Question for all you stumpers

[mcgyver]

Hey, I just spent the afternoon yesterday feeling like a kid again, Stump shooting in our wooded lot. Way more fun than a target!
I would like to do some scouting / stumping on some state land.
My question is, Have any of you run into trouble with the DNR while walking around the woods looking very much like a poacher?
I don't believe there would be a problem as long as there is no harvest made.
Just thought I would tap some wisdom here, before I need to tell a bad story.  

[Matt Stuckey]

Here in Ohio groundhogs and coyotes have no closed season.  So that is what we "hunt" on those trips.

[Tim Fishell]

mcgyver, This is a very good question as it happened to me 2 summers ago.  I did not have a valid hunting license so I was told I could be ticketed.  Here in Michigan red squirrels are open year round but you have to have a small game license.  As long as you have one you are totally legal to be out with your bow.  So from now until the end of March you are good with your small game license from 2008 if you have one.  After that go buy this years and you will be set for the summer.  

  After my run in with the DNR while out stumping I found that most Michigan DNR officers are not familiar with the ways us trad guys like to have fun.  The 2 that I ran into had no clue what I was talking about and told me that I needed to have a valid hunting license to be in the woods with a weapon of any kind.  Otherwise they could give me a ticket for hunting without a license.  Hope this helps and have fun out there.  

Tim

[mcgyver]

Thank you!
That is as good of an explanation as I could hope for.
Red Squirrels, is this what we called "Pineys"?
Good Luck hitting one of those, They are QUICK.

[hunt it]

My buddy carries a folded up paper target and tells them he is target practicing. Seems to work as it's leagal to target pracrice in most places.

[Can Hahaka]

The state of Wisconsin does NOT consider stumping/roving as target shooting. However, anything with a "firearm" is considered target shooting and not allowed on public land.

[Tim Fishell]

No problem man.  The Red Squirrels are probably what you guys call "Pineys".  They are typically found in pines a lot of the times.  They are fast and a tough target but I normally dont really hunt them I just say I am when I am out in the summer time.  

In Michigan you can not even target practice on State Land without a valid hunting license.  So from what I have leaned it is just best to always have a current small game tag in your pocket.

[Roy Steele]

You can do two things.1 Stop by a talk to the ranger and only carry blunts or what ever you use no broadheads.Rangers think if they see broadheads your hunting.
   Here in WV I stumb on public land all the time.And I've ran into rangers a few different times.Now if they see my truck setting they don't even check me out.They know I'm either scouting or shooting or both.

[Dave Worden]

Tim's got it right for Michigan.  I talked to a DNR officer about stumping and, of course, he had no idea what I was talking about.  If you have a weapon on MI state land, you'd better have a valid hunting license.  Additionally, there is also the potential problem with "destroying habitat" on state land which is also forbidden.  Also, there are times of the year when you just can't hunt on state land.  Usually most of the spring when birds are nesting.  That's usually included on the signs identifying the land as state land.  In a nutshell, stumping on state land is very risky except during deer season!  What you might want to do is identify your local Conservation Officer, contact them and get their OK.  We only have officer for all of Oakland County, so with one person's OK (if I can get it) I'd be safe anywhere in the county.

[SteveMcD]

Same as stated above. Here in New York. Stumping is target shooting, although I would expect that to be open to individual interpretation of the law.. by the game warden writing the ticket!    

[Harmless]

One more thing to remember in Michigan. If you live in the southern part of the state, after April 1st, state "recreation areas" are closed to hunting. On the other hand State "game areas" are open all year long. Example, "Brighton Recreation Area", about 6 thousand acers of state land but closed for hunting April 1st through September 15. Same with Island lake Recreation area or Highland recreation area. Now on the other hand, Oak Grove "State Game Area", Dansville "State Game area" etc...are open all year long. So go get you a small game license and get   "stumpen" !!  

[Harmless]

Oh yea, you can go to the DNR's web site and print out maps of all the state "Game Area" in the state !

[woodchucker]

Just carry a backquiver full of woodies tipped with "wingnutters"

The warden will just scratch his head and drive away.....   :confused:

[Don Stokes]

I live on a paved county road in the country with nice wide right-of-ways, and there's always some trash in sight for targets. Haven't had any trouble with the authorities, but I don't draw my bow when there's a car nearby, either.

[GingivitisKahn]

Originally posted by Matt Stuckey:
Here in Ohio groundhogs and coyotes have no closed season.  So that is what we "hunt" on those trips.

Exactly - also wild hogs (as if you'll ever see one here).

[GUYZER]

Here in Quebec(SUMMER)your hunting crow or groung hog,so always carry a small games licence when stump shooting but if you are hunting G-H you have to wear a blaze orange vest and not for crow.

MAY THE SPIRIT OF FRED BEAR GUIDE OUR ARROWS.

[Rufus]

Here in my part of Texas, what little public land there is, part state and part Feds, they put these handy signs out that read "SHOOTING DURING LEGAL HUNTING SEASONS ONLY" . Then the Feds put limitations on pig (no pig hunting at all), rabbit and coyote hunting so that pretty much stops any kind of shooting in off seasons. You can shoot on the state land as long as you're "shooting at legal game" so unless they be watching the "rabbit that ran off" you might slick a few shots in. Probably ought to have a hunting license though. Private land if you you're legally on it you can do as you please.