Shooting Deer Illegally OK with Director

[MIKE IN lINO III]

I read an article about a young TRUE sportsman this morning on the Tribune web page this morning. While I applaud the young man for his decision not to shot too early I can not believe the comment by the Executive Director stating that it could/would have been ok.

His quote:

"Five minutes on one side or another, a conservation officer might not have a problem with that,'' said Mark Johnson, executive director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.

Seem to me that he is advocating breaking the law.

Hopefully it was taken out of context.

Thoughts?

[zrmo440]

You would think that it has too have been misinterpreted. I can't imagine someone from MDHA coming out and blatently saying that.

[pumper317]

it is only five minutes. it isnt like he said 30 minutes one side or the other. I agree with mr johnson. No ones watches are the same time, so who is to say. I mean i agree completely with the law, and try to follow to the best of my ability, but it is not worth blaming a guy saying he is ok with breaking the law. I think you read too much into it personally.

[BobT]

I hope we don't all have to synchronize our watches with the international clocks before we go out. Sure glad I have my GPS with me calibrated to correctly offset the time to my position.

I agree. There are times when we tend to take things too literal but then there are times when we tend to do just the opposite as well.

Bob

[bigbucks]

It's great he did that, but to be truly honest I'd say at least 50% of the deer hunters out there in that situation would take that shot. I'm sure I'll get bashed for this, but I know it's true & would say it's probably much higher than that.

Okay I forgot to hit shift when I wanted the percent hence the 505 that's now been corrected to 50%.

[pumper317]

i would say more than 505 people would shoot there. True sportsmen are not measured by there ability to tell time. sorry mike

[fishnhuntnboy]

I would have to go with everyone else. Honestly I think if you had a trophy one in a lifetime buck infront of you, you cant say that you wont shoot if it is 5 min before/after times. Like everyone said no ones watch is exactly the same.

[MIKE IN lINO III]

I thought it was an interesteing comment. Being out in that young mans situation I might have a hard time with holding back alao.

Now, I hunt ducks and I read the threads about shooting 2-5 minutes early and it is totally different. It really gets some people worked up. I guess duck hunters can tell time.

[BLACKJACK]

Especially on duck hunting its alwasy interesting to see how early you hear the first shot. 10 minutes before the hour is almost normal, at times I've heard shots 15-20 minutes before opener, and you go 'what the *&^%$'??!!!

[zrmo440]

I don't see why he needed to come out and say it like that. If its generally understood between hunters that they are going to shoot a deer 5 minutes before legal shooting time, then shoot the deer. My point is that the non hunting public is going to read it as a blatent violation of the law. I just dont think its the right thing for the leader of a hunting organization to say.

[UdeLakeTom]

So how many times have we been heading out to our stands and figuring we will get there about time to start shooting, and somebody is already shooting. Most of the time, I can's see in front of me yet.

[Hammer Handle]

Salmon fishing in Alaska, if you dro your nets 30 seconds before the CO thinks season is open...you can be fined thousands of dollars....

[lawdog]

I personally think if you know its time, then its time and you absolutely don't shoot (or conversely if you know it isn't time yet...). But honestly I don't know that many guys sit around and check the watch every minute. That's probably what he meant by you could be off a few minutes (especially when combined with what a watch may be off). I have no problem with not knowing the exact second because honestly not even the sunrise/sunset tables are that accurate, but you have to make a good effort to be right.

If he's openly saying, hey even if you know its five minutes past or before shooting time, go ahead, then that's telling him to go ahead and break the law and that's just plain wrong.

[bigbucks]

I can't speak for your situation. I know those who have stands on field edges can often see pretty well in the field a bit before legal light, while those in the woods, might still have trouble seeing a deer well. There are definitely those shots that you know are too early & others that you, think well it's got to be about that time.

[chucker34]

You will notice the regs talk about half an hour before and after sunrise and sunset, not by any specific hour and minute. You use your judgement, if you can see the deer, shoot.

[BobT]

Actually the law is more specific than that. Sunrise and sunset are both defined to the minute along with a table to caculate the offset based on your location. It's all in the handbook. This surely seems to specify a rather particular time of day. In the end, it would still be somewhat of a judgement call on the part of an arresting officer.

Bob

[Bandit]

I hunt in the woods, I can't see the sunrise or set, and I don't wear a watch. I suppose I'm bad, but I always figured if I could see what it was then it's close enough. If it's not a fawn, it's probably in trouble.

[analyzer]

This season I shot a doe, I waited until almost the end of shooting light to start back to the truck so I could bring it around to pick up the deer (farm country, SE MN). As I'm walking the mile or so back to the truck, a big buck walks out of the thicket in front of me. I can tell it's a big mature deer, and assume it's a buck by the deep gutteral grunt it throws at me, and the indignant stomp. But I can't see it's rack very clearly, and I know it's probably 10 minutes or so past legal shooting.

I did the right thing and passed on the shot, but I've been kinda kickin myself for the last 5 months. I know this though, had it been any closer to the legal shooting time, I doubt if I take the time to check my watch. I'm putting a bead on him, and taking him down.

I am VERY regs conscious. I read the time tables and calculate as best as possible the appropriate shooting time. But in this example, it's going to happen too quickly. I did consider the time, but had it been closer, there's no way I have time to check the watch first, he's only there for a fleeting second or two.

[SpearPike]

I also read this article. At the end of the article is says the young man used his cell phone to call his dad. Am I wrong or isn't illegal to use a cell phone while big game hunting. It says in the regs unlawful to use while taking big game. If it is illegal they should be giving him a fine not an award.

[BobT]

It isn't illegal to use cell phones but it is illegal to use them for the purpose of taking game.

 Quote:

Radios and Other Wireless Devices

• Using walkie talkies, cell phones, remote control or other radio

equipment to take big game or small game is unlawful.

Bob

[Wanderer]

The point being, when Bob and I are making a drive, I can't call him and say, "Hurry up! Get around the North side of the woods. There's two tens and fourteen coming. Let the tens pass!" (Illegal)

VS

"Bob, I forgot my watch and water bottle in the truck. Could you bring them to my stand for me?" (Legal, but lazy)

***No, Bob and I don't hunt together****

Re-read the Director's qoute guys. He said he didn't think a CO would have a problem with +/- 5 mins. Thats all. No mention of his personal recommendations according to the first post.

[james_walleye]

Ok here is something i'm surprised hasnt been brought up here. The young man was 12 years old and the article stated he and his dad walked to seperate stands. They were far enough away from each other that the dad had to ask his son if he had shot the deer. He wasnt even close enough to hear if his son had shot?? The hunting regs state that 12 and 13 year olds MUST be accompanied by an adult does it not?? So i'm confused. Either something was left out of the article (mom was sitting there, uncle was sitting there), there is a loophole in the law that the adult does not have to actually be physically sitting there with the youth which i can't believe would be true, or a game law was broken. Anyone else wondering about this??? Its my understanding the accompanying adult must be right there with the youth.

[james_walleye]

Ok i called the DNR in St. Paul about what i stated. The adult must be within earshot of the youth. I still question the situation though as it was stated the father had to question the youth on whether he shot the deer. If he was in earshot wouldnt he have known that his son didnt shoot?

[whitetailfreak]

i would have to agree to. 5 min either way isnt gunna be a big difference.

[Crappyman]

Sorry guys but I have to disagree that it is OK to shoot 5 minutes early. The law is the law and we can't tolerate people that knowingly disregard the laws. If 5 minutes are OK then why isn't 8 minutes? Laws are laws and as sportsman, we should respect the laws and encourage all others to do the same. Why do duck hunters get upset when someone shoots early? Because most hunters do try to follow the rules and then you get some meathead that thinks they are above the law and fires early thus screwing things up for those of us that are trying to play the game by the rules. It was wrong for the guy from the MDHA to say it was OK to shoot early. I will be sending a note to the MDHA to voice my disappointment.