Posted By: Duck_Hunter
How do you define “reasonable effort?” - 03/13/18 02:31 PM
How do you define this part of the law when it comes to duck hunting? There can be a number of factors that come in to play that may prohibit a hunter from successfully retrieving a downed bird, so I’m curious how hunters feel about this wording:
Does this mean you strip down to your undies and take a swim if you don’t have a dog or boat and the wind changes directions and blows a downed bird too deep to wade on the retrieve? Do you pass up shots if they’re questionable knowing that retrieving the bird would be tough? What if you wound one and swims out into the current before it dies?
Just hypothetical scenarios. I’m interested in how other hunters answer this question, as many situations can play out in any given hunt.
Quote:
Waste of Game: It is an offense (Class C misdemeanor) if a person while hunting kills or wounds a game bird or game animal and intentionally or knowingly fails to make a reasonable effort to retrieve the animal or bird and include it in the person's daily or seasonal bag limit.
Does this mean you strip down to your undies and take a swim if you don’t have a dog or boat and the wind changes directions and blows a downed bird too deep to wade on the retrieve? Do you pass up shots if they’re questionable knowing that retrieving the bird would be tough? What if you wound one and swims out into the current before it dies?
Just hypothetical scenarios. I’m interested in how other hunters answer this question, as many situations can play out in any given hunt.