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Old 09-21-2009, 11:22 PM
Ricewatcher Ricewatcher is offline
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I do have a question, since we're all here

This weekend I was deer hunting, and since nobody had any luck we decided to drive into town to get some food. On the way back to camp we are stopped by a DFG warden. We were in a truck and had our rifles just in case we happened along a buck (we were on a NF road at the time). He stops and asks us if were hunting, and when we said yes he asked to see our licenses and tags. Once he was happy with that, he checked our rifles for chambered rounds. I was surprised he did not say "hand me your rifles" but rather just had us pull the bolts back. Anyway, none of us had a round chambered so we were ok. He then asked if anyone had a handgun. We all said no and that was the end of the encounter.

Later, when we got back to camp, I looked into my pack (I had it with me) and noticed I did in fact have my handgun with me. It was unloaded but I did have two loaded mags in the same pack. It's just a backpack so there are no locks or anything.

If I understand everything right (big if!) I was legal because we were hunting. However, in town was I illegal because that was clearly a prohibited area? But, in town I would of been legal if the gun was not in the pack, instead just sitting out in the open? Or, was it legal just because we were still under the transporting clause of hunting?

It's really ridiculous how a simple hunting trip can result in a misdemeanor offense if things go the wrong way. And the reality is the laws are very confusing for most of us who do not spend hours and hours researching the various codes and sections from multiple agencies. Heck, I'm up super late tonight just reading and looking at the laws related to fishing and hunting only.
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