farther off the road.

[Rainier10]

Shooting from a road, adjacent to a road or across a road is dicey.  The wording was changed so you can do it as long as it isn't "negligent".  That is really up to your definition of "negligent" and more importantly the officer's interpretation.  Also it should be noted that the rule doesn't at this time apply to archery equipment, so you can't shoot a bow from, adjacent to or across a road.

Our team of hunter ed instructors still advises to just not do it.  Don't get into what could be a grey area.

With all that being said I think the drive by and hike in after them is the way to go, you know there is a shooter bull in the area.

[jstone]

I love spam sandwiches!!!!  Also I would drive a little ways and go after them But I am sure they will be In the next county by the time I did so.