Road Hunting...

[shooter72]

You may be correct

[BobT]

Was there a change in the law? I have searched the handbook and can't find the reference to taking game from a roadway anymore. For the longest time it was illegal to take grouse, pheasants, and such from a roadway but then a couple years ago the law was changed to allow it but now I can't find any reference to it again.

Perhaps it is once again illegal to discharge a firearm from a road right-of-way.

At any rate, to answer the OP, in my opinion if it is legal then I have no quarrel with those that do take advantage. I personally don't think it should be legal because of the potential danger to motorists and others using the roads but that's just my opinion.

[tjo]

In two years of hunting the Iron Range area, I have yet to run into another hunter walking in the woods. Everyone is out on the roads. Sure is nice having the woods to myself! Put up 7 yesterday.

[ScottW]

You can take small game on "unimproved" roads with a shotgun. Road right if ways vary greatly but ALMOST all roads that are signed and/or named/numbered have some right of way. Like it or not, dirt road small game hunting is essentially legal.

I've shot plenty of grouse walking, plenty right on roads and trails with my vehicle still running, and I finally got my first hunting dog so I'm sure I'll shoot plenty behind him.

I have no qualms against any legal method of take.

[CodyDawg]

so what do you do when the bird flies over the adjacent private property? how many folks dont shoot that bird? I know everyone that is going to respond says they never do, but in reality, it happens most of the time. More damage done to landowner relations by lazy hunters. I dont see why people cant ask permission? Why can't roadhunters take the time to do that? If they did, they would end up with all kinds of land to hunt.

[BigTen]

Again guys, keep in mind these are probably locals you see road hunting.

As someone who grew up in western MN in the heart of pheasant country and someone who still farms and hunts in the area, I can say with all due respect that your statement is not accurate. If I count 10 vehicles "putzing" by while working in the field.....I guarantee I won't know who more than 1 or 2 is, and most times I won't know any of them. Pretty much everyone who is a "local" either has access to private land to hunt or just resorts to hunting public land during the week.

Let's just be honest, if you were a local and you had birds in close proximity every day all fall, do you really think (barring special circumstances) that you'd be driving down the road "hunting"? I can see the guys who aren't from the area wanting to shoot a few birds because they probably only get a few cracks at it each fall, but for the locals there's always tomorrow. Or next week.

Do I like road hunting? No.

Have I shot birds that we saw crawl into the road ditch? Yes.

Unless they ban shooting from the r/w I don't see how you can do anything about it.

[Musky Buck]

And a doctor at some point in everyones life will recommend exercise. That's the very reason most road hunt so they don't have to exercise for some it's more about getting than hunting and the easier it is to get to the getting part the better. Same reason some bait deer, same reason ATV'ers like grouse, then there's the comfort level like my uncles 8k deer stand, at least if he don't get a deer he's in comfort, are you more comfortable in your vehicle or when you look back and your truck is a mile and a half away and you're soaked in sweat chasing roosters. That's the beauty about our country, we all can do what we want and hunt how we want.

[SunnyFishin]

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.

This seems to be the an intelligent post on here.

If someone didn't have the dog, or the means to walk around even (call it a health issue), some on here would chastise them for setting up a play on a ditch chicken?

It's a pheasant guys...need to get that into perspective. And I'm certain those out "just killin" are eating what they take. Hopefully, as fivebucks stated, they are doing it legal and in a manner which doesn't harm anyone.

[shortfatguy]

To all of you who have stated that people are willing to let you hunt if you ask, I would love to go pheasant hunting but have not since I do not have a place to hunt and dont want to spend the time and money to drive down and not have a place to go. Can I hunt at your place?