Rifles During Small Game for Hogs?

[The Fever]

Hey all,

I was under the impression that you could use rifles during small game unless "no furbearer season" was delineated for that WMA.

I called the Social Circle office and they initially agreed. My buddy called when he got to the WMA, and as I was almost there, and said the warden told him no. I called the regional office and they told me you couldn't because fox and bobcat were not small game and the general regulations for WMA's mandated that you use small game weapons. I called the Social Circle office again and they told me that I was probably right yet again.

I pulled the code regarding legal weapons for small game and fox and bobcat are included in the sentence that outlines legal weapons for small game.

"(4) Weapons for hunting small game shall be limited to shotguns with shot shell size of no greater than 3 1/2 inches in length with No. 2 lead shot or smaller or federally approved nontoxic shot size of F or smaller shot, .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, air rifles, muzzleloading firearms, longbows, recurve bows, crossbows, and compound bows;  provided, however, that in addition to the weapons listed in this paragraph, any center-fire firearm of .17 caliber or larger may be used for hunting fox and bobcat.  Nothing contained in this paragraph shall permit the taking of protected species;"

Can someone clarify this for me? Are fox and bobcat considered small game? Does anyone on here work for DNR that would message me or have a contact I can reach out to directly and confirm?

Thanks!

 

[chrislibby88]

Yea, fox and bobcat are included in small game as furbearers. One thing I’ve noticed is the DNR regional office folks don’t know much reguarding regulations. Also, game wardens are people like us, and they may not keep up with reg changes, and they also may misinterpret things.

 

[jbogg]

The language is confusing for sure. The regs state you can use your center fire of .17 cal or larger, and I have had several DNR employees confirm this as well.

 

[bfriendly]

If the WMA doesn’t allow furbearer hunting, it needs to say so under the specific WMA REGULATION. Pinelog for example usually indicates just that, “ no furbearer hunting”. But over the last 10 years or so, I can think of 2 years it did NOT have that listed......this season is one of those and I’m taking the big guns in case I run into one of those “incidental hogs”

 

[The Fever]

Yea, fox and bobcat are included in small game as furbearers. One thing I’ve noticed is the DNR regional office folks don’t know much reguarding regulations. Also, game wardens are people like us, and they may not keep up with reg changes, and they also may misinterpret things.

I thought the same thing. I just wish I could get a warden and badge number so I can have solid ground to stand on. I feel like I am missing out on hunting opportunities because the people who answer the phone, aren't the ones who are enforcing the law.

 

[The Fever]

If the WMA doesn’t allow furbearer hunting, it needs to say so under the specific WMA REGULATION. Pinelog for example usually indicates just that, “ no furbearer hunting”. But over the last 10 years or so, I can think of 2 years it did NOT have that listed......this season is one of those and I’m taking the big guns in case I run into one of those “incidental hogs”

Right! I have seen this done for years back when I was a trad guy and took the recurve. I wanted to use the rifle and ran into this stumbling block.

 

[The Fever]

The language is confusing for sure. The regs state you can use your center fire of .17 cal or larger, and I have had several DNR employees confirm this as well.

Do you have an email or phone number I can contact someone with? PM me if you do.

 

[oldways]

The language is confusing for sure. The regs state you can use your center fire of .17 cal or larger, and I have had several DNR employees confirm this as well.

Does that mean a 17hmr are not legal because its a rimfire ???

 

[SwampMoss]

My understanding as long as furbearer season is allowed on the WMA you can use .17 caliber center fire and larger. If you are asked what you are hunting for you are hunting furbearer animals. If you are hunting for small game then you have to use the weapon that is allowed for small game. Pigs are just added bonus while you are hunting for the animal you are hunting.

 

[livinoutdoors]

Furbearer season open = centerfire rifle
Furbearer season closed=small game weapons.

 

[chrislibby88]

I guess the game warden was right in a sense, fur beaters aren’t “small game” you can shoot a fox with a rim fire or centerfire, so you could go squirrel hunting and shoot foxes, bobcats, squirrels, yotes and pigs with a rim fire or shotgun with appropriate sized shot. You can also go furbearer ONLY hunting with a centerfire and shoot foxes, bobcats, yotes and pigs. You can’t shoot squirrels with your centerfire though.

 

[across the river]

I thought the same thing. I just wish I could get a warden and badge number so I can have solid ground to stand on. I feel like I am missing out on hunting opportunities because the people who answer the phone, aren't the ones who are enforcing the law.

There is nothing to think about. Fox and Bobcat are small game and listed as such in the regulations.

http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/small-game-seasons-dates-limits/

A center fire rifle is legal for hunting fox and bobcat.

http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/hunting-information/

As long as the WMA doesn’t specifically say it doesn’t have an “furbearer season” and lists a small game season, you are free to take a center fire rifle. What you can’t legally do, is take a center fire rifle and kill rabbits or squirrel with it. You can, however, kill a fox or bobcat or pig with a rim fire, shotgun, muzzleloader, or anything else legal
for small game. If you are hog hunting, take a center fire as long as fox and bobcat is in, but don’t shoot anything other than a pig, fox, or bobcat. If you are squirrel and rabbit hunting you need to have a weapon listed for those species, and you would just have to shoot a pig with that if you saw one.

 

[The Fever]

There is nothing to think about. Fox and Bobcat are small game and listed as such in the regulations.

http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/small-game-seasons-dates-limits/

A center fire rifle is legal for hunting fox and bobcat.

http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/hunting-information/

As long as the WMA doesn’t specifically say it doesn’t have an “furbearer season” and lists a small game season, you are free to take a center fire rifle. What you can’t legally do, is take a center fire rifle and kill rabbits or squirrel with it. You can, however, kill a fox or bobcat or pig with a rim fire, shotgun, muzzleloader, or anything else legal
for small game. If you are hog hunting, take a center fire as long as fox and bobcat is in, but don’t shoot anything other than a pig, fox, or bobcat. If you are squirrel and rabbit hunting you need to have a weapon listed for those species, and you would just have to shoot a pig with that if you saw one.

The part that they keep referencing is unfortunately equally as wrong.

"Furbearers: Raccoons, opossum, foxes and bobcats may be hunted within statewide seasons during small game dates, unless otherwise specified in the WMA listings. Furbearers may not be hunted during managed firearms deer hunts. Night hunting is allowed, unless otherwise specified, but is restricted to small game weapons only (no centerfire rifles). Hunters must pick up their dogs by noon on the day following the hunt. No electronic calls. "

While it says no cetnerfire rifles, it clearly references nighttime hunting.

 

[across the river]

The part that they keep referencing is unfortunately equally as wrong.

"Furbearers: Raccoons, opossum, foxes and bobcats may be hunted within statewide seasons during small game dates, unless otherwise specified in the WMA listings. Furbearers may not be hunted during managed firearms deer hunts. Night hunting is allowed, unless otherwise specified, but is restricted to small game weapons only (no centerfire rifles). Hunters must pick up their dogs by noon on the day following the hunt. No electronic calls. "

While it says no cetnerfire rifles, it clearly references nighttime hunting.

If you are hunting foxes, coyotes, or bobcats at night with a light or thermal or whatever, you can’t use a center fire rifle. You also can’t hunt hogs on a WMA at night, so I don’t see how they are confused. Not surprised though. It isn’t that difficult. As long as you aren’t hunting somewhere that doesn’t allow furbearer hunting during small game, you are 100% legal with a center fire rifle during small game season, as long as you don’t shoot squirrels or rabbits or quail or any of the other things listed that are not fox and bobcat.

 

[The Fever]

If you are hunting foxes, coyotes, or bobcats at night with a light or thermal or whatever, you can’t use a center fire rifle. You also can’t hunt hogs on a WMA at night, so I don’t see how they are confused. Not surprised though. It isn’t that difficult. As long as you aren’t hunting somewhere that doesn’t allow furbearer hunting during small game, you are 100% legal with a center fire rifle during small game season, as long as you don’t shoot squirrels or rabbits or quail or any of the other things listed that are fox and bobcat.

It's quite unfortunate because I am their biggest advocate and to read the rules, reference and study the code, present it to multiple officials and get such a mixed bag of results is very untoward. I was put in the position of dealing with the local warden's interpretation and my hunting opportunities and I pay a lot of money for those opportunities. I will contact GA DNR once again via email and see if I can be connected with someone who can provide clear guidance. At least in that way I have a physical copy of permission and can at least dispute it with the LEO should I run into him again.

 

[across the river]

It's quite unfortunate because I am their biggest advocate and to read the rules, reference and study the code, present it to multiple officials and get such a mixed bag of results is very untoward. I was put in the position of dealing with the local warden's interpretation and my hunting opportunities and I pay a lot of money for those opportunities. I will contact GA DNR once again via email and see if I can be connected with someone who can provide clear guidance. At least in that way I have a physical copy of permission and can at least dispute it with the LEO should I run into him again.

I honestly don’t expect much different. I have had runs in with guys multiple times duck hunting who didn’t know the waterfowl rules at all. If I know the rules, I don’t worry about it and just go. The worst they can do is write you a ticket and then you go to court and get off. Had a couple of times over the years where they were about to write a ticket for something, and in both cases I told the guy he might want to check on that again before we went to court. In both cases he eventually figured out he was wrong. I personally wouldn’t worry about it and just go.

 

[C.Killmaster]

Hey all,

I was under the impression that you could use rifles during small game unless "no furbearer season" was delineated for that WMA.

I called the Social Circle office and they initially agreed. My buddy called when he got to the WMA, and as I was almost there, and said the warden told him no. I called the regional office and they told me you couldn't because fox and bobcat were not small game and the general regulations for WMA's mandated that you use small game weapons. I called the Social Circle office again and they told me that I was probably right yet again.

I pulled the code regarding legal weapons for small game and fox and bobcat are included in the sentence that outlines legal weapons for small game.

"(4) Weapons for hunting small game shall be limited to shotguns with shot shell size of no greater than 3 1/2 inches in length with No. 2 lead shot or smaller or federally approved nontoxic shot size of F or smaller shot, .22 caliber or smaller rimfire firearms, air rifles, muzzleloading firearms, longbows, recurve bows, crossbows, and compound bows;  provided, however, that in addition to the weapons listed in this paragraph, any center-fire firearm of .17 caliber or larger may be used for hunting fox and bobcat.  Nothing contained in this paragraph shall permit the taking of protected species;"

Can someone clarify this for me? Are fox and bobcat considered small game? Does anyone on here work for DNR that would message me or have a contact I can reach out to directly and confirm?

Thanks!

There is this rule:
Rule 391-4-2-.67. Small Game Regulations on Wildlife Management Areas

(8)Raccoon, opossum, fox and bobcat may be hunted within statewide seasons during small game and furbearer dates, unless otherwise specified; electronic calls may not be used.

And this law:

§ 27-1-2. Definitions
(6) "Big game" means turkey, deer, and bear.
(34) "Game animals" means the following animals: bear, bobcat, deer, fox, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, sea turtles and their eggs, squirrel, cougar (Felis concolor), and all members of the families Alligatoridae and Crocodylidae.
(67) "Small game" means all game animals and game birds other than big game.

 

[C.Killmaster]

This became a problem when centerfire rifles were made legal weapons for fox and bobcat in state law a few years ago and they were never excluded from WMA regulations. I've always had a problem allowing centerfire rifles during that time with no orange requirement.

 

[The Fever]

This became a problem when centerfire rifles were made legal weapons for fox and bobcat in state law a few years ago and they were never excluded from WMA regulations. I've always had a problem allowing centerfire rifles during that time with no orange requirement.

So if I am reading your citations correctly, my interpretation is correct?

Are there internal discussions to include the blaze orange? I would really hope they would retain the current rules and just require blaze orange.

I really appreciate you chiming in.

 

[C.Killmaster]

So if I am reading your citations correctly, my interpretation is correct?

Are there internal discussions to include the blaze orange? I would really hope they would retain the current rules and just require blaze orange.

I really appreciate you chiming in.

Yes, centerfire rifles are legal to use on WMAs when small game dates and fox/bobcat dates coincide, unless the special regulations for a particular WMA states "no furbearer season".