“Corner Crossing”…. Shots?

[TagSoup_Chef]

Sorry if this is a dumb question.

Not sure what to call this and several flip throughs of state regulations and quick Google searches still have me wondering. The recent corner crossing ruling has me further interested.

Is it legal to shoot from public land over the top of private land to adjacent public? Assuming no houses/people etc in the way.

I’m newer to western hunting, had a late season doe tag and several bull elk presented themselves on adjacent public split by private and got me wondering.

 

[wytx]

Don't think it will be legal for your bullets to fly over private land.

 

[go_deep]

I wouldn't take anyone's advise on this besides the local warden.

 

[Laramie]

It is absolutely illegal.

 

[rodney482]

might be OK if you were leaning on the corner post

 

[Sam Colt]

Not in Texas. 62.0121 says it’s illegal for your bullet to cross a property line.

It’s a defense to prosecution if you either own both parcels or have written permission.

Of course there’s so little public land in Texas it’s kinda academic.

 

[Geewhiz]

How high above a property line do you have to be before it becomes legal? How much airspace does a property owner own above their property? Obviously you can fly over legally.

 

[dusky]

How high above a property line do you have to be before it becomes legal? How much airspace does a property owner own above their property? Obviously you can fly over legally.

Agreed. This is gonna have to be legally defined at some point. If it's legal for my body to pass through the air space at the corners a few inches over the ground, does that mean that any air space a few inches over the ground of the private property is public? I'd think not. Private and public boundaries are going to have to be defined 3 dimensionally instead of 2, with how much implied easement is permitted at the corners. The nittier and grittier the definition, the more silly this all becomes, in my mind. Common sense says, just don't bother the private property or residents, ya know? Instead we live in a day and age where everyone seems to want to use lawfare.

 

[AHayes111]

It may technically be legal given the CC ruling on air space, But I would not do it. The last thing hunters want is another case on air space and with shooting across air space the judge and jury are not as likely to be sympitatic to the hunters. Back when I was in collage and took AGLaw we studied a case like this and the person shooting lost.

 

[Zzyzx]

I wouldn't take anyone's advise on this besides the local warden.

Good to call. But wardens and local prosecutors gave the wrong answer for years on CC before judges finally fixed this mess.

I think shooting over a shared corner is legal for the same reason that stepping over a shared corner is legal. But be prepared to come back to that state and defend your actions if you decide to do it.

 

[Mish-pop]

It may technically be legal given the CC ruling on air space, But I would not do it. The last thing hunters want is another case on air space and with shooting across air space the judge and jury are not as likely to be sympitatic to the hunters. Back when I was in collage and took AGLaw we studied a case like this and the person shooting lost.

I would think this would be where a judge would draw a line just like in the case you stated. I wouldn't push my luck on this much. We have the law on our side right now. Let's not flip the script

 

[go_deep]

Good to call. But wardens and local prosecutors gave the wrong answer for years on CC before judges finally fixed this mess.

I think shooting over a shared corner is legal for the same reason that stepping over a shared corner is legal. But be prepared to come back to that state and defend your actions if you decide to do it.

We all got choice to make in life, some choices just have different rewards and consequences.

 

[nodakian]

The ruling is related to the Unlawful Inclosures Act which forbids private owner from preventing access to public lands. It also discusses the airspace question as it pertains to the situation at hand. Based on my understanding of their analysis of airspace issues, I will avoid shooting across private property.

 

[KenLee]

I wouldn't take anyone's advise on this besides the local warden.

Typically wardens are clueless on laws which apply to unusual circumstances

 

[EastHumboldt]

Just make sure you pick up your shell casing(s) and put them on the correct side of the corner. That way you may have plausible deniability when you lie to the warden and everybody else about it.

 

[Reburn]

Geeze.
This one takes the internet bad idea of the day award.

 

[Weldor]

I'll change it up. Read a Elk hunting article were the hunter flew in a R22 Helo. Killed his Elk and and called for pick up. I'm sure that would ruffle some feathers down in the Glass mtn's. I'll say for the cost it's a good idea. No doubt on how you got there.

 

[Conrad101st]

I'll change it up. Read an Elk hunting article were the hunter flew in a R22 Helo. Killed his Elk and and called for pick up. I'm sure that would ruffle some feathers down in the Glass mtn's. I'll say for the cost it's a good idea. No doubt on how you got there.

It would be nice to be stupid rich and have your own UH60 to fly your camp in and out.

Slingload the elk off the mountain.

 

[go_deep]

Typically wardens are clueless on laws which apply to unusual circumstances

I can only speak to Wyoming, but I have never had a warden not get me an answer to my question, might take a day or two if it's a unique question, but they've answered me with certainty and clarity every time.

 

[Macintosh]

My guess is its going to be 100% dependent on the state and on how or if the land is posted. Anything you read here is going to 1) be coming from a keyboard lawyer (me being exhibit A), and 2) be limited only to one or a few states the poster is most familiar with.

Agree on wardens, all I have worked with have been diligent in getting me a clear answer. However, in a few cases I got a clear answer on how they or their supervisor were interpreting an ambiguous regulation…and in one particular case I got directly opposite answers from 2 different wardens in the same state, on the same question. That regulation has since been clarified, in large part because of those conflicting answers…just be aware.