Moose partner license during early archery

[TBark]

Unsure if anybody has run into this before.
This could be for 2024 season.

I plan to partner my wife’s moose draw license which opens for rifle in Northern Alberta September 24, and she will have a rifle and be in my presence or close proximity, which is the requirement.

So can I hunt archery from August 24 to September 23 with her also in my presence But her not licensed for archery nor her carrying any archery equipment?

TBark

[Lefty-Canuck]

Originally Posted by TBark

Unsure if anybody has run into this before.
This could be for 2024 season.

I plan to partner my wife’s moose draw license which opens for rifle in Northern Alberta September 24, and she will have a rifle and be in my presence or close proximity, which is the requirement.

So can I hunt archery from August 24 to September 23 with her also in my presence But her not licensed for archery nor her carrying any archery equipment?

TBark

I believe you can ad long as she is eligible to hunt and present during the hunt.

For the extra… I would get the tag/license, cert (have to for draw anyway) and the bow permit for her.

LC

[-JR-]

Reading between the lines , why would she be carrying a riffle in archery season ? My only guess is she is carrying it for other game that is open for riffle at the same time in your zone . Am I correct ?

Reason is ....few years back we got into our zone one day before season opened and wanted to walk down a cut that we planned to hunt in on opening morning ,so we grabbed one riffle just for protection in case we walked into a grizzly ,we only walked in about 2 blocks,then turned around and we returned to the the truck ,a wild life cop was there and asked what we are hunting for . We said nothing ,just carrying one gun for protection as we were just scouting for opening morning . She said that is considered hunting if you are carrying a riffle. So out came her ticket book . I can not remember if she did give my partner a ticket because it was a few years ago ,might of talked her out of it by saying ,hey if we would of been hunting there would of been two guns.
So i guess it all depends who stops you in the bush ,a good cop or a bad cop that likes to fill their ticket book up before the end of the day .

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by -JR-

a wild life cop was there and asked what we are hunting for . We said nothing ,just carrying one gun for protection as we were just scouting for opening morning . She said that is considered hunting if you are carrying a riffle.

Yes, it's an interesting interpretation, to say the least. The reality is that you don't really need to be hunting in order to legally carry. For instance, what if you were just target practicing? Or shooting coyotes with permission of the landowner? Writing a ticket in that case is an awful stretch.

I had something similar happen once... We were parked at a spot where we were in the process of setting up tree stands on a property that we had permission on. The F&W truck blocked us in and then the officer came up and asked us if we were hunting.

Although the season was open, we weren't actively hunting, but we did have our rifles along (encased on the back seat of the truck). So we told the officer that we were setting up stands and weren't currently hunting.

The officer then asked if we had firearms in the truck, to which we said yes.

"Then you're hunting," the officer announced.

We produced our licenses and then had a good chat, but I just can't get it out of my head that the officer made quite the jump to his conclusion.

I mean, I get it, it allowed him the opportunity to check out our paperwork, and don't get me wrong - I'm glad that he did. I deplore poaching, and I'm thankful that he was checking.

But honestly, he could have simply asked.

[3blade]

I would have her get her bow hunting permit. I don’t think she needs to have a bow if the two of you are together, only one partner can shoot, and plenty of people go out together only carrying one rifle.

As for the carrying a rifle part….It’s not illegal, in Alberta. Guides carry rifles all archery season, and bowhunters who have made a kill pack rifles and shotguns to and from the kill site. Many archery hunt camps have a camp gun sitting somewhere accessible. And bear season is open. Now you may find yourself answering questions, but if you’re doing things by the rules, there’s no issue.

[Dewey Cox]

Are the fishcops just posturing when they threaten you with these tickets, or are they trying to get you to admit to something?
I have had very few interactions with fish cops in my life, never got a ticket, but always had to argue about something.
I usually leave the interaction wondering "Is this guy for real? There is no way someone thinks like that."
After pondering it, I decide they must just be arguing for the sake of arguing; hoping that I'll accidentally confess to some wrongdoing.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Are the fishcops just posturing when they threaten you with these tickets, or are they trying to get you to admit to something?
I have had very few interactions with fish cops in my life, never got a ticket, but always had to argue about something.
I usually leave the interaction wondering "Is this guy for real? There is no way someone thinks like that."
After pondering it, I decide they must just be arguing for the sake of arguing; hoping that I'll accidentally confess to some wrongdoing.

Yep - they’re trying to get you talking. Dont take it personally, it’s a regular investigative technique.

Regarding the examples above, they (and others) sometimes confuse precedent/case law with the wildlife act. A weapon does not have to be present for a person to be “hunting” under the act, however Alberta judges have established that they will not convict an offender of a hunting violation, without said offender being in possession of a “weapon”. Which has lead to the reverse interpretation, that if you have a weapon you are hunting, which is entirely incorrect.

But mostly they are good guys who are doing their best to protect the resource, while dealing with never ending cuts and adversarial bosses/prosecutors/judges.

[CanuckShooter]

Originally Posted by TBark

Unsure if anybody has run into this before.
This could be for 2024 season.

I plan to partner my wife’s moose draw license which opens for rifle in Northern Alberta September 24, and she will have a rifle and be in my presence or close proximity, which is the requirement.

So can I hunt archery from August 24 to September 23 with her also in my presence But her not licensed for archery nor her carrying any archery equipment?

TBark

Do you need a tag along person to be licensed if they aren't the hunter? Someone that's not hunting and is helping you drag a deer to the road? Underage kids? Non residents? In Alberta??

[ramonmark]

It sounds like she will be a primary because it's HER tag, you're the partner.. If you're hunting moose in archery season because she's the primary she will also need to have a bow hunting permit. You CAN'T hunt without her, she CAN hunt without you. And she CAN'T hunt without a bow hunting permit. There's nothing wrong with carrying a rifle for protection while hunting archery. With that said if she gets checked and says she's hunting but doesn't have the ability to use her archery equipment because she doesn't have any she's not hunting. Technically hunting does mean more than just having the ability to kill an animal, scouting also includes it. This would most likely be a charge by an officer and the judge would have to figure it out because it's a very unique situation. To avoid the confusion I would suggest your wife has archery Gear with her that she can use.

[calgarychef]

plan to partner my wife’s moose draw license which opens for rifle in Northern Alberta September 24, and she will have a rifle and be in my presence or close proximity, which is the requirement.


A subtle difference…. You’ll be in “her presence,” not she in yours. It’s her tag, you’re the partner.

I’d talk to warden and get it in writing whether she needs to have a bow or not?
If she’s calling, walking, pushing bush etc. then she’s actively hunting.
In a similar instance; a friend pushing bush for deer hunting is actively hunting even if they don’t carry a firearm.

[CanuckShooter]

Someone along to learn or help or partner isn't hunting, although if you study the regulations it could be by definition.

Has anyone ever actually been just tagging along been ticketed for hunting? That would be like you taking your 6 year old kid out road hunting with you and the CO saying the kid was 'hunting' ludicrous to say the least.

[honda610]

My dad had a moose draw years ago. I was bow hunting his tag with a partner liscence. He doesn't have a bow. I had the partner liscence my bow permit. He was with me calling. We were stopped by a game warden, he asked dad were his bow was. He said don't have one iam old. He laughed and said get a crossbow permit. Had a good chat no issue.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by CanuckShooter

Someone along to learn or help or partner isn't hunting, although if you study the regulations it could be by definition.

Has anyone ever actually been just tagging along been ticketed for hunting? That would be like you taking your 6 year old kid out road hunting with you and the CO saying the kid was 'hunting' ludicrous to say the least.

There have been cases with guides using multiple “spotters” to target certain animals (short version: looking at animal - not hunting. Communicating its location/size/etc - hunting). I don’t know if any ever went to trial.

There have also been cases where someone with a hunting prohibition is “tagging along” and gets charged. Those are pursued.

Neither situations are relevant to the partner license question.

[trapperdodge]

Alberta needs to up it's game when it comes to partner licensing. In Ontario 'partner hunting' gives hunters way more opportunities. If one guy in your group draws a moose tag 3 or 4 of his buddies can purchase partner tags and hunt with him. You can still only shoot one moose but everyone gets to hunt. You have to be in contact with each other ( walkie/talkie, cell phone etc).

It is a much better system than we have here in that hunters get more chance to hunt.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by trapperdodge

Alberta needs to up it's game when it comes to partner licensing. In Ontario 'partner hunting' gives hunters way more opportunities. If one guy in your group draws a moose tag 3 or 4 of his buddies can purchase partner tags and hunt with him. You can still only shoot one moose but everyone gets to hunt. You have to be in contact with each other ( walkie/talkie, cell phone etc).

It is a much better system than we have here in that hunters get more chance to hunt.

Completely disagree. Between the wolves, more equals, stupid bios, quads, and ever-diminishing private access, the last thing we need is more people on the landscape during hunting season.