Cali D zone access through X zones?

[Azone]

A nor cal X zone hunt was in the works this fall for the wife and I but with a baby being on the way and with a early October due date I will be flying solo this coming season.

I'm not wanting to burn my points now and am looking into a D zone since it's only a few hours away and I will probably have five days to hunt. I'm kicking around the idea of coming in from the eastern side which would require me to pack in through an X zone.

I have no intention of poaching a X zone buck and putting a D zone tag on it but what has me nervous is if I'm successful and get checked by a warden on my way out and he thinks I have poached an X zone buck and put a D zone tag on it. I will most definitely mark kill location coordinates and take plenty of pictures of the deer with landmarks in the background if possible to help clear up any accusations of wrong doing.

As long as I have a bear tag on me I would be good as far as the rifle and ammunition is concerned with being in the Xzone ( not even gonna try the I'm hunting coyotes at 10k plus feet line), but the gray area to me would be coming out with a deer and catching a warden in a bad mood.

Any of you guys ever mess around with this idea or follow through with it? If you have, what have the wardens had to say about it?

 

[Muley Buck]

I've done it many times. Just keep your bolt out of your rifle while in the X zone. That should make you legal, but I won't say that you can't get harrassed for doing it either. You don't need a bear tag to justify having a rifle while traveling through an X zone.

 

[87TT]

Why don't you call the local warden there and discuss it before hand. Most of them would be understanding and could give you advice. Another thought, my Garmin GPS takes pictures with the GPS coordinates imprinted on them. If you shoot one, snap a picture of it and there's your proof. A landmark such as a peak in the background wouldn't hurt.
Hope it's a boy.

 

[willfrye027]

I would do some serious scouting before going to all that trouble. As you know there are huge pockets of good habitat in the d zones that flat out don’t hold deer. And calling the local warden is a good idea to let him know your plan if you do go that route.

 

[Rsully661]

I’ve done it a few times, depending on where your heading the x zone biologists can give you the best info since they are doing all the collaring. Also after all the snow this year your going to have snow pack across some of the passes so be prepared.


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[steelheadmike]

As long as you don't try to be sneaky you will be fine. Mark your kill site, take some photos, and be honest about when and where you went. I'd get a bear tag anyways, you might see more of those than deer.

 

[amassi]

Bear tag wont help since the x zone bear season starts the 2nd Saturday of x zone deer- depending on your D zone that is 2 Or 3 weeks into the season and promptly in the area of your impending birth.
I think your overthinking this, simply possessing a dead deer in anothern zone isnt a crime. The burden of proof lies with the state. I suppose you could mark your carcass with gps and maybe go so far as taking a kill photo with gps enabled on your phone. If stopped and hassled, provide the warden with that evidence
If your hunting d3,5,6,8 people access via eastern x zones every season

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[Azone]

Thanks to all for the replies. I didn't find any laws stating it was illegal, but I was curious if anyone had ever been harassed by fish and wildlife for it. I've dealt with a couple of rude wardens before, its not on my list of things deal with again and no, I'm not trying to bash on all wardens I have met some great ones also throughout the years.
I know I'm over thinking it, but it would not be the first time I've done that with something.
Season ends on November 3rd this year for the D zone I'm looking at and bear season opens with general deer season for that zone and runs till December 29th. It opens in the X zone I will be walking through four weeks before I will be there. So I should be good where ever I see a bear if I choose to shoot one.
The snow piling up in the passes is my biggest concern, especially if the storms come early next year. If that's the case I will just be coming in from the west side.

 

[Jimmy]

I backpack hunt in CA and at least where I go I don't remember seeing a warden out of his truck in the past 8 years. I wish I'd run into them, but they are spread pretty thin. I have to wave down a truck or stop in somewhere to talk to a warden. I wish there were more wardens. I've got nothing to hide and I see some poor behavior from other hunters.

 

[Azone]

I backpack hunt in CA and at least where I go I don't remember seeing a warden out of his truck in the past 8 years. I wish I'd run into them, but they are spread pretty thin. I have to wave down a truck or stop in somewhere to talk to a warden. I wish there were more wardens. I've got nothing to hide and I see some poor behavior from other hunters.

There is definitely no shortage of MORONS with rifles out here. Some of the stuff I've seen on Ft. Hunter Liggett makes me wish a hunting license was way harder to obtain to help weed the dumbasses out.

 

[RosinBag]

Why don't you call the local warden there and discuss it before hand. Most of them would be understanding and could give you advice. Another thought, my Garmin GPS takes pictures with the GPS coordinates imprinted on them. If you shoot one, snap a picture of it and there's your proof. A landmark such as a peak in the background wouldn't hurt.
Hope it's a boy.

Do this as not one person that will be chining in on this thread will be the one checking you!

What you are thinking of doing isn’t illegal by any means, so why not talk to the local wardens and ask them how they would prefer you do it to keep them happy. It’s a no brained to talk to them.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

If d6 is what your looking at keep in mind it’s a premium zone this year so don’t put it as your first choice or points will burn. As stated above lots of people park in x zone and go into d zones. Wardens are getting better attitudes lately around here. If you know your landmarks and take photos they will be cool with you.

 

[CaliforniaMuley209]

You'll be fine man it happens all the Time. Just document the kill and id be prepared to bring the warden back to the kill sight. (worst case scenario) lol But if one did harass you that would be a quick and easy way to clear things up. Quick blood sample would prove your innocence. Good luck man!

 

[530Chukar]

Also turn on the tracks on your gps. That would show them where you were without a doubt.


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[Azone]

I will be calling a warden and a biologist before I go. I guess I'm just getting paranoid lol.
I was unsure of this idea at first but from the feedback I have gotten it does sound like people often do come from the east side and I probably will not end up in court for doing it.
Big thanks for all your replies

 

[BuckSnort]

I have done it a couple times.. Be prepared for snooty looks from a lot of granola munchers.. You will see a lot of them

 

[Bubblehide]

I would not say you are getting paranoid. We in Ca have an "in pursuit of" regulation. If you take a look at it, you will understand the delima. But first, of course what you are considering is legal. But that in pursuit law means that if a warden sees you glassing, checking out, following deer in the X zone, with an operable and loaded rifle, you would be in violation. Think of it like the regulation in many states that makes it illegal to turn your vehicle in order to light up deer with your headlights, while a weapon is in the vehicle, again, a violation of the law. Although this latter one is written specific to this, it reflects the in pursuit regulation.

Good advice has been provided, I would utilize that advice, and discuss this with at minimum, the X zone warden, if not the wardens from both zones. I would try to get their perspectives on this, and their advice in what you need to do to satisfy them.

I have done something slightly different but similar by going through a state park to hunt NF land. I of course went into the park to discuss it with the park personnel and park law enforcement. They were unsure of the legality, but I insisted it was perfectly legal. It took them about a week to get back to me to an official affirmative response. They did request that I try to not parade a dead animal, but since I debone in the field, there wasn't much to see other than the skull cap an antlers, which I bagged. The meat was in the pack. In my case, going through the state park, I removed the bolt and separated the ammo (in the bottom of my pack), until clearly on NF lands, and did the same upon exit.

However, the issue in such situations is often not a matter of innocence or guilt, but proximity to the court if you do need to defend yourself; if a warden does chose to cite you and let the court figure it out.

 

[KClark]

Lot's of good advice above. I'd go so far as to keep the wardens contact info handy so he can defend you from other LEOs that decide to question you. A few years ago a hunter legally killed a 30" buck in X8 on opening week and was detained by an over achieving USFS employee when he transported it through D5 which hadn't opened yet. The wardens saved the day for him with a quick hike to the kill spot.

 

[CArcher]

I have heard of wardens giving guys a difficult time about it but I have not heard of anyone who was legal, in the right, and had proof of kill location that has been ticketed. My buddies and I hunt in the PCT area throughout the season and have never seen a warden except in parking lots and trailheads. But as some have stated before I would try to get to the area you're interested in hunting at least once before season. I cant count how many times wec

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[CArcher]

I have heard of wardens giving guys a difficult time about it but I have not heard of anyone who was legal, in the right, and had proof of kill location that has been ticketed. My buddies and I hunt in the PCT area throughout the season and have never seen a warden except in parking lots and trailheads. But as some have stated before I would try to get to the area you're interested in hunting at least once before season. I cant count how many times weve hiked to promising areas to glass and not find a single deer in the basin.

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