Road Hunting...

[waligators]

Should be illegal! I'll admit i use to do it, but there really is no sport in it. What's everybody's thought on it? My dad was bow hunting last night about 40 yards of a road in some of our river bottom. A truck locks up his brakes, driver comes barreling out and starts chasing a rooster right towards my old man in our field and starts blasting at it only 20 yardsfrom my dad! He didnt get the bird and walked back to his truck. His buddy steps out of the truck, puts down the tailgate and they sit there and have a pop right where the main deer trail crosses the road! He should have got out of stand and asked them what the heck they were doing, since his hunt was pretty much wrecked with the guy shooting. I'm fed up with road hunters. Sure you get birds doing it, but where does the state draw the line?

[harvey lee]

First I would post the land he went onto if it is yours. Then he is trespassing.

As far as sitting on the road, not much one can do about that. I doubt they knew that there was a deer trail across the road or that there was even a guy deer hunting close by. If they did, not much one can do about that either.

I had one spot I bow hunted that I simply moved farther of the road to avoid traffic while I was bow hunting. One cannot stop people from traveling the road and yes I was on our property.

[MuleShack]

I dont do it personally, but if they were just sitting on the road and didn't know your dad was there, then really cant be blamed for anything. If they came onto your land shooting at birds, then yes that is something to be po'd about and he should have said something at that point.

I agree driving around and jumping out of a truck and picking off a rooster doesn't take much effort or skill and is hardly called hunting...but it is legal.

[BassKnuckles]

Are road ditches state or city property like we have a certain part of my yard that the city can do what they want with it here in the cities? I've never road hunted but have thought about it but was concerned it was someone else property.

[monstermoose78]

sounds like this happened before maybe your dad should bring a camera to take pictures if they came onto your property. Personally I think its a bad choice to hunt near road arrow or bullet can deflect and hit a car or someone walking along the road. Or you hit a deer and it runs out on to the road and someone hits it with a car.

[skee0025]

Are road ditches state or city property like we have a certain part of my yard that the city can do what they want with it here in the cities?

Right of ways differ depending on whether the road is state, county or municipal.

[JONOV]

To answer your question, the state draws the line the same place you do...on your property line. The hunters shouldn't have crossed into your land from the ditch. The road ditch is USUALLY public. Your dad was in camo in a tree, probably in the woods, so, even trying to identify whats beyond the target, they had no idea he was there.

I've often found that those most against road hunting have both the space, funds, and time for a dog and therefore hunting on foot is worth their while...

[Jameson]

ya know.....we don't have a 3 month long deer firearms season due to the potential and likely many conflicts that would arise from having those hunters out in the field for so many days. Perhaps with the growing number of archery hunters the season needs to be shortened to lessen the conflicts.

[MNUser]

I've often found that those most against road hunting have both the space, funds, and time for a dog and therefore hunting on foot is worth their while...

Bingo...we have a winner.

I do not road hunt because I do not have too. I have plenty of access to private land. I do not hold anything against those that do. It is legal to do so.

[monstermoose78]

Maybe he was DISABLED !!!

[Musky Buck]

I'm against it because of all the trouble that years of seeing it has brought me, if half these guys would just come to the door I'd let them for the day hunt my land but they don't because you can't distinguish between those that are lazy vs. those that aren't. Except when you see a 2013 ext. cab doing it they could easily drive not far away and find 10's of thousands of acres of awesome public pheasant ground so it may depend some on location and ambition. You can argue disabled all you want but I'd guess 100% of the guys I'm shoe ing off my property and all my neighbors, you should see how fast they move when the chevy comes barreling out of the driveway. I would hope a disabled person would ask and I'd tell them drive this field road and you'd be good to go, birds galore, good luck. As far as road hunting goes no problem really if done in a legal manner go for it if that's what you want to do, sometimes you see a grandfather like figure and that is a good way that they can stay in the game and relevant, that's ok and please pick up any shell casings or don't leave a mess for us to pick up please, don't empty last friday nights beer cans on my approaches etc.

[workin4bait]

Years ago I drove past a guy walking a ditch[road hunting] when I was 50 yards past him the rooster flushed and flew right down the road at my car,your are correct if you figured out this guy starts blasting away at said rooster.

I have never and will never road hunt imho it should be illegal! I have had people try to talk me into pulling over so they could get out and shoot a ditch bird,I tell them that is shooting not hunting,they can get out of my truck if they want,but I am not stopping first.

Workin'

[fishnowworknever]

To each their own. I no longer have a hunting dog, flushing birds is a problem for me if/when I do get out. If I'm driving from one place to another, gravel backroads and there is a rooster in a ditch, you can bet I'll get out and shoot at it if I feel like it.

Not everyone is so lucky to have prime private land to hunt pheasants, walking public land? Sure it's good for exercise ... you may as well road hunt from one WMA to the next.

[TylerS]

Ah road hunters...it's an age-old tradition in the Iron Range that is passed on generation to generation.

Case in point: last weekend, my father and I were driving home right around sundown through a part of Superior National Forest. We were rounding a bend, when we heard a rather loud, close gunshot. A car pops into view ahead of us, brakes on, window down, barrel pointed out the window. Seeing us coming, the car quickly reverses and pulls over. We pass and I give the guy a cockeyed stare. Turns out, it was a young boy with appeared to be a .22 rifle in the passenger seat, and what looks like his father driving. They were shooting onto posted property from a vehicle. I didn't see a bird down, but the boy was pointing out the window.

I called TIP and left a message. Doubt anything will come of it, but I haven't seen a CO up in that neck of the woods for the better part of a decade. Would be nice to see one around to get people honest...for a while, anyway.

[Farley]

I would be livid. Road hunting is for people who just feel the need to kill stuff. If you dont own it or dont have permission, then stay off! It's that simple.

[Farley]

To each their own. I no longer have a hunting dog, flushing birds is a problem for me if/when I do get out. If I'm driving from one place to another, gravel backroads and there is a rooster in a ditch, you can bet I'll get out and shoot at it if I feel like it.

Not everyone is so lucky to have prime private land to hunt pheasants, walking public land? Sure it's good for exercise ... you may as well road hunt from one WMA to the next.

Are we supposed to feel sorry for you? Get over yourself buddy.

[Barbelboy]

Yup,

we all have examples of poachers breaking the law. But we all must remember that there are people who road hunt and do not break the law. And while you may not agree with their methods, if they aren't breaking the law you should't have an opinion about it. If they are poaching, complain to your heart's content. Call TIP, confront them or whatever you think is necessary.

To put it simply. If someone is enjoying the outdoors in a manner that you don't agree with, but isn't breaking the law you have no right to criticize.

We have no right to enforce our opinion on others either.

How would you like to only be able to hunt pheasants/grouse with a single barrel .410, 6 shot, over a german short haired pointer? Maybe I feel that's the only sporting way of harvesting birds, so you should have to do it the same way and I get angry ever time I see someone doing it differently. Why should you get to use a 12 guage with more than one shot?

Or you may only cast for northerns with a fly rod, a 8 lb tippet and white streamers, because I think steel leaders and casting rods are not sporting.

Or you may only hunt whitetails on public land, with a flintlock rifle during December. Because modern rifles with scopes are unsporting.

Do I need to cite more examples?

Let's all remember that there are many ways to enjoy the outdoors. Just because you don't agree with how someone enjoys the outdoors while NOT breaking the law, doesn't mean you get to enforce your opinion or personal set of morals on them. So let's all enjoy the outdoors in our own safe, legal and responsible way and respect that opinions are like............well you know what and that everyone has one.

[BoxMN]

Agree BB you are spot on.

[Farley]

Should be illegal! I'll admit i use to do it, but there really is no sport in it. What's everybody's thought on it?

Read the original post BB.

Because its legal I cant have an opinion? Whatever.

[fishnowworknever]

Are we supposed to feel sorry for you? Get over yourself buddy.

Simply stating how I feel about road hunting, my experience and stance on it like the OP asked. Road hunting to me is not sticking a 12ga out the window and blasting a bird sitting one someones front porch like some of you make it out to be.

The birds flushed out of a ditch taste just as good as the ones flushed by a dog in a field.

Source: Myself, I've had both...many times.

[Farley]

Road hunting to me is not sticking a 12ga out the window and blasting a bird sitting one someones front porch like some of you make it out to be.

Well living out here, thats what it is, except they usually toss out an old dryer out of the back of the truck into the ditch before they leave.

I just dont see the point in hunting like that? To kill stuff, thats it.

If I didnt have a dog, or didnt have friends with dogs, I would give up pheasant hunting. I dont see the point.

[fishnowworknever]

Well living out here, thats what it is, except they usually toss out an old dryer out of the back of the truck into the ditch before they leave.

I just dont see the point in hunting like that? To kill stuff, thats it.

If I didnt have a dog, or didnt have friends with dogs, I would give up pheasant hunting. I dont see the point.

I hear ya there, it just ain't the same without a dog.

The next dog will be a bird dog and I'll be in the fields again.

[James_R]

Yup,

we all have examples of poachers breaking the law. But we all must remember that there are people who road hunt and do not break the law. And while you may not agree with their methods, if they aren't breaking the law you should't have an opinion about it. If they are poaching, complain to your heart's content. Call TIP, confront them or whatever you think is necessary.

To put it simply. If someone is enjoying the outdoors in a manner that you don't agree with, but isn't breaking the law you have no right to criticize.

We have no right to enforce our opinion on others either.

How would you like to only be able to hunt pheasants/grouse with a single barrel .410, 6 shot, over a german short haired pointer? Maybe I feel that's the only sporting way of harvesting birds, so you should have to do it the same way and I get angry ever time I see someone doing it differently. Why should you get to use a 12 guage with more than one shot?

Or you may only cast for northerns with a fly rod, a 8 lb tippet and white streamers, because I think steel leaders and casting rods are not sporting.

Or you may only hunt whitetails on public land, with a flintlock rifle during December. Because modern rifles with scopes are unsporting.

Do I need to cite more examples?

Let's all remember that there are many ways to enjoy the outdoors. Just because you don't agree with how someone enjoys the outdoors while NOT breaking the law, doesn't mean you get to enforce your opinion or personal set of morals on them. So let's all enjoy the outdoors in our own safe, legal and responsible way and respect that opinions are like............well you know what and that everyone has one.

Great post!

[Arago]

I agree....well said.

[fivebucks]

Sticking a gun out the window and blasting a bird is not road hunting - it is poaching. Road hunting (to me anyhow) is driving gravel roads and when you see a bird, try to make a play on it if it is in a legal area to do so. As long as I have a dog I don't go after those birds as I would rather see my dog work. But since I have only had one dog at a time I would have a year in between dogs and I hunted that way. I feel no guilt or shame in it. I think BB hit it right on the head with his post.