Deer hunting while duck hunting

[SC Manimal]

I posted this on TWRA forum but will probably get a quicker response here. Does anyone know if it is legal to carry a shotgun and rifle while waterfowl hunting.

 

[psubuzz]

I'm no TWRA agent, but I asked this in another state and I think it would apply here. You aren't allowed to hunt waterfowl with lead in your possession(most centerfire rounds are). You also aren't allowed to hunt waterfowl with a rifle, so even if you don't have any intention of using a 30.06 on a teal, there's no way to differentiate it to the wardens. Now if you wanted to have a bow in your boat, that could fly since you're allowed to hunt both with a bow

 

[SC Manimal]

TWRA said it's perfectly legal as long as you're wearing your orange while duck hunting.

 

[jd1983]

TWRA said it's perfectly legal as long as you're wearing your orange while duck hunting.

I would ask a US Fish & Wildlife agent as well. They might see it differently and if you are somewhere they patrol they can ticket you just the same.

 

[scn]

TWRA said it's perfectly legal as long as you're wearing your orange while duck hunting.

I would ask a US Fish & Wildlife agent as well. They might see it differently and if you are somewhere they patrol they can ticket you just the same.

615-736-5532 for the Nashville office of the USFWS

If you have an uncased/loaded rifle while waterfowl hunting, there are likely issues.

It is pretty hard to do legally unless you are on your own property. Having to wear the blaze orange while deer hunting makes it almost impossible to do both at the same time. It wouldn't be legal to spot the deer, throw on the blaze orange, and then shoot the deer because under the legal definition of hunting you were hunting that deer when you spotted it (without the blaze orange).

I have done it a couple of times out of a goose pit where the rifle stayed unloaded and cased until I stopped goose hunting. I would then unload and case the shotgun, put on the blaze orange, and hunt the remainder of the deer hunting legal shooting hours. I vetted that scenario with the USFWS and was told there were no issues.

Throwing a rifle and blaze orange into a blind in case a deer pops out most likely would lead to some illegalities.

 

[benellivol]

We didn't get enough water to hunt on our lease in Arkansas until mid way through the season. When rifle opened up there, we bought our licenses and set on the levees and shot deer out of dry rice fields.

We kept shotguns in the ranger in the off chance ducks wanted to dry feed.