Postby Wingman » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:32 pm
Great queston!
I was thinking about this just a few days ago. I have a ladder stand on a canal ditch that is loaded with squealers. Technically, I can deer hunt in the ladder stand with 3 enclosed sides and not have to wear my orange. Walking to and from the stand, though, I have to wear my orange. I had several woodies fly past me, land in the ditch, and swim back well with 12 gauge range a few weeks ago.
It really seems to me it's an issue of the letter of the law vs. the intent of the law. The orange is for safety when deer hunting, but nobody but deer hunters has to wear it. So if you carried a rifle or some slugs with you while duck hunting, you would have to wear orange to and from the enclosed blind. If the ground blind has 4 sides and a roof, you could take the orange off when inside.
But then there's the law that says you can't hunt waterfowl with a rifle nor with toxic shot. So if you get checked, will the game warden think you are sniping geese or ducks or will he believe you when you say you are waiting for a deer?
Common sense would tell me someone with a large caliber rifle or slugs isn't shooting ducks with them, but we have so many instances where people shoot geese with hi-powered rifles that you have to be careful.
I remember that Duck Commander video where they shot the doe from the duck blind.
This is a great question but one I'm really not sure what the correct answer is. Like I said, I've contemplated it several times lately. I'd like to be able to pop a couple of wood ducks from that ladder stand while I'm deer hunting.
ISAIAH 40:31
“I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt