Twra ticket worth going to court?

[Nitro66]

I would go to court. Sounds like the Officer is trying to stretch the "assisting in hunting". Wouldn't think you would have to have a license or orange vest to be in the woods without a firearm.

Niteowl is correct, on tndeer.com it states you can get help from an unlicensed person to recover a dead deer.

 

[rsimms]

Unless the time off work will cost you more than paying the ticket, ALWAYS go to court. That's my personal policy when I've gotten speeding tickets. And I would usually tell folks that even back in the day when I was the game warden writing the tickets.

The officer's job is to enforce the law. Remember, he didn't make the law ... he's just told to enforce it. From TWRA's web page: "If you hunt game or attempt to hunt game by any method or if you assist someone else to do so..."

It is the Judge's job to show mercy, should he or she so choose. I'd be willing to bet that in this case they would ... provided that the ticket recipients are humble and acknowledge that they now have a better understanding of the law and won't make a similar mistake in the future.

That's my advice anyway.

 

[churly]

...and due to the extra effort, the buck was recovered...is what I was told.

 

[WackemandStackem11]

You are right Justin without the other 2 guys the deer would have not been recovered. Richard I agree with you that you should always go to court.

 

[wiggles]

SpurHunter - 12/6/2013 7:48 AM

I am willing to bet there is much more to this story than your being told.

My point exactly spur!

 

[pop22]

I got one a few years back 300.00 went to court and got out for 100.00 I was pleased

 

[Solo]

If you're not carrying a rifle, then you're not hunting. For safety reasons, they should have been wearing orange. But legally I don't know why they are required to wear orange while walking in the woods....Hikers don't wear orange during hunting season. They obviously weren't hunting since they didn't have a weapon. Unless there IS more to this story, I would take this to court. I would also be making a few calls up the chain to the officer who wrote the ticket.

 

[Carl Guffey]

Solo - 12/8/2013 9:57 AM If you're not carrying a rifle, then you're not hunting. For safety reasons, they should have been wearing orange. But legally I don't know why they are required to wear orange while walking in the woods....Hikers don't wear orange during hunting season. They obviously weren't hunting since they didn't have a weapon. Unless there IS more to this story, I would take this to court. I would also be making a few calls up the chain to the officer who wrote the ticket.

</p>

<font size="3" face="georgia,palatino">If you are in the woods tracking a animal with a hunter. You are hunting and are required to wear orange. No matter if you are carring a weapon or not. Common Sense: If you are in the woods in hunting season, no matter what you are doing, wear orange. I horseback, mountain bike, hikeand wear orange plus chartreuse. To many so called hunters shoot first and then look at what they were shooting.</font></p>

 

[roty967]

Bottom line a non licensed hunter can be ticketed for not wearing orange while helping recover a downed animal but should not be written ticket for hunting without a license unless they have or have had a gun in their hand. My opinion

 

[CATCHMAN]

What county are you talking about? Court costs are crazy in some and not so in others. You pay court costs whether you mail it or show up. May be worth the effort to save citation fees, but more than likely court costs will stick. I got a $15 ticket at Watts Bar a few years ago and I mailed them $262.50 emoBang emoBang .

 

[WackemandStackem11]

It was Hamilton county and there court costs are steep.

 

[jimwarden]

Just remember that when raccoon hunters hunt they usually have one gun in their party of three or four. They all are required to have a license. Of course during raccoon training season no one has a gun in the party and they all still have licenses.

 

[churly]

Here is a reply on tndeer.com from a twra employee:

We get numerous questions concerning licenes about "non-hunting" persons going along on a hunt. A non-hunting observer or photographer does not have to have a license if they do not assist in the hunt in any way.

Assist would include, but not be limited to, carrying equipment, calling, setting decoys, estimating ranges, handling dogs, etc.

By policy, we allow unlicensed persons to assist in the retrieval of dead big game. The unlicensed person can drag, transport, etc. big game after it has been killed.

 

[SpurHunter]

I would track down the thread Churly listed, print it off and have it with me during your court appearance.

 

[jimwarden]

Sounds reasonable that a TWRA employee would answer questions on tndeer.com. Wish I knew who it was. Keep in mind that no TWRA employee (not even the director) can set policy. It can only be set by the TWR commission. They set the seasons, establish rules and regulations, and set policies and procedures. These are all written out, signed, registered & posted at every courthouse in TN.

 

[WackemandStackem11]

Thanks Justin I will let the guys know about this.

 

[churly]

Go to www.tndeer.com, go to talk forum. Look at "twra questions" topic forum. Its a reply from "scn" if I am not mistaken her husband is ben layton, head big game biologist. She works in the enforcment dept. I believe

 

[SpurHunter]

Here ya go. http://www.tndeer.com/tndeertalk/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3462605&page=1#Post3462605

 

[WackemandStackem11]

Thanks again guys.

 

[Carl Guffey]

<font size="3" face="georgia,palatino">You had better read that statement carefully. It says drag, transport but it is after the animal has been located and is confirmed dead. If you are looking for an injured animal and it has not been located, then you are<font color="#cc0000"> hunting</font>. Because you are <u>assisting</u> with the hunt.</font>