Hunting

[KT2000]

Does anyone know the rules for hunting deer in WA relative to the distance from homes they need to be?
Hunters have been scouring my neighborhood daily - using binoculars to find the deer in people's yards. None killed yet that I know of.
It is bow season now but rifle is coming up soon. I know they have shot them in the street - is that legal?
I did put up no hunting signs on my yard but neighbors have not.
Fish and Wildlife has an online pamphlet but it is too large for my computer.
Thanks to anyone who knows: distance from houses and legality of going into yards.

[eridani]

1. I dunno--check the state government website

Their behavior sounds really dangerous. If you can't get any action from the state, try local law enforcement.

[DebLT]

2. hunting

I looked at the pamphlet and couldn't find anything specific to residential hunting. If I were you I would call my local police department or sheriff and ask them exactly what's allowed. I'm betting it's NOT allowed to hunt in a residential neighborhood.

[quiller4]

6. There is nothing specific about homes in the hunting regs.

Check with your county to see if there are established no shooting zones. If those are in place, they restrict hunters, too.

Residential neighborhood is a misnomer in many rural areas. I used to live in rural Washington and I put up signs saying "Private Land - Hunting with written permission of landowner only" and then gave a few people permission because we wanted to reduce the deer damage to our crops. That was what my neighbors did, too. You couldn't have called our area a neighborhood. It was zoned agriculteral and the home sites varied from 5- 150 acres.

[pscot]

3. Generally subject to county regulation

Call the sheriff's office. They'll know.

[Buzz cook]

4. Depends on where you live.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/

The state is broken up into game management units GMU. If you know what GMU you are in, call the WDFW and ask about the rules.
Generally Hunting is restricted to state and federal land and to certain private lands where the hunter(s) have been given permission. In Washington, Weyerhaeuser and similar companies have let hunters use their land without permission.

Generally bow hunters and firearm hunters use the same lands.

[sneakythomas]

5. Responsible hunting

I don't hunt very much anymore (or post on this forum) but my Dad does a lot of hunting and beat some basic rules into us as kids.

ALWAYS ask permission to hunt on private land. If you don't get it, go someplace else.

ALWAYS know where your bullet is going to go if you miss ie their should be a hill or something immediately behind your target.

Never shoot near a house, even if your are firing the other way. If your not sure you're far enough away,go farther.

A few general observations

Their are a lot of idiots out their with guns. They annoy those of us who want to be responsible in the outdoors. Bow hunters are usually pretty safe, it takes practice, skill, intelligence and a lot of patience to bow hunt. It is illegal to shoot from the road. Give the cops a license number if you can get it. Idiot will get a phone call which will make the responsible hunters happy. Local cops will tell you if you can shoot in your area. I used to live outside Carnation, when unsure I called and got the question answered. If somebody goes past a no hunting sign on your property they are tresspassing. Call cops.

By Federal law there is an 11% tax on ammunition that must be spent of wildlife habit and preservation. Responsible hunters support this whole heartedly.

[KT2000]

7. I like what you said

and you and your Dad are responsible hunters.
You are spot on with what I learned from our local Fish & Wildlife office. Thanks for the info - especially when one should call cops.

More neighbors have posted their open spaces and the hunters have pretty much quit checking the yards with binoculars.