So if you get pulled over on the way home today and the officer says hey rotate your front two tires, no questions asked you're going to do it?

If I had a dollar for every time we've been checked with a pile of birds id be rich. Half of you guys just follow each other so you will have people on your side because you love to argue. Didn't he say he had the birds together to take a picture? How many of you jack wagons take the classic tailgate pic, full straps, piles of green or piles of trash. I like to talk my mess and get a little back but some of you folks on here are rediculous. It's easy to see why they "want" them separated....to show them you haven't shot more than your limit. That would be illegal. You guys seriously make me scratch my head...sounds like a bunch of yankees to me.

If keeping the birds in a group is illegal, how come every guided trip I've ever been on, the dog retrieves all the ducks, brings them to the guide and he tosses them in one large pile?

Have ridden with guide to the field and back to lodge. At no point were any of the birds segregated until after they were cleaned and tagged.

I've been asked before to grab the ducks that I had shot, but have never been told its illegal to have them together.

Exactly!!!!!!

Once hunt is through we tag all of the birds before transportation. In the field or at the truck no we don't.

I agree with FeatherDuster and Spriggss I mean i understand its a law but holy hell, just get on any guide service website and view the pics and lets see how many tickets they actually pass out !!!

Guilty until proven innocent only applies to the courts, not the GW's. They enforce the law, you are only "innocent" in the eyes of the judge, or should be at least.

I was just pointing out what the law states and something as hunters we all should know.

So all you citing guides for your arguments are assuming that guides operate on the up and up?

Have BOBO tell you about his guide down in Rockport. Scared me straight on having one pile of commingled ducks. Just keep em separated till you are ready for the kill pic, its really simple. The ticket for this can be very harsh

Read through this entire pamphlet, not one mention of keeping ducks separated.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_k0700_1014.pdf

I dont think that being a guide qualifies a person to be an expert on the law. Just because its what a guide does..Does not mean its lawful. I know for a fact that many guides in texas and other states have been busted for breaking the laws.

I have personally witnessed three individuals, last year, hunting together receive a citation because their birds were not seperated. They had them on the tailgate of a truck when the game warden pulled up. All three got tickets. The game warden was very polite about it.

After he finished dealing with them, he checked me. We talked for a bit and I asked about those laws. He said that if all the birds are together, then there is no way for him to tell who shot what and how many. His advice was to use separate game straps in the field, use separate coolers in the truck, or in separate bags labeled with your name and the date of harvest, and a WRD if applicable.He said if you do this, you wont ever get a ticket for mixing your birds.

I dont know..sounds pretty easy to me.

I whole-heartedly disagree with you. The Warden cannot come up to you and say "I believe you were doing X, you must prove me wrong or you will get a citation."

He must have some sort of evidence before he can issue a citation. No one is obligated to prove their innocence if there is no evidence to the contrary.

Ok I have hunted for years and I am a little confused. I am not trying to poke any bears seriously but what is up with asking how many shots you have taken and seperating your empty hulls. I have been checked all over this state while hunting and NEVER been asked how many shots I have taken. Heck after I am done hunting I just throw all my empty hulls in my layout blind and may clean it every coule of hunts. Any light that can be shed on this is appreciated. Thanx

The burden of proof is on the state.

its just my thoughts, but to me it seems like he was not necesarilly getting on the hunters for how many shots they took, but was meerly trying to make sure they cleaned up their trash. If you tell them you took 30 shots, but only have 8 hulls, then its clear you made no effort to pick up your trash. I personally commend them for trying to make sure everyone cleans up their trash. Nothing makes me madder while in the field then seeing some jackasses trash because they were to lazy to bend down and pick it up.

All of this reminds me of a story whenI lived in Louisiana. The man that introduced me to duck hunting had taken his kid duck hunting for the first time. They arrived at the landing with their 12 birds and got checked by the game warden. The son was all excited and couldn't wait to tell his story. The Warden looked at him and said, "Looks like you boys had a good hunt, congrats on getting your limit." The 10 year old replied, "Well I only shot 4 my daddy got 8." The game Warden just laughed as my buddy stood there with a very concerned look on his face. Game Warden said he couldn't cite them because he did not witness the dad taking 8 ducks.

ion

Are you not capable of having a discussion without resorting to insults. I just asked a question about where the law was written. Show me! If it is a violation of law then show it to me is all I ask. I only ask because I can't see it. If it is not written in the law then I would simply go to the courts on the date the citation told me to go. Plead not guilty and ask for a jury trial. If they don't have a written law then you are golden. If it is written then the jury may render the punishment. Wardens have a tough job, I think I undderstand that very well.

So somebody please post the law so we can geet onto other news.

We actually had already gotten to our truck, got changed, and were leaving the ramp when the GW pulled up. He stopped every truck in front of us so we did what we thought was the good thing. Got out of the truck, got out our licenses, our guns, and laid the birds on the tailgate so he could look through them and waited for him to get to us. He got to us and we had the birds all together. He said that we shouldn't have done that, and I completely understand that. I knew that was the law we messed up not waiting until we got home. That's not what got me frustrated it was the whole "live" bird thing.

Why don't one of you doubters call a Federal warden and put a end to this discussion once and for all. BOBO's story it was a Fed.

While I can't cite the internet reference, I have been told that by several game wardens, state and federal, in two states. It also applies to dove. My Texas GW friend, tells me it's a federal regulation on Migratory birds.

It falls under this statement.

"No person shall possess more than one daily bag limit of freshly killed birds while in the field or while returning from the field to one’s hunting camp, automobile or temporary lodging facility."

Laws are written vauge for a reason whether we like it or not. If your out in the field and you happen to be the guy sitting closest to the pile of birds that is more than your daily limit..then you could be considered guilty of being in possesion of more than your limit.

The law states while in the field,returning from the field, hunting camp or auto. If they are separate..then there is no question..but if mixed..the warden has to assume that something is not right. Its really not that hard to keep them separate in my opinion.

Thank you sir and thatakes more sense. I am with most everyone here. There isint a time I go out that I dont see spent hulls that didnt get picked up so I pick them up. It is frustrating as all get out. Its a bit humurous as well b/c you guys tha will complain about somebody finding and hunting "their spot" well it isint hard to find "their spot" with abunch of fresh wader tracks, spent hulls and feathers LOL

If it upsets you that bad wal then call the warden and ask them to please explain with segment states whatever you were accused of. They are the ones that enforce it so they should be able to explain where they are getting their info from.

Man! I just asked for help finding the link to the law.

If it is a law then great, I just wanted to read it for myself. Freakin duck hunters on a Monday after the opener need to borrow some mydol from your wives.

you bet..its just my best guess though

Correct. In this instance however he is saying "I see 10 birds in a pile and 3 hunters. How do I know who shot what and how many was shot." The burden of proof for the hunter is to have them separated into who is possessing what. The possession laws seem very clear on this.

This is just how I read the rule. Interesting topic for debate though.



Again, the Game Warden does not interpret the law, he/she enforces it. If they see you with 1 pile of more than your limit he/she can give you a ticket, then you can argue it in front of the judge. It seems pretty obvious since this does happen.

Just saying a warden over the phone is way less aggressive and intimidating than in person. You maybe able to get to the bottom of it. Good luck.