Thread: Hunting license required or not?

Maybe this is a simple question but I honestly can't find the answer:

I am an Oregon Resident with a hunting license/tags and I have family and friends who would like to camp/backpack with me this year who are not Oregon residents and do not have Oregon hunting licenses. Do they need non-resident licenses to join me? As-in I would hunt, and they would be camping.

For rabbit?
For coyote?
For big game?

It is my understanding that people can tag along with a hunter as lond as they are not actively hunting or carrying a weapon for that hunting.

I believe that rabbit and coyote are considered varmints and don't require a hunting license. Same with rockchucks and squirrels.

Negative... to "hunt" anything, you have to have a hunting license- even varmint. The difference is that you don't have to pull any tags.

To answer the question- you can take anyone you want, and they can be armed and wearing blaze orange and spotting game with binoculars and etc... it's a free country, and you can look like you're hunting even if you're not hunting all you want. Just keep in mind that the difference between a violation and no violation will be how the game officer perceives the situation.

So I'd suggest no hunting caliber rifles for the guests.

Originally Posted by bkb0000

Negative... to "hunt" anything, you have to have a hunting license- even varmint. The difference is that you don't have to pull any tags.

ODFW: Small Game Trapping and Hunting Regulations

Yup, I amend my previous statement. Good to know that!

Thanks for the replies everyone. It has been a little confusing because I can't find in the ODFW regulations a definition of "hunter" and if other members of your party are considered hunters or not. In Tennessee and Nebraska (two places I've hunted) you can have people actually "assist" you in hunting (tag along) but as long as they are not holding a weapon or actively harvest they don't need a license.

I'm going to go ahead and test the waters and see what happens. I don't see the issue in camping and harvesting rabbit to eat with my non-resident friends/family.

This is a quote directly from ODFW...

No animals shall be killed except during authorized open harvest seasons. A bobcat record card must be in possesion to harvest bobcat. A Furtaker's License or Hunting License for furbearers must be in possesion to pursue.

Originally Posted by bkb0000

Negative... to "hunt" anything, you have to have a hunting license- even varmint. The difference is that you don't have to pull any tags.

To answer the question- you can take anyone you want, and they can be armed and wearing blaze orange and spotting game with binoculars and etc... it's a free country, and you can look like you're hunting even if you're not hunting all you want. Just keep in mind that the difference between a violation and no violation will be how the game officer perceives the situation.

So I'd suggest no hunting caliber rifles for the guests.

If they are "tagging along" you might consider a side arm if they need protection...

"Tagging along" = "Live bait"

Originally Posted by bkb0000

Negative... to "hunt" anything, you have to have a hunting license- even varmint. The difference is that you don't have to pull any tags.

To answer the question- you can take anyone you want, and they can be armed and wearing blaze orange and spotting game with binoculars and etc... it's a free country, and you can look like you're hunting even if you're not hunting all you want. Just keep in mind that the difference between a violation and no violation will be how the game officer perceives the situation.

So I'd suggest no hunting caliber rifles for the guests.

Great information.

Originally Posted by midwestdisco

Thanks for the replies everyone. It has been a little confusing because I can't find in the ODFW regulations a definition of "hunter" and if other members of your party are considered hunters or not. In Tennessee and Nebraska (two places I've hunted) you can have people actually "assist" you in hunting (tag along) but as long as they are not holding a weapon or actively harvest they don't need a license.

I'm going to go ahead and test the waters and see what happens. I don't see the issue in camping and harvesting rabbit to eat with my non-resident friends/family.

If you would like further explanation call OSP and ask to speak to a game trooper. They are ODFW's law enforcement and shoukd be able to help you with further clarification. 503 375 3555. Good luck.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC

Originally Posted by the4thshake

"Tagging along" = "Live bait"

yes,live bait....it is actually a good idea to bring a person slower than yourself when hunting bears.
a wise man said..."you dont have to be able to outrun a bear,just be able to out run your slowest friend"
this works on zombies too,see the walking dead season 2.

Originally Posted by doubletap007

yes,live bait....it is actually a good idea to bring a person slower than yourself when hunting bears.
a wise man said..."you dont have to be able to outrun a bear,just be able to out run your slowest friend"
this works on zombies too,see the walking dead season 2.

Yeah, but Shayne DID shoot Otis in the leg to help slow him down and become zombie food. Just sayin'...

Originally Posted by mkwerx

Yeah, but Shayne DID shoot Otis in the leg to help slow him down and become zombie food. Just sayin'...

true,i forgot about that,because shane had an injury too huh?
it was only a matter of time before otis got winded and dropped anyhow.

Page 11 from Oregon Big Game Regulations states the following:"Hunters, 14 years of age and older, who will be hunting predators on public land, and western grey squirrels, unprotected mammals, and unprotected birds on public or private land must have a valid hunting license. No tags are required."

As one of the respondents posted above it is all in the perception of the officer. Best bet is to buy a license if there is ANY chance your guest will shoot or be carrying a firearm that could be considered a "hunting Caliber", which in the case of squirrels or other small animals could be a .22lr.
Best bet is not to chance it, a license is cheaper than the ticket for not having one!

Have fun, and be safe!

Worthy of note, coyote and rabbit are considered predatory on private land (as are feral swine and rodents), so with landowner permission anything goes, including spotlighting and shooting from a vehicle. No license needed.

Originally Posted by JohnnyCauc

Worthy of note, coyote and rabbit are considered predatory on private land (as are feral swine and rodents), so with landowner permission anything goes, including spotlighting and shooting from a vehicle. No license needed.

Be very careful with this one. I have 28 acres and first I called to verify that I could kill predatory animals without a license. Person on the phone said that only applies to "landowners" as defined in the Big Game Regs. Which says you have to own more than 40 acres. When I talked to local Game officer he said that because where I live and the size of property I'd be OK. So my advise is to check before you shoot. If you have a couple acres just outside of town you may get into a lot of hot water capping a coyote of your porch with a flood light.

On another note...I have found that the coyote are less spooked by a red light than a white. So I picked up one of those big floodlights and put red color filter on it myself. Works great!

Originally Posted by the4thshake

"Tagging along" = "Live bait"

Well,yeah, you always take someone slower than you

I do not want to start a debate but the Bottom Line is if an LEO wants to push the issue you CAN be cited for hunting without a license if you are carrying a firearm (any type) while in the woods. I know two who have been over the last 20 years (and they were caught taking pot-shots at sage rats). Typically if you are in an 'obvious' target shooting scenario (benches/tables set up, backstops with targets and in a known target shooting location) you will not have a problem but if you are carrying anything on the desert/woods. walking around possibly holding a rifle in a ready position you had better be ready to show a hunting license. I have a co-worker who argues with me on this stating he has a right to carry in the woods without a license for self defense, and he MAY be correct but I would not want to use that as a defense before the Federal Magistrate. Good example - when I bought my first quad a couple years ago I was riding in the woods behind my house and took off on State Road #44 along the Deschutes River (horizontally marked which is a no-no for an unlicensed vehicle) and was stopped by a FS LEO. I was cited for having an expired OHV permit and the truth is I thought the only time you needed the OHV tag was if you were IN an established OHV area. You need to have it anywhere other than private property in Oregon. He cited me for the expired tag and not for being on a restricted road.

Originally Posted by RVTECH

I do not want to start a debate but the Bottom Line is if an LEO wants to push the issue you CAN be cited for hunting without a license if you are carrying a firearm (any type) while in the woods. I know two who have been over the last 20 years (and they were caught taking pot-shots at sage rats). Typically if you are in an 'obvious' target shooting scenario (benches/tables set up, backstops with targets and in a known target shooting location) you will not have a problem but if you are carrying anything on the desert/woods. walking around possibly holding a rifle in a ready position you had better be ready to show a hunting license. I have a co-worker who argues with me on this stating he has a right to carry in the woods without a license for self defense, and he MAY be correct but I would not want to use that as a defense before the Federal Magistrate. Good example - when I bought my first quad a couple years ago I was riding in the woods behind my house and took off on State Road #44 along the Deschutes River (horizontally marked which is a no-no for an unlicensed vehicle) and was stopped by a FS LEO. I was cited for having an expired OHV permit and the truth is I thought the only time you needed the OHV tag was if you were IN an established OHV area. You need to have it anywhere other than private property in Oregon. He cited me for the expired tag and not for being on a restricted road.

I don't want to start an argument with you, but what does illegally riding your quad and having a hunting license or not have to do with each other? Unless you are trying to say...ignorance of the law is not an excuse?

Here's some common sense advice (my $.02 and I don't want change) if you buy a gun (handgun or rifle) or vehicle (auto, boat, quad) read the rules/laws before use. As an example...when you purchased your quad you could have went to this site Oregon Parks and Recreation Department: ATVs ATV Permits and you would have read ""You must display an ATV permit if you are operating your ATV on public land (and even then, the land must be specifically designated for ATV use). The ATV Permit Fee is $10.00 (Most permit agents charge an extra .50), and it is valid for two years. See the latest permit agent list. There are three classes of ATVs (see below)." Then you would have clearly known that you must have an OHV permit.

All hunting requirements are listed ODFW Hunting Big Game

And they are pretty clear. The thing to remember is that you cannot pick and choose which parts of the rules to use. They are like assembly instructions and must be all used in conjunction with each other. They even have a statement that says if you need further clarification to call.

And before anyone jumps me for standing on a soapbox...that's not it at all..I just hate to see law abiding people get in trouble for breaking the rules when they are right there for you to read and use.

Like someone told me the other day,keep going,you're doing good