Rifles During Small Game for Hogs?

[deerpoacher1970]

Most game and fish don't like the law of you being allowed to hunt with centerfire rifle,so they try to tell you no.About like the game wardens in Tn.don't like the fact you can carry loaded long gun in vehicle but castle law says it is legal,it is not there job to interpret the law it is there job to enforce the law.

 

[across the river]

Most game and fish don't like the law of you being allowed to hunt with centerfire rifle,so they try to tell you no.About like the game wardens in Tn.don't like the fact you can carry loaded long gun in vehicle but castle law says it is legal,it is not there job to interpret the law it is there job to enforce the law.

Why would game and fish care if you hunted feral hogs with a centerfire rifle?

 

[jbogg]

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.

I was “Bobcat” hunting last February on a way back food plot on a mountain WMA waiting on some hogs to show up when it occurred to me it would not be a bad idea to be wearing my orange. I have worn it ever since.

 

[The Fever]

I was “Bobcat” hunting last February on a way back food plot on a mountain WMA waiting on some hogs to show up when it occurred to me it would not be a bad idea to be wearing my orange. I have worn it ever since.

Hogs struggle with the red spectrum so I wear it too. IF they care close enough to see my vest, I should have done my job by then!

 

[johnq85]

I asked this same question to a game warden a few weeks ago. He more or less skirted the question and said that most people use muzzle loaders to hunt hogs during small game season and then said that is why they have the hog and coyote season in May, so that people can hunt them with centerfires. I did not push hard at all to get an answer and just let it be but, when I read the regs it seems pretty clear that you can take a centerfire rifle to hunt fox, and bobcat, and obviously “incidental” hogs. I personally will take mine and argue my stance when I cross that bridge if need be. If you show the regulations book to a judge in court I would imagine he would easily see how we came to this conclusion.

 

[oldfatbubba]

Ironically, I called the Region 3 office today with the same questions about the legality of centerfire hunting of hog, bobcat & fox on WMAs during small game season. Yesterday, a range officer @ Clybel told me it was illegal. I had read the rules differently but put my hunt on hold and drove home.

During my call, I.B. Parnell (great guy, very knowledgeable) provided the same interpretation of the rules as @C.Killmaster provides earlier in this thread, conceding that some DNR LE officers may not understand this nuance for bobcat & fox (& hog). He advised that if you run into an issue with a particular LE officer in the field, politely take the ticket and then call their captain to get it straightened out.

Edit: I only saw this thread after speaking to I.B. Parnell.

 

[gma1320]

I will add that when speak with a dnr officer about this he recommended that you carry a predator call such a rabbit squeler so that there is less question as to your intent. You can pick one up cheap at Academy.

 

[Mattval]

This is a great discussion. I have always Hog Hunted during small game season with a Remington model 597 in 22 Mag. I am also going to get a muzzleloader just for these WMA small game hog hunts.

 

[deerpoacher1970]

It is bad when the guys suppose to enforce the law either don't know the law or they are liars.Sounds like it is time to send out email to all dnt officers.

 

[Mattval]

I will add that when speak with a dnr officer about this he recommended that you carry a predator call such a rabbit squeler so that there is less question as to your intent. You can pick one up cheap at Academy.

So is it different if the intent is to hunt wild pigs during the small game season? Like would I be legal with a 22 Mag and muzzleloader?

 

[Mattval]

So is it different if the intent is to hunt wild pigs during the small game season? Like would I be legal with a 22 Mag and muzzleloader?

Ok I read it. I get it. You can use a centerfire rifle for Bobcat and Fox. You are Bobcat and Fox hunting. Hogs are just a "target of opportunity" during that hunt. Thus the predator call.

 

[Mattval]

I think I will get a muzzleloader still.

 

[C.Killmaster]

I will add that when speak with a dnr officer about this he recommended that you carry a predator call such a rabbit squeler so that there is less question as to your intent. You can pick one up cheap at Academy.

He may be correct that hogs are incidental take to the fox/bobcat during small game season, but you don't have to carry a call to prove it. You shouldn't be subject to getting a ticket for hunting hogs with legal weapons when it's a legal time period to kill them.

 

[gma1320]

He may be correct that hogs are incidental take to the fox/bobcat during small game season, but you don't have to carry a call to prove it. You shouldn't be subject to getting a ticket for hunting hogs with legal weapons when it's a legal time period to kill them.

I agree 100%, but we both know some folks may not think the same way.

 

[gma1320]

Ok I read it. I get it. You can use a centerfire rifle for Bobcat and Fox. You are Bobcat and Fox hunting. Hogs are just a "target of opportunity" during that hunt. Thus the predator call.

Yes. It is not a requirement to have the call. That was a recommendation by a game warden. Unfortunately not every warden and wrd official is on the same page

 

[C.Killmaster]

I agree 100%, but we both know some folks may not think the same way.

Games laws and regulations are complicated (something I've been trying to fix my whole career) so if you get a ticket I would make darn sure the law was actually broken before paying it without a fight.

 

[across the river]

Ok I read it. I get it. You can use a centerfire rifle for Bobcat and Fox. You are Bobcat and Fox hunting. Hogs are just a "target of opportunity" during that hunt. Thus the predator call.

You can hunt hogs with any weapon legal on a WMA at the time, it doesn't have to be "incidental" harvest, and you can be strictly hunting hogs. If fox and bobcat hunting is allowed during small game, you don't need a "predator call" to hunt hogs with a rifle anymore than you would need a set of rattling antlers or a grunt call to hunt them with a rifle during deer season. You wouldn't need a squirrel call or pack of beagles to hunt them with a muzzleloader if furbears season isn't in either. You just can't use a weapon to pursue hogs that is not legal on the WMA at the specific time. I really don't understand how this is that confusing to either side of the equation.

 

[chrislibby88]

Why would game and fish care if you hunted feral hogs with a centerfire rifle?

Because orange isn’t required during small game. I think we can agree it’s safer to have orange on while folks are slipping quietly through the woods trying to shoot dark colored critters on the ground.

 

[gma1320]

You can hunt hogs with any weapon legal on a WMA at the time, it doesn't have to be "incidental" harvest, and you can be strictly hunting hogs. If fox and bobcat hunting is allowed during small game, you don't need a "predator call" to hunt hogs with a rifle anymore than you would need a set of rattling antlers or a grunt call to hunt them with a rifle during deer season. You wouldn't need a squirrel call or pack of beagles to hunt them with a muzzleloader if furbears season isn't in either. You just can't use a weapon to pursue hogs that is not legal on the WMA at the specific time. I really don't understand how this is that confusing to either side of the equation.

The problem is that there are several DNR officers as well as WRD personnel who don't see. To understand this rule. My huntin partner got stopped at Paulding forest and that game warden there even tried to tell him his 17 super mag was a centerfire weapon a.d it was illegal to use during small game season.

 

[across the river]

The problem is that there are several DNR officers as well as WRD personnel who don't see. To understand this rule. My huntin partner got stopped at Paulding forest and that game warden there even tried to tell him his 17 super mag was a centerfire weapon a.d it was illegal to use during small game season.

If I know the rules and they don't, that is on them, not me. I'm not going to not legally hunt if I want to, because I'm scared the game warden is ignorant of the rules and regulations he is supposed to be enforcing. Write me the ticket if you want, and I will see you in court.