Closing time NWR's

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Closing time NWR's

Unread postby cbigbear » Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:59 pm

The WI quartering thread made me think of this question. On the NWR I hunt regulations state you must be off the refuge 2hrs after sunset. This regs applies to all southern refuges I know of, & I checked a random WI NWR it states 1 hr after sunset. So the reality is there is no legal way to get a buck from deep off a refuge in the afternoon. How do you guys handle this?

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Hawthorne
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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby Hawthorne » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:17 pm

Gut it then wrap your jacket around it to keep the coyotes off.Come back in the am. I've done this when I've had to leave a deer for a period of time.

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headgear
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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby headgear » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:25 pm

Things like this I question how enforceable they are, I have hunting Camp Ripley in MN a couple of times. You have to be off the base 1 hour after last light, that is hard to do without a deer, if you shot one at last light its near impossible. If they have a number you can call I would just call and see what they say. Otherwise you'd have to try the coat trick, I've done it a few times in wolf country. Never had a problem but I have never left them overnight either, just to run and get some help.
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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:27 pm

Pretty simple actually. I call the Federal warden to let him know I have a deer down, give him my location and description of my vehicle and he then gives me permission to take as long as I need. He told me he appreciates the heads up because if he sees someone out there after one hour without discussing it with him they ARE getting a ticket. Obviously recovering a deer is priority especially in warm weather.

This only applies to retrieving deer. For normal hunting purposes there is no latitude given on this rule.

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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby thwack16 » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:28 pm

Just looked at the ones I hunt; 1.5 hours after sunset. I really don't feel that it's enforceable if you're tracking/dragging a deer. Can't imagine you getting a ticket for that.

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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby JoeRE » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:32 pm

For those guys hunting in Iowa, some public areas are like that. Some close 2 hours after sunset. In about all cases I agree with Dewey. A phone call should resolve the issue.
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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby cbigbear » Wed Oct 12, 2016 1:52 pm

Not sure on the NWR I hunt, this is only my 2nd yr hunting it, so never ran into this issue before. However, I have some close friends that hunt a LA refuge & they have been denied request to retire game after hours. The warden instructed them to cover the kill with a jacket as suggested. Guess this works, but isn't a great option here right now with nightly temps around 65-70. I'm email the warden where I hunt in the morning.

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headgear
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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby headgear » Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:03 pm

cbigbear wrote:they have been denied request to retire game after hours.


Have to wonder, in a case like that could you make a citizens arrest on a CO for wanton waste if the temps are high. :lol:
I follows the laws as close as I can but some of this stuff is ridiculous.
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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby cbigbear » Mon Oct 17, 2016 1:55 am

The refuge manager replied to my email - they only exception to being on the refuge is game retrieval. If possible he asked that I return to my truck & leave a note by the check in card stating I'm retrieving a deer. So seems no issues on this particular NWR as far as evening hunting.

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Re: Closing time NWR's

Unread postby Dewey » Mon Oct 17, 2016 2:38 am

cbigbear wrote:The refuge manager replied to my email - they only exception to being on the refuge is game retrieval. If possible he asked that I return to my truck & leave a note by the check in card stating I'm retrieving a deer. So seems no issues on this particular NWR as far as evening hunting.

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Glad you cleared that up. 8-)

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