What to do with rifle while scouting before season

[Muley Buck]

I leave it hidden in the truck. If someone breaks into my truck, I have bigger problems than where my rifle is. Agree with displacedtexan.

I'd rather my truck get broke into and the thief doesn't find a rifle to steal rather than find my truck broke into and find out my rifle was stolen.

 

[Newtosavage]

So being proactive and vigilant after having your personal property stolen or molested is living in fear?

Molested?

 

[Newtosavage]

So all you guys carrying your rifle scouting. You don't have a backup rifle?

 

[Muley Buck]

Molested?

Yes, as in bother or mess with. Not a sexual connotation. I fixed it for you.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Lots of states are no limit no season on coyotes. You're coyote hunting until the big game season starts.

 

[robby denning]

I don't wanna tell people where my rifle is, but I don't take it on the hill before the opener. Just a good way to get accused of something.

I did see an ad for a gun storage unit that goes in the truck body behind the brake light cover. Ingenious!

 

[WCB]

As a couple others have mentioned before...I am dumbfounded by how many guys seem to only bring 1 firearm with them. Unless I am day hunting from home there is a 0% chance I only have 1 firearm in my vehicle and realistically besides my EDC I usually have at least 1 rifle or shotgun in my truck during the "offseason".

So for out of town or out of state hunts 100% I have a primary and back up rifle/shotgun/bow. Am I going to carry both at the same time while "scouting". Leave it in your truck locked in a good hard case and call it good. If you are really worried about it chain/lock it to something. If you don't want to use a hard case most pickup trucks you can retro fit your back seat to where you can slip a firearm in a soft case behind it and almost ZERO chance anyone will find it.

 

[Newtosavage]

As a couple others have mentioned before...I am dumbfounded by how many guys seem to only bring 1 firearm with them. Unless I am day hunting from home there is a 0% chance I only have 1 firearm in my vehicle and realistically besides my EDC I usually have at least 1 rifle or shotgun in my truck during the "offseason".

So for out of town or out of state hunts 100% I have a primary and back up rifle/shotgun/bow. Am I going to carry both at the same time while "scouting". Leave it in your truck locked in a good hard case and call it good. If you are really worried about it chain/lock it to something. If you don't want to use a hard case most pickup trucks you can retro fit your back seat to where you can slip a firearm in a soft case behind it and almost ZERO chance anyone will find it.

This.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Ever stop and think about the type of person that warden deals with on a routine basis? It takes an exceptional person to deal with sh*theads all day every day and still give people the benefit of the doubt with a cheerful disposition. You should try it sometime.

I don't apologize for defending LEO's. I know what they put up with and how they are treated. Sadly our game wardens get treated the worst by hunters of all people.

All hunters I know are not sh*theads, I weed them out real fast. For the better part hunters are a good law biding people. I know it's different in different states, but Cal. has the worst of the crop when it comes to GW. They are one of the main reason I do not hunt in Cal. any more. I have run into wardens in, AZ. Wis. NM. IN, Montana, Mich. Never, never had an issue with any of them. Almost every warden I have dealt with in Cal. start with a, I'm real important person, and I know you have broken at least one law attitude.

 

[roosiebull]

How is hunting defined in the state in which the OP will scout? How is actively hunting defined? How is sidearm defined? Are there any laws that may prohibit rifle possession during open archery or muzzle loader seasons?

That’s what it comes down to I guess, I figure if sidearms are legal to my woke ass state, it would be legal in most western states.

I personally wouldn’t even think about it, I’m not doing anything wrong carrying a firearm in the woods… if it’s illegal in whatever state the OP is hunting, that changes things, I just assume sidearms are fine to carry in most western states, and coyotes are legal to hunt in most western states if nothing else

 

[roadrunner]

Take it with you. Game Warden has no authority to give you any problems.

 

[Newtosavage]

All hunters I know are not sh*theads, I weed them out real fast. For the better part hunters are a good law biding people. I know it's different in different states, but Cal. has the worst of the crop when it comes to GW. They are one of the main reason I do not hunt in Cal. any more. I have run into wardens in, AZ. Wis. NM. IN, Montana, Mich. Never, never had an issue with any of them. Almost every warden I have dealt with in Cal. start with a, I'm real important person, and I know you have broken at least one law attitude.

How did you get, from what I wrote, that I said all hunters were sh*theads? And do you not think there is a connection between CA and the attitude of the GW's you've run into? Stop and think about it. You actually helped make my point.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

How did you get, from what I wrote, that I said all hunters were sh*theads? And do you not think there is a connection between CA and the attitude of the GW's you've run into? Stop and think about it. You actually helped make my point.

I did not mean to imply you said all hunters are sh*theads. I simply stated, that all hunters I hunt with are not sh*theads, because if I find them to be just that, I won't hunt with them. I would agree there are a lot of people in Ca. who put on an attitude the minute a warden comes up on them, but I have never given a Ca. warden an attitude, but they act as if I had. It has happened many times. I just wish they would not carry their issues with other hunters over to me or other people they come across in the field. Like I said I have hunted in several states and have never experience the Macco attitude with out of state wardens, as I get from Ca. wardens.

 

[49ereric]

I used to think the same way until I got written up for "intent" to shoot deer while pig hunting in California. It was ridiculous and came with a mandatory court appearance. I showed up to court thinking there's no way the judge will uphold this, well, I was wrong. The citing officer didn't even show up and I was found guilty and forced to pay $1500. It all sounds cool as hell to say I'm a red blooded American and its my God given right to carry a firearm (which I do agree with) until all that happens. I've got a question for all you guys saying just carry it cause it's your right. What would you do in the situation I described above? Tell the warden to piss off? Tell the judge to piss off?? Cause it's my right!

Truth…
never trust a warden to see things your way and know a judge will agree with the warden 100%.

 

[Newtosavage]

Truth…
never trust a warden to see things your way and know a judge will agree with the warden 100%.

If only...

 

[Newtosavage]

I'm out on this one. As soon as I see hunter busting GW's all I can do is shake my head. Not how I was raised at all.

 

[49ereric]

I'm out on this one. As soon as I see hunter busting GW's all I can do is shake my head. Not how I was raised at all.

I know 2 guys (rest in peace) that spent time in jail for conspiracy to shoot deer.
giess they shouldn’t have tossed the rifle out of the car where the warden could find it.
bother and I had a Indian warden check us one evening,inspected the rifles and then handed my brothers 06 back to us in the vehicle and he pulled the trigger with the barrel in my brother chest.
I wasn’t raised like that either but life teaches you lessons.

 

[roadrunner]

IMO is if the person has a permit to carry license which can be pistol or long gun can be carried but judge would agree with the warden I suspect.

 

[Muley Buck]

I'm out on this one. As soon as I see hunter busting GW's all I can do is shake my head. Not how I was raised at all.

You were raised to believe game wardens can do no wrong and are perfect? So therefore we as lesser beings should never criticize the actions of one, ever?

 

[Wrench]

I do agree with your premise, but what does that mean or how does that hold water when you are standing in a courtroom and a judge doesn't see it that way and

I used to think the same way until I got written up for "intent" to shoot deer while pig hunting in California. It was ridiculous and came with a mandatory court appearance. I showed up to court thinking there's no way the judge will uphold this, well, I was wrong. The citing officer didn't even show up and I was found guilty and forced to pay $1500. It all sounds cool as hell to say I'm a red blooded American and its my God given right to carry a firearm (which I do agree with) until all that happens. I've got a question for all you guys saying just carry it cause it's your right. What would you do in the situation I described above? Tell the warden to piss off? Tell the judge to piss off?? Cause it's my right!