I made a very bad mistake

[Silverado_knight]

I made a big rookie mistake I didn’t think I was at first but after wards realized the gravity of what I was doing.

Recently got my bow bow license bird license been practicing shooting and wanted a nice day out in the bush. My buddy has his bird and a general WT tag. We been hunting out in white court together and felt maybe a closer day trip to cooking lake. He picked up a bow license and we headed out. As first season out I wasn’t expecting to get a deer and if i sightings where good is pick one up at lunch for afternoon hunt or let my buddy with the general deer tag take the shot.

We see nothing and head back to the truck to be greater by fish and wild life. Unfortunately I guess that area you need a special deer license for strath and a general WT isn’t good enough. She was nice educated we apologized and explained our thinking and where nothing short of apologetic and cooperative.

We both ended up getting slapped with hunting with out a license ticket and a court date. She didn’t seize the bow or anything due to our co operation with her. But how screwed am I. I realize I made a big mistake afterwards by checking I hunter witch says sept 1-nov 30 is WT general archery. But it’s a private app and I should of went back to reading the regs better.


How much of a fine am I looking at says up to 50,000 I really can’t afford that I feel super bad for what I did I hate to be lumped in as a poacher when i had 0 intent of poaching just made a stupid error in judgment.

[JeanCretien]

Sorry to hear that man. The legal system isn’t always just. Good luck to ya and thanks for the reminder.


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[Yycadm]

The amount will be the Judges call, based on evidence presented (they don’t pass judgement based on intent, or how bad you feel about it; most everyone feels bad about getting a bone that could cost a lot)

That said, I don’t think your situation qualifies as the crime of the century, so I think 50K is pretty unlikely unless there is a lot you’re not telling us. I’d be sticking a couple grand aside though....entirely possible as a fine. Best case you get a lecture, and you’ll be able to ease your hurt by using the money to get a new gun.

Good luck. I’m betting it’s a mistake you won’t repeat

[JimW55]

Yup, the judge will say don’t know don’t go.

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by JeanCretien

Sorry to hear that man. The legal system isn’t always just. Good luck to ya and thanks for the reminder.


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What do you mean it isn’t just, did you actually read the post!!

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by Silverado_knight

I made a big rookie mistake I didn’t think I was at first but after wards realized the gravity of what I was doing.

Recently got my bow bow license bird license been practicing shooting and wanted a nice day out in the bush. My buddy has his bird and a general WT tag. We been hunting out in white court together and felt maybe a closer day trip to cooking lake. He picked up a bow license and we headed out. As first season out I wasn’t expecting to get a deer and if i sightings where good is pick one up at lunch for afternoon hunt or let my buddy with the general deer tag take the shot.

We see nothing and head back to the truck to be greater by fish and wild life. Unfortunately I guess that area you need a special deer license for strath and a general WT isn’t good enough. She was nice educated we apologized and explained our thinking and where nothing short of apologetic and cooperative.

We both ended up getting slapped with hunting with out a license ticket and a court date. She didn’t seize the bow or anything due to our co operation with her. But how screwed am I. I realize I made a big mistake afterwards by checking I hunter witch says sept 1-nov 30 is WT general archery. But it’s a private app and I should of went back to reading the regs better.


How much of a fine am I looking at says up to 50,000 I really can’t afford that I feel super bad for what I did I hate to be lumped in as a poacher when i had 0 intent of poaching just made a stupid error in judgment.

If you've got the details correct, she's wrong. You can use your general whitetail in Strathcona with archery equipment only, as it is within WMU 248.
She is referring to the Strathcona tags which are separate and different. They also come with a specified season and requirements and can ONLY be used within Strathcona county and parts of Leduc county. If you guys were using shotguns to try and fill a general tag I can see her line of thinking.

Now, if you told her you were hunting whitetails also, then you are in the wrong. You didn't have a tag. I can't see how your buddy got charged though.
If all you were doing was hunting grouse and coyotes with your bow and looking for a promising deer spot, it'll get thrown out in court.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by CBintheNorth

If you've got the details correct, she's wrong. You can use your general whitetail in Strathcona with archery equipment only, as it is within WMU 248.
She is referring to the Strathcona tags which are separate and different. They also come with a specified season and requirements and can ONLY be used within Strathcona county and parts of Leduc county. If you guys were using shotguns to try and fill a general tag I can see her line of thinking.

Now, if you told her you were hunting whitetails also, then you are in the wrong. You didn't have a tag. I can't see how your buddy got charged though.
If all you were doing was hunting grouse and coyotes with your bow and looking for a promising deer spot, it'll get thrown out in court.

Exactly my thoughts. If they both said they were “deer hunting” then I can see the one without a license getting a ticket.

LC

[1bowhunter12]

^so for example ..if I’m out with a buddy who has a moose draw and the CO rolls up and I say we’re hunting moose and deer I can be charged for hunting without a licence ... not likely .. ecentially the same thing

[JimW55]

Plead not guilty, attach the regs as an exhibit and tell the judge Fish & Wildlife don’t know what there talking about and that you want full compensation for the hardship.

[DiabeticKripple]

Since you were both bowhunting in 248 you will get out of that ticket no problem.

She was in the wrong in giving you a ticket for that, but had you had a rifle she would’ve been right. I think she was confused about the different seasons for that WMU

[duceman]

not to be a dick, but the only difference between being classed as hunting or not is whether you harvest or not?..............don't think so.............

[abhunter8]

Originally Posted by JimW55

Plead not guilty, attach the regs as an exhibit and tell the judge Fish & Wildlife don’t know what there talking about and that you want full compensation for the hardship.

This ^. From the information you gave, there is no offense. F & W officer is mistaken. General wt season is open and if you had a gamebird license you are allowed to be in there hunting gamebirds with your bow.

[R3illy]

Originally Posted by abhunter8

This ^. From the information you gave, there is no offense. F & W officer is mistaken. General wt season is open and if you had a gamebird license you are allowed to be in there hunting gamebirds with your bow.

Is it more likely that f&w has got the charges completely wrong or that the op had no clue where he was and didnt have the right tags?

There seems to be a lot of people defending a guy whos been charged with a serious crime. Im quire surprised by this.

[robson3954]

Originally Posted by 1bowhunter12

^so for example ..if I’m out with a buddy who has a moose draw and the CO rolls up and I say we’re hunting moose and deer I can be charged for hunting without a licence ... not likely .. ecentially the same thing

I believe according to the word of the law in the wildlife act, you are not allowed to assist in a hunt unless licensed. I don’t think any f&w officers or COs would charge you with that unless you’re already caught doing something illegal. Then they’ll find the max they can tag on.

[BCSteel]

Originally Posted by Silverado_knight

We been hunting out in white court together and felt maybe a closer day trip to cooking lake. He picked up a bow license and we headed out. As first season out I wasn’t expecting to get a deer and if i sightings where good is pick one up at lunch for afternoon hunt or let my buddy with the general deer tag take the shot.

We see nothing and head back to the truck to be greater by fish and wild life. Unfortunately I guess that area you need a special deer license for strath and a general WT isn’t good enough. She was nice educated we apologized and explained our thinking and where nothing short of apologetic and cooperative.

We both ended up getting slapped with hunting with out a license ticket and a court date. She didn’t seize the bow or anything due to our co operation with her. But how screwed am I. I realize I made a big mistake afterwards by checking I hunter witch says sept 1-nov 30 is WT general archery. But it’s a private app and I should of went back to reading the regs better.

Were you "out near cooking lake" or were you in the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA? Because it sounds more like you were in the PRA and didn't have the required permits.

[Birchcraft]

Seems a little ridiculous considering you didn't actually get anything, a warning would more than suffice. Can people get charges laid for looking at deer without a licence. You didn't even do something that you werent aware was illegal. Last time I checked not doing illegal stuff was A-Ok.

[EZM]

There is no excuse for ignorance of the law, however, the fact that you did not actually arrow a deer will likely result in your court appearance (and subsequent punishment) to be drastically reduced to a lower offence or possibly a lesser charge/conviction.

At this point that;'s the best you can hope for I guess.

[Positrac]

Well, I don’t know if I would classify your honest mistake as “very bad”. It pays to read the regs and know what is needed for the area you hunt. While getting off with a warning would have sufficed in my mind the CO obviously didn’t think so. I have no idea what the fine will be but I wouldn’t expect it to be much given the circumstances and law that was broken.

[Lefty-Canuck]

I am confused...pretty sure a general WT license is valid in 248 until the last day of November?

If you were hunting deer without a license that’s one thing, but your buddy should not have received a ticket if he had a general tag?



LC

[1bowhunter12]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

I am confused...pretty sure a general WT license is valid in 248 until the last day of November?

If you were hunting deer without a license that’s one thing, but your buddy should not have received a ticket if he had a general tag?



LC

I’m confused as well .. you have a bow permit and a gam bird licence .. no deer where harvested ..what’s the problem ??? I don’t see any illegal activities

[cdales]

Originally Posted by Lefty-Canuck

I am confused...pretty sure a general WT license is valid in 248 until the last day of November?

If you were hunting deer without a license that’s one thing, but your buddy should not have received a ticket if he had a general tag?



LC

Sounds like he had just told FW he was hunting them with his buddy(didn’t have any tag). Then sounds like they got more confused when the special license was brought into discussion.

[Scruffee]

I feel like some Provinces and States go out of their way to make things complicated for hunters...

Sucks you messed up, as a general rule though, if you're walking around the woods with a rifle, bow, etc, and no tag, you can get dinged for poaching. It's easy for a poacher to say "well I didn't shoot anything officer, I wasn't hunting".

Always read and re-read the regs, never trust an app with something that could get you in trouble and the most important thing of all, don't trust anyone else for information on hunting and seasons. Open the regs and read them yourself.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

You can bowhunt with your general tag in strathcona 248 from first day of September to last day of November.

[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by Birchcraft

Seems a little ridiculous considering you didn't actually get anything, a warning would more than suffice. Can people get charges laid for looking at deer without a licence. You didn't even do something that you werent aware was illegal. Last time I checked not doing illegal stuff was A-Ok.

[Silverado_knight]

Originally Posted by Rackmastr

What she told us is the definition of hunting so so broad that if your walking with a bow your hunting.

I messed up I get what I did now after the fact. I honestly hope maybe having to redo the hunting education course and loss of hunting privileges. That’s was ignorance to the law due to an un educated decision.

[cdales]

Sounds like FW understood you made an honest mistake and biggest failure was not learning the regs. It’s good they are not giving warnings because we have to
ensure the unhonest people do not get away with it. At court be honest and upfront likely the charge will not be very big and it will be a good lesson learned. It doesn’t take very long to go through the regs and highlight important parts. If you still have questions afterwards give F&W a call or go into an office to get questions answered.

[hunter123!]

What WMU were you in? Because the regs say that 936 all you require is a discharge permit and 248 archery is open S1 to N30. Anyone else confused??

[kritz]

Originally Posted by Birchcraft

Seems a little ridiculous considering you didn't actually get anything, a warning would more than suffice. Can people get charges laid for looking at deer without a licence. You didn't even do something that you werent aware was illegal. Last time I checked not doing illegal stuff was A-Ok.

What The

It is all about intent, and they can prove intent here in this case, and likewise in most

In this case he was doing something that was illegal. just because at this time he did not get anything...... why am I typing this is wrong