Game Warden

[Schag]

I spoke with a game warden last night that said that carrying a pistol for protection against coyotes in the spring while running dogs is unlawful in the state of Ohio. I figured it was ok to do and have been doing it for the past couple years. My question would be can't one coyote hunt while beagles are chasing a rabbit because there is no closed season on coyotes? If that is your technique in calling in coyotes to shoot why isn't it ok? Just wondering if other states prohibit the carrying of a firearm while running dogs. I don't like bells, but might have to resort to them.

[BlueLine]

yes, it is now the same in NC, but only on the public game lands. We use to be able to carry a .22 pistol for protection during off season while training dogs, but now our regulation under the Game Land section reads: "Individuals training dogs during closed season without field trail authorization are prohibited from carrying any weapon." plus we cant even train dogs on the game lands west of I-95 between April 1 and August 15.. this excludes field trails. I guess some people in the past were unable to resist taking shots at rabbits during the off season when they got the rabbit going.. I too use to carry a pistol but now I have to make due with my walking (or Tally Ho) stick. I hope they dont consisder my knife a weapon, I always carry at least it while out in the woods. Ray

[TomMN]

Here in MN we have always had a nesting season from April 15 to July 15 when it is illeagle to train dogs. A few years ago they decided to open coonhunting year round. The way the law is now if you are out with your coonhounds between April 15 and July 15 you had better have a gun with or you will get fined. Make sense?

[kjohns]

Schag,
I'm from Ohio too. It is legal to hunt coyotes anytime day or night in Ohio. Like you said, there is no closed season. The only question here is what type of firearm you can hunt them with. I'm not sure what the restricitions are off the top of my head, but if the gun your carrying is legal to hunt coyotes with, I don't see why you couldn't do it.

Besides, if your on private property, your allowed to carry any legal gun you want with you anytime you want.

[Bev]

In Indiana, the only game you can use a high-powered rifle on is coyote (or vermin), so over here I guess they expect to see one of those in your hand.

[Schag]

The game warden explained to me that while a hound is in pursuit of a rabbit that one cannot possess a firearm (in the off season). What kind, from my undertanding is not the issue, he said you are not to have a firearm. I don't want to break the law, but I also want to protect the dogs. In my post, I was only making an anology to what I would say if a warden saw me with a gun while I was running dogs. Or how about this, "I am using these beagles to hunt coyotes, they are on off game, rabbit at the time." ha ha

[snowshoehareguide]

need to pass one more law right away. that for every new law passed an old one will be abolished. in Vt you cant carry a firearm while training a dog in training season but you also can hunt coyotes any time day or nite year round. but you cant use a light when coyote hunting. so i dont have a clue what would happen if you carried a pistol and said you were coyote hunting. i gue ss the warden would have to prove you were running rabbit not coyote. oh yeah in vt you can shoot a rabbit or bear anytime in defense of property. complicated aint it . pete

[Valpoguy]

Actually Bev, here in Indiana the only firearm restrictions are on 1) Deer, 2)waterfowl, 3)Turkey, and 4)Frogs. If you want to use a .300 Win. Mag. to blast grey squirrels, you are perfectly legal. To use a pistol, you must have a valid permit, and it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon while hunting.

[Bev]

I stand corrected. I can't exactly tell you what would fall under the category of vermin, but I don't see much difference in the safety factor of hunting coyote with a 3006 and a deer. The land is still as flat and populated. I'm assuming that was the driving factor behind the law. Do you happen to know the actual reason we can't hunt deer with a high powered rifle in Indiana?

[Bsbowhunter]

Here in Virginia you can only carry a sidearm during Generanl Firearm Season and then it can only be used in those few (rural) counties that allow hunting with a rifle. There are caliber restrictions for both.

[steve w.]

I would think the answer to your ? Bev would be the lawmaker's thought that rifles in populated area's is to dangerous. Here in MI. we can use rifles in the top 2/3rd of the state. Only shotguns down here, works for me and I would hate to see the results if it were differant.

[Cameron Denison]

This is why I love reading these posts. What a great question, and a great way to question our law makers. I haven't really looked up the laws here in MO on any of this. We just always hunt during the season, and never worry about what we had with us in the off season. We knew we weren't going to shoot game that wasn't in season. So I did my research. The following is a quote from the Missouri State Regulations Title 3 CSR 10-7.410 Part D and E:

(D) Dogs. Dogs may be used during the prescribed open seasons to chase, pursue or take wildlife except deer, turkey, mink, muskrat, beaver and river otter. All dogs used to hunt, chase or pursue wildlife shall wear a collar while hunting that contains the full name and address or complete telephone number of the owner, except this provision does not apply to dogs used by waterfowl and game bird hunters. Furbearers, squirrels and rabbits may not be chased, pursued or taken with dogs during daylight hours of the November portion of the firearms deer season in Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Dent, Iron, Madison, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon and Wayne counties.

(E) Dogs (Training). For training dogs wildlife, except deer, turkey, mink, muskrat river otter and beaver, may be chased, but no captured or killed. No person, acting singly or as one (1) of a group, may possess or use a firearm while training dogs during the closed seasons, except that a pistol with blank ammunition may be used during daylight hours only. Training dogs shall include any act of allowing dogs to chase wildlife or to teach dogs to hunt wildlife.

[Beagle Bum]

Interesting discussion.

Snowshoehareguide,
Is that correct? A quote from your post, "in vt you can shoot a rabbit or bear anytime in defense of property." Good grief man, what kind of rabbits do you have in Vt that you need to defend property against??!!! Big suckers, I'll bet (I think I saw that movie). That is interesting and funny at the same time. Must have been some of those Bill Clinton type of "sportsmen" who wrote that law.

Here in Georgia, the law says, "TRAINING DOGS: It is unlawful to possess firearms (except handguns with blank or shot cartridges), axes, climbers, or other equipment for taking game while training hunting dogs except that shotguns with number six or smaller shot may be used while training pointing, flushing, and retreiving dogs using pen raised quail and pigeons provided that the dog trainer maintains proof of purchase of pen raised quail."

[Cameron Denison]

Here is how that Vermont Statute reads... Kinda funny..

§ 4828. Taking of rabbit or fur-bearing animals by landowner; selectmen; certificate; penalty
(a) The provisions of law or regulations of the board relating to the taking of rabbits or fur-bearing animals shall not apply to an owner, the owner's employee, tenant, or caretaker of property protecting the property from damage by rabbits or fur-bearing animals, or to the selectboard of a town protecting public highways or bridges from such damage or submersion with the permission of the owner of lands affected. However, if required by rule of the board, an owner, employee, tenant or caretaker, or the members of the selectboard, who desire to possess during the closed season the skins of any fur-bearing animals taken in defense of property, highways, or bridges shall notify the commissioner or the commissioner's representative within eighty-four hours after taking such animal, and shall hold such pelts for inspection by such authorized representatives.
(b) Before disposing of such pelts, if required by rule of the board, the property owner, employee, tenant, caretaker or selectboard shall secure from the commissioner or a designee a certificate describing the pelts, and showing that the pelts were legally taken during a closed season and in defense of property, highways or bridges. In the event of storage, sale or transfer, such certificates shall accompany the pelts described therein. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1983, No. 213 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 1995, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 28, 1996.)

§ 5001. Hunting dogs; field training
(a) While accompanying the dog, a person without a firearm may train a hunting dog to hunt and pursue:
(1) Bear during the period from June 1 to September 15 and then only from sunrise to sunset;
(2) Rabbits and game birds during the period from June 1 to the last Saturday in September and then only from sunrise to sunset;
(3) Raccoon during the period from June 1 to the last Saturday in September at any time of the day or night;
(4) Bobcat and fox during the period June 1 to March 15, except during regular deer season as prescribed in 10 V.S.A. § 4741.
(b) The commissioner may permit a person without a gun to train and condition a hunting dog between the second Monday in March and June 1. The board may adopt rules as it considers necessary to control the training and conditioning of hunting dogs. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1965, No. 48, eff. May 7, 1965; 1973, No. 178 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 1977, No. 137 (Adj. Sess.); 1983, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), eff. April 13, 1984; 1991, No. 230 (Adj. Sess.), § 28.)