Hypothetical Question

[GameHauler]

You are hunting the last evening of your season.

Just before dark your quarry comes in.

You make the shot and it turns out to be less than perfect.

You figure it was a fatal shot but the animal will need time to die.

You know if you push it it will bust out of its bed to maybe never be found.

Your plan is to wait till morning giving him time to expire.

 

Here is the problem:

The next morning your season is over.

You know he may not be dead and a follow up shot may be required.

What would be the legality of taking your weapon into the field to finish him?

 

I know what I would do if I were in my home unit.

I know the WM's here and have their personal phone #'s

so I would call them that night and tell them the situation.

I believe one of them would accompany me into the field the

next morning to be able to verify it was a recovery act.

 

Whats ya think?

[Jimmer Negamanee]

Interesting question. I think the hunter in that situation would be morally obligated to retrieve the animal. A dispatching shot the next morning may complicate things legally but not morally. I analogize it to a buzzer beating shot in basket ball. As long as the ball leaves the players hands before the buzzer, if the shot goes in it counts.

 

I’ve thought of this before in a slightly different context. What if you make a less than perfect shot and the animal runs into the adjacent hunt unit? I think the hunter is still morally obligated to retrieve the animal but, like your hypo, a dispatching shot complicates things. I think your hypo is a far more likely scenario though. Thanks for posting it.

 

I like your idea of calling the WM. It’s a good number to have with you. You’d get better direction from the WM than from talking to someone at the G&F switchboard.

 

Perhaps someone who’s familiar with the legal implications will chime in.

 

[GameHauler]

Reminds me of a time I took Amber up an Old/Old road

to recover a downed Elk.

The WM got a call from the main office after someone reported me.

He knew we were hunting the area and with the description of Amber

he was given he knew it was me and the only reason I would do that

was to recover an Elk.

He did not come to investigate but did stop into camp latter to see what

we had gotten and to tell use someone reported us.

It is nice to know the WM's in the unit you are hunting in.

When hunting different units I always try to meet them.

[standman]

A few years ago I had a friend that hit a bull on the last evening of the season and decided to leave it till morning. He contacted the g and f and they told him he could go look to retrieve the animal, but could not take a weapon with him to dispatch the bull if he was still alive after the season closed. Luckily the bull was already dead. Maybe now days they will let you, a few years ago they wouldn't. I would check and make sure first.

 

Brian

[Ernesto C]

The only way you can leave your bow/rifle at camp is "if" you already taged or fill out your tag. So I will go out the following morning and look for my game. I must do everything and whatever it takes to recover the game.

 

Ernesto C

[Snapshot]

The way things are now days, I would leave my weapon behind and hope to find a dead animal. I hate to see an animal suffer if it was still alive, but living with the guilt of breaking the law, and the possibility of getting caught in the filed the day after with weapon in hand, would weigh heavily also.

[GodIsGood]

That EXACT scenario happened to me on Thurs-Friday.

 

Jake from Timberland Outfitters had been helping me for a few days in 5b, and he got me the number for G&F in Flag - who gave me Clint 5B WM's phone number.

 

They [G&F] also told Jake to tell me NOT to carry any sort of weapon back into the field.

 

Jake said I had 48hrs after the season close with which to track and recover the critter without a big G&F inquiry, but it was in my best interest to at least leave a message for Clint as to my location and situation - which I did.

[az4life]

Leaving a message with the G&F officer or even calling in on the game thief hotline. I had a similar happening about 20 years ago and called, they made a note and I went back out on Jan 1 and made the pickup.

Make a note though of who you talk to If the local G&F officer has a problem with it, you've got some proof.

[natureboyfloyd]

Given the yearlong coyote season, we can carrry a longarm all day long, right?

[AZLance]

what are the chances of the G&F warden being out in the field the day after the season, heck I dont even see them during the season...

[Snapshot]

what are the chances of the G&F warden being out in the field the day after the season, heck I dont even see them during the season...

 

Murphy's Law!

 

Its true you can carry a gun all year long,even if a season is closed, but a G&F officer will probably consider you guilty until you prove otherwise.

Carrying out a dead animal and a weapon at the same time after the season is closed would require some explaining in the rare event an officer did find you.

[Coach]

Immediately contact G&F and tell them about the circumstances. Way more often than not, I've found them to be very helpful and understanding. If nothing else, you have involved them and stated your case. You're not trying to push the rules or get away with anything, and I would be willing to bet they will support you for that. The vast majority of G&F employees I've dealt with want to assist hunters in retrieving downed game, and are very sympathetic to fringe-cases like the one you presented.

 

Good luck and let us know how it turns out. IMO, by all means, get G&F involved. If another hunter finds your animal, they will probably assist you in recovering it.

[GameHauler]

One of the WM's I know just stopped in to schedule some repairs on his trailer.

I asked him the Question and the law says you may not take the weapon in the field with the intentions to shoot it if not dead.

It would be considered in pro suit after your season has closed.

[jakehaffey]

One of the WM's I know just stopped in to schedule some repairs on his trailer.

I asked him the Question and the law says you may not take the weapon in the field with the intentions to shoot it if not dead.

It would be considered in pro suit after your season has closed.

 

I would think that if you called and told them the situation you would be able to carry a weapon. If you have an animal that is wounded and not going to make it you would need to finish it off. Otherwise all these anti-hunters have a reason to hate us for being cruel. It is unethical to let an animal suffer.

[GameHauler]

One of the WM's I know just stopped in to schedule some repairs on his trailer.

I asked him the Question and the law says you may not take the weapon in the field with the intentions to shoot it if not dead.

It would be considered in pro suit after your season has closed.

 

I would think that if you called and told them the situation you would be able to carry a weapon. If you have an animal that is wounded and not going to make it you would need to finish it off. Otherwise all these anti-hunters have a reason to hate us for being cruel. It is unethical to let an animal suffer.

 

He agreed It is sad to have to let it suffer

but that is what the law states.

All you can do is back out and let it expire.

 

Would every Judge convict you?

Would every WM write you up ?

Not worth taking the chance of loosing your license for 5 years.