Can someone with no tag carry my spare rifle?

ChrisAU

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Going for 2nd rifle season this fall, me and 3 buddies. I will be the only one with a tag. Is it legal for one of my buddies to carry my spare rifle on his pack?
 

Jbehredt

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Good luck selling that story to the warden. Not sure on the legality but only because it’s so far out in left field that I’ve never bothered to look into it. What’s so uncertain with your primary rifle that en entire backup is necessary?
 
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ChrisAU

ChrisAU

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Hell when I posted about carrying a sidearm, people said drop it and let your partner carry a spare rifle.
 
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ChrisAU

ChrisAU

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Good luck selling that story to the warden. Not sure on the legality but only because it’s so far out in left field that I’ve never bothered to look into it. What’s so uncertain with your primary rifle that en entire backup is necessary?

Absolutely nothing uncertain about it. Just hate to have a failure with that very important piece of kit. And to be fair to Rokslide, I just looked, it was 24hc folks that suggested taking two rifles when I said I planned on a rifle and sidearm ha. I guess that got into my head and made it sound better, never elk hunted.
 
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I would bring 2 and leave 1 in the truck if you're worried about a failure just to be on the side of caution. Worst case scenario, yourself or one of your buddies hikes back to grab it. As stated above, going to be a hard sell carrying 1 tag and 2 rifles in field. Best of luck though!
 

ramont

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It depends on the state you are hunting in. In some states the game warden will have to determine if the person without the permit was carrying the rifle so that he could poach game, I'd suspect that it would be a hard sell to convince some enforcement officers that there was no poaching going on.

I'm not sure why you'd want two rifles in the field anyways, if your rifle is so untrustworthy I'd replace it with something more dependable.

I always carry a pistol in the field just for personal defense (bears, mountain lions, moose, two legged critters) and the off chance that I'd get a very close shot (under 50 yards).
 
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ChrisAU

ChrisAU

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I would bring 2 and leave 1 in the truck if you're worried about a failure just to be on the side of caution. Worst case scenario, yourself or one of your buddies hikes back to grab it. As stated above, going to be a hard sell carrying 1 tag and 2 rifles in field. Best of luck though!

Thats a good idea, we'll just do that. Not the first simple idea that has surprised me since we started planning this ha.
 
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ChrisAU

ChrisAU

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It depends on the state you are hunting in. In some states the game warden will have to determine if the person without the permit was carrying the rifle so that he could poach game, I'd suspect that it would be a hard sell to convince some enforcement officers that there was no poaching going on.

I'm not sure why you'd want two rifles in the field anyways, if your rifle is so untrustworthy I'd replace it with something more dependable.

I always carry a pistol in the field just for personal defense (bears, mountain lions, moose, two legged critters) and the off chance that I'd get a very close shot (under 50 yards).

I know a couple of them definitely plan on bringing sidearms. I'd bet elk have fallen to pistols. But that'd be a-ok with the wardens, but not a rifle? Illegal to walk in the woods in CO with a rifle? Just playing devils advocate. Leaving the spare in the truck is the obvious answer.
 

muddydogs

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I know a couple of them definitely plan on bringing sidearms. I'd bet elk have fallen to pistols. But that'd be a-ok with the wardens, but not a rifle? Illegal to walk in the woods in CO with a rifle? Just playing devils advocate. Leaving the spare in the truck is the obvious answer.

With more and more trail head break in's the last place I would leave a rifle is my truck. When I leave my truck I leave it as clean and sterile as I can so there's no reason to break into it.
I have no idea about CO but any of the other states I have hunted in its not illegal to pack a firearm around the woods on public land. Ya you might get a few questions from a game warden but if your not doing anything wrong the warden is going to have a tough time proving guilt.
 
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Take the bolt out and you carry the bolt and ammo, your partner carries the rifle with no bolt or ammo. As a retired federal wildlife LE officer I would have no problem with that.


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204guy

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I know a couple of them definitely plan on bringing sidearms. I'd bet elk have fallen to pistols. But that'd be a-ok with the wardens, but not a rifle? Illegal to walk in the woods in CO with a rifle? Just playing devils advocate. Leaving the spare in the truck is the obvious answer.

Exactly, funny how many will role on their own 2nd rights. IMO only, the warden would have to catch a non license holder in the act of shooting an animal to successfully prosecute. Otherwise if questioned "why are you carrying a rifle?", "I'm scared of bears/ dopers/ the dark, non of your damn business would all be acceptable answers, at least that's how it works in free states.
 

Fatcamp

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That's a no in South Dakota.

ETA: Handguns, accompanied by a CCW permit are exempt, as are shotguns using shotshells for the purpose of small game hunting.
 
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LWC

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I don't see why your buddy couldn't carry a rifle. He can go carry one in the unit today if he wants. What is the difference from carrying one now and during the season? Carrying a rifle wasn't a crime the last time I checked. Shooting game without a tag is, but that wasn't the question.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

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Spare rifle in the truck or you carry both (and they carry other gear) or you carry the bolt so the weapon is inoperable in someone else's hands are all pretty clear ways to cover your self from a disagreement with a warden.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

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I don't see why your buddy couldn't carry a rifle. He can go carry one in the unit today if he wants. What is the difference from carrying one now and during the season? Carrying a rifle wasn't a crime the last time I checked. Shooting game without a tag is, but that wasn't the question.

There are rules about being in the woods during modern firearm seasons with rifles of hunting calibers. If you're out OBVIOUSLY target shooting you could certainly argue you aren't hunting. But his buddy is along on a hunt and likely stalking/wearing camo/etc right? A warden is going to call bullshit on you not being in the act of hunting if you have an operable rifle on you. Feel free if you'd like to deal with the legal hassle, not saying right or wrong in terms of "rights", just saying you're in for a headache.
 

LWC

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There are rules about being in the woods during modern firearm seasons with rifles of hunting calibers. If you're out OBVIOUSLY target shooting you could certainly argue you aren't hunting. But his buddy is along on a hunt and likely stalking/wearing camo/etc right? A warden is going to call bullshit on you not being in the act of hunting if you have an operable rifle on you. Feel free if you'd like to deal with the legal hassle, not saying right or wrong in terms of "rights", just saying you're in for a headache.

Post the rules so we can all see them. I sure wouldn't want to do anything illegal. But unless there are some laws against carrying a rifle, I don't see the problem. Carrying a rifle on my backpack for my buddy is definitely not hunting.
 
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I wouldn’t if I were him. I was ticketed for carrying my buddies turkey calls in my pocket, $360 for hunting without a license. I wouldn’t touch a rifle at this point. And yes It is legal to carry a rifle in the woods anytime for fun but it comes down to the definition of hunting and participating in the hunt. Has little to do with simply carrying a rifle. This was in Ontario, Canada where the definition of hunting is fairly broad and inclusive.


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pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

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Its Colorado I presume based on the 2nd rifle season and I'm not here to argue whether you should or shouldn't be able to carry a rifle around on a hunt next to a hunter in the act of hunting yet not be considered to be hunting yourself, that is left to the game warden and you are taking a HUGE gamble. Chances are you'll spend some money on a lawyer if caught to defend you are innocent to avoid a poaching charge. Main thing that'll come up is in the centerfire methods of take in the brochure they state you can't hunt game birds/small animals west of I25 during the big game seasons with a caliber over .23 unless you have an unfilled big game tag. In effect they're saying you can't have a centerfire rifle over .23 in the woods with the appearance you are hunting unless you have a tag. There might be more on the matter in the Colorado legislature but that is what is readily available. Again I am not trying to take away anyone's rights but a game wardern is going to be extremely skeptical if someone with a rifle dressed for a hunt who is along on a hunt claiming they aren't hunting. Folks are more than welcome to be a test case but I sure as hell don't want that hassle and likely consequences. Not saying its right or wrong, I'm saying its highly likely you would encounter a hassle and best and potentially legal ramification if you cross paths with a warden dressed for a hunt on a hunt with a rifle on you that is operable. (Just have the person with the tag carry the bolt if you want a solid argument you aren't hunting would be my suggestion).
 
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