firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted November 21, 2005 its the late in the evening, your driving home but it is still legal shooting hours so yu ae drving slowly. all of a sudden your 5x5 elk jumps off the road and stops at 100 yards, all of us being the great hunters we are, drop him with one shot. now what? do you walk over to him or do you drive? what i am asking is do you guys think it is ok to drive off a road to retrieve your animal weather it be a big mule deer or an elk? i have done this with 2 elk and have not seen the harm in it it did not ruin the land at all. whats the stance? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bchoitz Report post Posted November 21, 2005 It seems to depend upon where you are. This information is from the Coconino National forest website: "In terms of using your ATV or vehicle for game retrieval it is your responsibility to obey by posted restrictions, such as any cross-country travel closures as they are signed on the ground. Information on these areas is available at all three Forest Service offices in Flagstaff. Where cross-country motorized travel is allowed we require that people ride safely and responsibly and attempt to avoid causing any damage to the landscape including ruts and damage to vegetation. " Clear as Mud huh? It is my basic understanding that it is legal in the forest unless it is a wilderness area, or a road closure "quiet" area such as the Pine Grove seasonal closure in 6A, or the year round closure of Mormon lake and Lake Mary (upper and lower). It appears to be illegal on State Trust lands as well. I just love Google! FWIW, I used a pack frame for my son's elk last year. Bret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted November 21, 2005 Another good Q I feel the spirit of the law would be the important part. Bending as opposed to breaking a law. Yeah... Yeah..., maybe it is against the law to drive offroad, but if you do no harm by taking care to not create ruts, set no forest fires with a hot exhaust, destroy vegetation etc, I would probably at least consider it. After all it is important to take game in a manner where waste is not excessive too. We probably all drive faster than the speed limit on highways at times, considering if it is reasonable and prudent at that time is part of the decision process. We might complain if we got the ticket, but knowing we were "bending" the law is part of the risk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted November 21, 2005 I've read a few things and to me it seems like it is okay to travel cross-country only for getting legally taken big game, even on State Trust but I don't know, I like AZ4life think the spirit of the Law dictates what we should do. This is from the Regulations You may not operate a motorized vehicle cross-country except for the sole purpose of retrieving downed big game on State Trust land (A.R.S. 17-454). Houston Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bchoitz Report post Posted November 21, 2005 With further checking I agree it is allowed to operate a vehicle off-road on state trust lands to retirieve legally taken big game. This is from the AzGame&Fish site: State Trust Lands: Hunting and fishing on State Trust land is allowed with a valid Arizona hunting and/or fishing license. A person may utilize a vehicle on- or off-road to retrieve a legally taken big game animal. Use good judgment in the case of driving off-road to retrieve an animal. If the ground is wet, and driving off-road will cause damage such as ruts, please consider retrieving the animal by another means. Remember that just because you are following a set of vehicle tracks, it does not necessarily mean it is a road. All other off-road activity is prohibited. I sure wish I could find this information on the State Trust Land site. Now what if my deer crosses the fence into Mexico? Bret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted November 22, 2005 bchoitz if the deer or any games runs across to new mexico your pretty much screwed unless an officer see it happen. we were in 28 coues hunting (up going towards mule creek) a few years back and had that very thing happen. we of course retreived our game just in time for an officer to drive by and question it. after a long chat and a little arguing and showing him the blood trail we were allowed to go on our way. but it was a pretty crappy situation we were in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redman Report post Posted November 22, 2005 I think the rules are different for state and federal land (I learned in the hunter safety course in Aug) You can drive on state land but not off federal. I am not 100% sure, but in the case you mentioned, I would probably drive off road and take my chances unless there was something in the way that I would cause significant damage to. I am not sure who can ticket you also, I don't think the game and fish could (only forest service??). Redman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted November 22, 2005 I think I would be a bit more cautious on a hunt where I was forced to retrieve game that had crossed into Indian Land. As a young un, I had a very bad experience with reservation police. Don't want to get in that position again. Nuf Said. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bchoitz Report post Posted November 22, 2005 Actually my question was for "OLD" Mexico, not New Mexico. I'll be in area 35B in December. And I don't think I'll be chasing anything down past that fence, but it very well could happen. Sure enough, if I do it I'll see the federales. Bret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted November 22, 2005 Oh man, don't even go there! I would not cross into Mexico for anything less than a world record. Then I would have to have very good scouts to make sure I could get in and out without being seen! Would never take a gun or any ammo in either. They will lock you up and hold you ransom. Sure they won't call it ransome but that is what it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted November 23, 2005 had a friend justin from back home in morenci who drove down there to party with another guy well they had been huntin or something before they went down ther and had guns in the truck they got pulled over in mexico and spent the next 6 months of their lives down there. his folks spent a lot of cash to get him back to the states. I dont even like to visit mexico after that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Diamondbackaz Report post Posted November 23, 2005 Heres the scoop for Forest service. It use to be up to the individual forest on making their own rules. However that has changed. New National guidlines coming down, see: http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2005/releases/11...anagement.shtml Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bchoitz Report post Posted November 23, 2005 The link told me "The file you requested is not available" Can you summarize the information? Yes you can or no you can't? Bret Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Diamondbackaz Report post Posted November 24, 2005 The link worked for me but try this one to since it is right on the front page. www.fs.fed.us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bchoitz Report post Posted November 25, 2005 The link worked for me today! Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
