Hunting cougar during deer in wrong unit

[FishnhuntOR]

Ok, Let me explain
I have a deer tag and a buddy wants to come along but he doesn't have the same deer tag/unit.
Can he still carry a rifle with a cougar tag in his pocket. Even thought he doesn't have a deer tag for that specific unit?

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[Greenbug]

In Oregon......NO!

 

[Member 5605]

In Oregon......NO!

I thought as long as you have an active tag for what you are hunting?

Unless the dates don't align, such as a pause in cougar dates during said deer season?

 

[aflineman]

Check the regs really well. There are quite a few areas closed for bear and cougar when certain tags are in effect. They even restrict what shot you can have on a shotgun for bird hunting at that time. (I must remember to take the slugs out of my bird hunting vest when I go out for grouse at certain times of the year).

 

[The Heretic]

Is the cougar tag valid for location and date?

If so, then yes. If not, then no.

As long as he doesn't take any shots at deer.

 

[KKG]

Contact the Game Department. Answering Questions is what they get paid for.

 

[FishnhuntOR]

As far as I know, cougar tag is good state wide, all year long.
Not like spring or fall bear?
And no he won't be taking shots at deer! Lol

 

[Roundball58]

Page 16 of the current regs:

It is unlawful to:
• Hunt with a centerfire rifle during the deer and elk seasons and dates in the Wildlife Management Units listed in the table
below without a used or unused deer, elk, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, or Rocky Mountain goat tag valid for the dates and area being hunted.
Remember, party hunting is illegal. A hunter must have an unused tag to hunt a game mammal for which a tag is required.

CENTERFIRE RIFLE RESTRICTIONS
SEASON (2019 DATES)	WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT UNITS
Eastern OR Controlled Buck Deer (Sept. 28-Oct. 9)	31-77
Cascade Bull Elk (Oct. 12-18)	16, 19, 21, 22, 29-31, 34, 39, portions of 33 and 77 W of Hwy 97
Rocky Mt Bull Elk 1st Season (Oct. 23-27)	32, 35-38, 40-64, 66, 69, 72, 74-76, portions of 33 and 77 E of Hwy 97
Rocky Mt Bull Elk 2nd Season (Nov. 2-10)	32, 35-38, 40-64, 66, 69, 72, 74-76, portions of 33 and 77 E of Hwy 97
Coast Bull Elk 1st Season (Nov. 9-12)	10-15, 17, 18, 20, 23-27
Coast Bull Elk 2nd Season (Nov. 16-22)	10-15, 17, 18, 20, 23-27

 

[FishnhuntOR]

Well that settles that!
Thank you for that

 

[lucky guy]

There is a little more to it. It doesn't say you can't carry a centerfire rifle, it says you can't be hunting in the unit with a centerfire rifle. This was decided some years back by the Oregon courts.

 

[RVTECH]

It doesn't say you can't carry a centerfire rifle, it says you can't be hunting in the unit with a centerfire rifle.

This Is correct but is not explained clearly in the regs.
What it refers to is the basic legality of carrying a firearm regardless of if you are hunting or not.
Essentially What it does is protect target shooting in a public area during hunting seasons.
A few years ago my daughter, her fiancee and I were shooting at an area in the NF close to town but it was during rifle deer season.
A game warden came by and stopped to talk to us but that was it.
We were clearly target shooting with targets & tables set up.
Now if you were walking through the woods with a CF rifle, ammo chambered and during a hunting season, no tag and were approached by a game warden you might have a problem but still there is technically nothing illegal about it.

 

[bbbass]

There is a little more to it. It doesn't say you can't carry a centerfire rifle, it says you can't be hunting in the unit with a centerfire rifle. This was decided some years back by the Oregon courts.

Oh officer, I'm not hunting... I'm just carrying this here rifle because well, I'm a traveling sovereign citizen moving from one place to another. Not hunting and you may not interfere with my right to travel while armed.

 

[koolminx]

What is "Party Hunting" I am unfamiliar with that phrase.

 

[RVTECH]

Back in the 'day' the law was interpreted differently in that if you were in the woods with a firearm (any), and at any time of the year and not specifically set up obviously target shooting you could get cited for 'Hunting without a license' as varmints still require a hunting license to legally shoot.
I know of two people who were cited for this.
Fortunately this was challenged a lot in court and finally ODFW 'softened' their position on this and this is now a thing of the past.
The fact remains poaching is still a big problem and any way to 'muddy the waters' to dissuade non-hunters from carrying in the woods to reduce it is part of the reason. It might be hard to accept but there are still (and probably always will be) plenty of high two, low three digit 'individuals' who actively poach with no concern for the law and how it might affect them of caught.
Again technically NOT illegal but I would not want to rely on 'Sovereignty' as a defense if I were being questioned by a Game Warden.

 

[lucky guy]

It is as simple as "I'm not hunting. I'm scouting/hiking/... I'm not comfortable alone in the woods and unarmed."

Another part that doesn't make sense about the rule is you can hunt with a 357/44 mag pistol with a 10" barrel, but not a 223 with a 16" bbl. ??

 

[Caveman Jim]

I for one would contact the game department directly before making judgement from comments off the internet... just sayin....

 

[Deavis]

I have been dealing with this for years.

It's not rocket science.

The answer for the cougar/bear hunter is a pistol (my choices have been 6" N frame .41 Mag, Thompson contender and AR with brace .300 BO and 5.56) or shotgun (20" rifle sights).

 

[Nhar145]

As far as I know, cougar tag is good state wide, all year long.
Not like spring or fall bear?
And no he won't be taking shots at deer! Lol

You are correct but you can't hunt a general tag area without that tag. It doesn't matter if you are hunting something else.

 

[lucky guy]

What is "Party Hunting" I am unfamiliar with that phrase.

Party hunting is a group of people hunting and the deal is anyone can fill any tag; e.g. grandpa gets a tag but sits at camp. Somebody else shoots the animal and tags it with grandpa's tag. Or someone has already filled their tag, kills a second animal and puts another party member's tag on it. In another example the party is bigger than the number of tags in the group.

 

[bbbass]

Party hunting is a group of people hunting and the deal is anyone can fill any tag; e.g. grandpa gets a tag but sits at camp. Somebody else shoots the animal and tags it with grandpa's tag. Or someone has already filled their tag, kills a second animal and puts another party member's tag on it. In another example the party is bigger than the number of tags in the group.

Gosh, that NEVER happens!!!