ODFW News: 3 rules not in pamphlet

[Pete]

For Immediate Release Thursday, September 25, 2003

Three rules not published in regulations pamphlet to affect hunters this fall

SALEM - Hunters preparing for fall big game seasons need to be aware of three new rules that were recently changed and are not included in the 2003 Oregon Big Game Regulations.

Hunters seeking more information about the new rules are encouraged to contact their nearest ODFW district or field office before heading out.

*Possession of firearms:
As a result of a recent legal review, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission rescinded all administrative rules that restrict the possession of firearms during certain hunting seasons. However, hunters must follow existing rules that govern the type of weapon used to hunt big game, game birds or furbearers. For example, it remains a violation to hunt bear with a centerfire or muzzleloading rifle without a valid unused deer or elk tag during many deer and elk seasons as listed on page 13 of the 2003 Oregon Big Game Regulations.

More information on the rules governing the possession of firearms may be found on the ODFW Web site on the Wildlife Main Page at www.dfw.state.or.us.

*Evidence-of-gender:
Rules adopted earlier this year provide resident hunters the option of following either the old rules from 2002 requiring the scalp with the eyes and antlers attached, or new rules, described in the 2003 Oregon Big Game Regulations, where either the head or reproductive organs must remain attached. Hunters leaving Oregon with game meat must follow both Oregon's rules and the rules of the state where the animal was taken.

*Import of game meat:
A new permanent rule aims to prevent the importation of chronic wasting disease to Oregon. Hunters bringing deer or elk meat back from states with CWD cannot import any portion of the head or spinal column of unless it has been cleaned of all meat and brain tissue. Allowed carcass parts include: cut and wrapped meat, quarters or other portions without the spinal column or head, boned out meat, hides and/or capes without head, skull plates with antlers attached and no tissue attached, upper canine teeth and finished taxidermy heads. Hunters leaving Oregon with deer or elk meat must follow both Oregon's rules and the rules of the state where the animal was taken.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 947-6020
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us Fax: (503) 947-6009

[MountainLion84]

Not allowing people to hunt bear and/or cougar after they have filled their deer/elk tag is ridiculous. I always figured that was to keep people from having an excuse to be in the woods with a gun, without a deer/elk tag. Those people now do not need an excuse. If those people that were hunting bear were going to illegally fill a deer tag, they are still going to do so. If most cougar and bear kills are made by people hunting deer and elk, why limit the potential harvest of these predators, escpecially cougars.

[Don Becker]

Corlyn, I agree with you 1000%! It's an absolutely stupid rule that needs to go the way of the handgun carry restriction. Just look (I know you have) at how that restriction is written! Issue me a tag for the lawyer who wrote that "piece of work!" Every time I study and analyze that language, I get angry. Then, if I determine it does not apply to the time/place I intend to hunt, I am NEVER certain I'm correct. Don

[dla]

I may not be helping the confusion here, but I thought all you had to do was bring out the scalp including the skin around the eyes and include the ears. I didn't think you needed to cart out the head.

ODFW is getting to be a joke.

-Don

[k9jeff]

I agree corlyn....What a messed up rule. If I spend the money to purchase tags for cougar and bear and I am there for a week, why cant I continue hunting for another couple of days????

[Artwo]

A little clarification if you please...........

We elk hunt in Eastern Oregon in a walk in unit and the only way to get your animal out after harvest is to quarter/de-bone and pack it out.

So, if I understand the second rule correctly I do not have to leave part of the reproductive organ attached if I cut the head off to pack it out seperately............or do I.

I'm confused..............

[6 point]

Ok.Can they make up there bloomin minds ,,,,,?Quote:>>Lobbyists and lawyers for the state agree the 1995 Legislature reserved the right to decide when a citizen can bear arms.

Thus, for example, it will be legal this hunting season to carry side arms while hunting with bows or muzzleloaders and, during rifle seasons, to carry a hunting rifle after filling a big game tag.
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ore...2801177681.xml

[Don Becker]

"Yea but!" Now I've taken my deer or elk, I'm headed back to camp and I spot a bear or a cougar. It's just standing there posing and asking to be harvested . . . . . I can't take it because I don't have an unused deer or elk tag. Or, I shoot my deer or elk early on a several-day hunt/outing . . . what possible good reason is there that I cannot now continue hunting for bear and/or cougar? No, ODFW has determined that my punishment for harvesting my deer or elk early is that, for the remainder of the hunt/outing, I am relegated to being the camp "bxxch." I should have been smart-enough to pass-up that nice buck or bull until after I had taken my bear and my cougar. There's no sense to it and it's been part of the rules for years now.

"HUNTING PROHIBITED
No Person Shall:
• Hunt with a centerfire or muzzleloading
rifle without a valid, unused deer
or elk tag for that time period and area
on their person during: Eastern
Oregon controlled buck deer centerfire
firearm season, Cascade bull elk
season, coast bull elk seasons, Rocky
Mt bull or either-sex elk seasons, or
standard Rocky Mt antlerless elk centerfire
firearm seasons (Nov. 22-Nov.
30, 2003). This does not include
Controlled W High Cascade (119A) or
Hood White Rvr (141A) buck hunts.
EXCEPTIONS: (1) Landowners, or
their agent, hunting predators on
lands they own or lease may use centerfire
or muzzleloading firearms to
hunt on such lands; (2) Hunters may
use .22 caliber or smaller centerfire
firearms for hunting coyotes in Juniper,
Beatys Butte, Whitehorse, and Owyhee
units, and in Wagontire Unit south of Lk
Co Rd 5-14 during Rocky Mt bull or
either-sex elk seasons, or standard
Rocky Mt antlerless elk seasons
(Nov. 22-Nov. 30, 2003). Legal .22
caliber centerfire firearms include common
cartridges such as .222, .223,
.22-250, .220 Swift, and others less
than .23 caliber."

[Catch 22]

You can't fill your tag and then continue to hunt so you can help fill your buddy's tag too. After elk and deer season you can go bear or cougar hunt and nobody should have any reason to be packing out a deer or elk.

[MountainLion84]

The problem for alot of people catch 22 is that they only have a limited amount of vacation, and couldn't neccessarily come back after deer/elk season. Another problem is that you cannot hunt bear in any Eastern deer or elk hunt. The desloation unit for example, has 5 different hunts stacked one after another. deer season, any bull,spike only, and 2 cow seasons. That doesn't leave many weeks to get in there. I think they will reevaluate that next year. A good percentage of people will be out to fill a buddies tag like you said, and use bear hunting as an excuse. Now they don't need an excuse, they have a right to be out there period, and it will be awfully tough to catch them. When they decide on these tag numbers, they allow for a segment of the population that is less likely to be successful harvesting an animal. Young,old,novices, people new to the area because they gave up on drawing their old place. If the more successful population helps others fill their tags, the success rates will go up and the will ultimately lower the number of tags given, and that will be the sad ending to this whole deal.
I bet the legislator will grant the ODFW the right, to enforce weapons restrictions. Its a tough situation that's for sure.