Game laws that might mess you up.

[RockAndSage]

Nevada has some tech restrictions a lot of people aren't expecting. No game cams after July 1st, no thermal/NODs hunting at all, even for coyotes, etc.

 

[Wprinkle]

An Official Journal Of The NRA | America's Craziest Game Laws

Before you hunt Bigfoot, snap a photo of that cottontail or push a moose out of a plane, you're going to want to check in on Phil Massaro's list of our country's strangest game laws.

www.americanhunter.org

Here is a fun one... Cant take pics of rabbits in Wyoming without a permit.
Cant fall asleep in North Dakota
Cant whisper in someone's ear while hunting moose in Alaska lol

 

[wind gypsy]

I thought there was something about shooting from off the road but within the fences in WY.. Google AI response:

In Wyoming, it is illegal to hunt or shoot from a public road or highway, defined to include the road surface, the area between fences, or within 30 feet of an unfenced road's edge.

I've heard that one messes people up. Imagine a hunter from south dakota where a common hunting tactic is driving around to shoot pheasants WITHIN the ROW ditches might be particularly at risk if they dont read the regs.

 

[wind gypsy]

Nevada has some tech restrictions a lot of people aren't expecting. No game cams after July 1st, no thermal/NODs hunting at all, even for coyotes, etc.

Bummer for Coyote hunting but awesome for everything else.

 

[MuleyFever]

I see guys pick up deadheads they find while hunting. Better check the local law before picking one up.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

^^^ Anterless is any antler that is 5" or less

Page 16 of the Regs. Even discusses the EoS if you shoot a young male with less than 5”


View attachment 947322

I can't wrap my head around leaving a scrotum naturally attached to a quarter for evidence of sex on an antlerless tag for a bull with less than 5" antlers. I guess the idea is just to prove that it's the same animal in combination with the skull cap, it's just so weird. lol

 

[Blowdowner]

Several states have not updated their bounties on wolves, mountain Lions and grizzlies to keep up with inflation.

 

[va_to_co]

^^^ Anterless is any antler that is 5" or less

Page 16 of the Regs. Even discusses the EoS if you shoot a young male with less than 5”


View attachment 947322

I was reading this before the season, along with the antler point restrictions in the unit I was hunting. Had an encounter with a spike that had antlers shorter than/similar to the length of the ears. With an either sex tag, does that mean that would be a legal elk (assuming those spikes are <5")?

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

If a FS gate is closed and/or has a sign that says no motorized use that means you aren’t supposed to drive on it. Seems to trip a lot of people up…..

 

[sndmn11]

I was reading this before the season, along with the antler point restrictions in the unit I was hunting. Had an encounter with a spike that had antlers shorter than/similar to the length of the ears. With an either sex tag, does that mean that would be a legal elk (assuming those spikes are <5")?

Yes, you would just notch the antlerless part of the tag, retain EOS as per the regulations, and pack out the head.

 

[wyosteve]

In Wyoming you need a brand inspection if taking a horse or mule across county lines.

 

[Wprinkle]

In Wyoming you need a brand inspection if taking a horse or mule across county lines.

That's in most states and is for most livestock...

 

[idelkslayer]

These are for Idaho:

Idaho requires not only evidence of sex but also evidence of species if the season is not open to both mule deer and whitetail deer.
"Preserving Evidence of Species In seasons restricted to mule deer only or white-tailed deer only, if the head is removed, the fully-haired tail must be left naturally attached to the whole or quartered carcass, or a portion of edible meat if boned, until it reaches the final place of storage or consumption, or a commercial meat processing facility. Techniques to keep the tail naturally attached when boning the animal include; sawing through the tail bone while keeping the hide attached to the boned meat, or skinning the tail from the tail bone leaving it attached to the boned meat."

Idaho requires a tag to be attached to a portion of the edible meat. That mean that if you remove the head and pack out quarters, the tag must be attached to one of the quarters of meat, not to the antlers.

If you are transporting meat from animal that was killed by another person and that person is not with you in the vehicle, you must have a proxy statement from them authorizing you to transport their animal.
"Transportation by Another, by Proxy Any person who transports wildlife for another person or receives wildlife for cleaning, processing, as a gift, or for storage must have a written proxy statement signed by the person who killed the animal specifying the numbers and kinds of wildlife; date taken; hunter’s name and address; license, tag, and permit numbers."

Evidence of sex is required on all big game animals even if the season is open for either sex.

 

[cnelk]

I was reading this before the season, along with the antler point restrictions in the unit I was hunting. Had an encounter with a spike that had antlers shorter than/similar to the length of the ears. With an either sex tag, does that mean that would be a legal elk (assuming those spikes are <5")?

Yep, but you better be sure.

Spike elk with antlers < 5" are called 'Golden Elk'
At least thats what an old timer told me a long time ago

 

[va_to_co]

Yep, but you better be sure.

Spike elk with antlers < 5" are called 'Golden Elk'
At least thats what an old timer told me a long time ago

Right. I looked at it for a while before clearly seeing the antlers. Not worth taking that chance though.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Really...? Well hmmmm.... Glad I read this before Next Wednesday lol

You can give them to me

 

[deltadukman]

The HIP survey/ stamp is the dumbest, most unscientific migratory bird survey gotcha ticket if you don’t have it in the history of licenses. Waterfowl based, not big game, but it’s dumb.

 

[jonesn3]

In Idaho a couple years ago, non residents could purchase an OTC archery elk tag and the system did not automatically add the required archery validation fee (~$80 or so I recall). But if you purchased an archery deer tag you got it automatically. That year, a couple of us had elk and deer tags but didn’t intentionally get the archery validation, thankfully we just happened to have it included. That year, a buddy had only the elk tag, no validation, and got a warning from the warden. Apparently it was a common issue and many of the early season violators actually got citations (not warnings), they resolved it the next year.

 

[jonesn3]

In CO, you can have a maximum of 80% letoff on your compound bow. Most how’s come with 85% LO nowadays. Not sure game wardens would carry DW scales and test it in the field, but I wouldn’t put it past ‘em.

 

[idelkslayer]

In Idaho a couple years ago, non residents could purchase an OTC archery elk tag and the system did not automatically add the required archery validation fee (~$80 or so I recall). But if you purchased an archery deer tag you got it automatically. That year, a couple of us had elk and deer tags but didn’t intentionally get the archery validation, thankfully we just happened to have it included. That year, a buddy had only the elk tag, no validation, and got a warning from the warden. Apparently it was a common issue and many of the early season violators actually got citations (not warnings), they resolved it the next year.

That's because in most elk zones and general deer units there is no "Archery Elk Tag" or "Archery Deer Tag". The Elk A-zone tags that primarily have archery seasons often also have muzzleloader or short rifle seasons. I have bought many A-tags in the past with no intention of hunting the archery seasons. It would make no sense for the system to automatically add the archery permit to my purchase. Same with B-tags that are mostly rifle seasons but often have shorter archery seasons or muzzleloader seasons included. I don't see how they could resolve this in the way you suggested since most of the tags are still structured with multiple weapon opportunities.