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How far??

3K views 23 replies 14 participants last post by  Fowlman1121 
#1 ·
Taking a 11yr. old hunting for the first time and have question on how far do we need to be off a State Forest dirt road do we need to be? We'll be in a blind and he'll be borrowing clothes and boots that aren't the correct size and wanting to keep him close as legally possible. He's coming in from Arizona for a few days. I've seen guys driving deer posting on the road.
 
#2 ·
I have a rare spot where they skirt a switchback that's 40 yards off the road. Generally though, absent specific drives or weird terrain features, if you can get 400 yards, you start to get into that pressure sweet spot where deer get pushed around and into you but you aren't killing yourself to get there. That isn't that far to walk if you want it. It's all super location specific though. I have another good spot where they bed in the thick 100 yards off a busy trailhead where guys park and walk logging roads 2+ miles in.
 
#9 ·
The only time you need to be twenty-five yards from the road is after you have sighted game and alight from a motor vehicle. You can walk along the road or sit on the road berm and be legally hunting if you want. You just can't shoot at game on or across the road unless your line of fire is high enough to not hit any vehicle that could be traveling on the roadway.

Dick Bodenhorn
 
#13 ·
RSB, I always appreciate your input on this forum. I keep hearing some very misleading intel on what constitutes using a motor vehicle to locate game. Recently, a wco told me that if driving around after a snowstorm that you see tracks and return to hunt those tracks that you could be cited.
Let's not open that can of worms. You'll be more confused at the end of the discussion. :)
 
#17 ·
I witnessed robo pheasant or a stuffed pheasant in action on a local game lands during youth season. A father and daughter came driving down the game lands road, spotted the pheasant and drove another 20-30 yards past the pheasant. They then pulled over got out of the truck and went back and the daughter shot the pheasant. WCO was across the road from the pheasant in the woods and came out identified himself and I found out the next year that gentleman was cited. Definitely used the vehicle to locate game. I also never knew they had a robo pheasant...
 
#18 ·
I witnessed robo pheasant or a stuffed pheasant in action on a local game lands during youth season. A father and daughter came driving down the game lands road, spotted the pheasant and drove another 20-30 yards past the pheasant. They then pulled over got out of the truck and went back and the daughter shot the pheasant. WCO was across the road from the pheasant in the woods and came out identified himself and I found out the next year that gentleman was cited. Definitely used the vehicle to locate game. I also never knew they had a robo pheasant...
And this is the "gray" area.

The guy and his little girl were driving. Is it against the laws to go down the road and get out and hunt if they didn't see game? Of course not. But, if they see game, they have to keep going?

You're going bowhunting after work one evening and you're driving to your spot. 100 yards before your parking spot, you look over in a grassy area and see a big buck (Robobuck). You go down and park at your spot and start stalking in the direction of the Robobuck. Should you be cited?
 
#20 ·
Why would that have anything to do with it. That's not how the law is written. The law applies to private land as well as public.
This is a very gray area. A lot of "by the book" Non-road hunting hunters could be cited (if seen) doing what looks like road hunting, but isn't. Just because you see game from your vehicle does not mean you can't pursue it.
 
#21 ·
I'm not saying I'm right, I was just thinking if they had pulled over in a designated parking area they would have been ok... I think because they saw the pheasant from the truck and pulled over along the road and got out and shot it. I definitely think that is considered using the vehicle to locate game. Just my opinion...
 
#22 ·
I'm not saying I'm right, I was just thinking if they had pulled over in a designated parking area they would have been ok... I think because they saw the pheasant from the truck and pulled over along the road and got out and shot it. I definitely think that is considered using the vehicle to locate game. Just my opinion...
Ah, but is it?
So, if you're going to your hunting property (wherever that may be), you better hope you don't see the game in season right before you park? See what I mean, it's not against the law to see game from your vehicle and go hunt it.
 
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