Shooting coots from a moving boat

17 year old son was ticketed for shooting coots from a moving boat.He was driving the boat,two other passengers did the shooting.The shootings were not the intent, just what happened.They were moving to another spot to hunt and coots flew to close ,they reacted without thinking.Does anyone have any idea what he can expect when he goes to Federal Court?

A big fat fine!! Dont understand how it wasnt there intention though?! Your not supposed to have a loaded gun in a boat! Im sure the other two boys told their parents 'it wasnt me'!

If it is a first offense they will get a small fine and a good warning . A young guy I work with was ticketed for the same thing last year and I cant remember exactly but I do remeber the fine being minimal . Kids just dont think sometime man .

I have been there. I got a plug violation one time. I had a home made plug that became compressed over time allowing 3 shells to fit in the magazine. I didn't even know until the game warden checked and ticketed me.

There were about 100 other violator's in court with me that day. Packed in like Veal. I dressed nice, brought my home made plug, and said Yes sir. After my explanation and showing him the plug I think the judge understood it was an honest mistake. I got a $25 fine that I paid on the spot. There were others that were not so respectful and they got it good. $1000 fines, community service, suspension of hunting rights were some of the penalties I remember from that morning.

The game warden tried to say I admitted to shooting 4 shot volleys because I told him I shot 2 boxes of shells that morning. He was not a nice guy and was known for being that way. His name was Roger Standby. I heard he has passed on.

save from 650-1250 for fines by the time its over with, im by no means a bird hunter but friends and family members of mine have been in your sons shoes before

Ol snaggle tooth, yes he was a butthole.

The fine for rallying birds was 425 dollars about 3 years. N I just paid it over the phone with a debit card, no court appearance necessary!

I always have a loaded gun in my boat and have never been questioned or ticketed by agents for it. Where is this law written?

Warren

I can tell you last year i was fined for shooting coot from a moving motor boat and it was 375 dollars.

We had shot a bunch and didnt count so got out the blind to pick up what we shot and count em. well as you know if wounded they dive pretty good, well one kept diving on us so i stood up and shot it as i idled up to it! well the game warden drove up to us and cited all three people in boat. we argued but he wasnt hearing it...

so i went to court with the intention of fighting it, well wen i got to court the ass. DA asked me if i wanted to plead guilty, i said no i was innocent, i shot a wounded bird that i had wounded. so he procedeed to explain if found guilty i could be charged with up to 5000 in fines, and up to 5 years....loss of licence and so on. so i asked how can you do that when you sent me a citation for 375 in the mail? he explained that if thats what the citation was for if i plead guilty thats what i would pay. so i figured they had me...so i signed and plead guilty.

Now when my name was called the shouted out the scenario and i explained it all......

guess what...the judge believed it all!!! but of all times, he stated the law, and the law is motor cannot be running and boat must not be moving....so in turn i broke the law! of all times,,,the judge decided to follow the letter of the law....how bout that...

when it benefits them,,,,you will lose!!!!

Interesting and revealing story man. Thanks for sharing.

It is amazing how legalism takes over good ol plain common sense sometimes.

Kind of like my dealings with the DMV. I had a notary sign an act of donation form. Well, the notary scratches something out on the notarized form. She signs, and initials and puts her license number where the scratch off was. The DMV takes a look at it and says you have to fill out this 'Affadavit of correction' form for the scratch out?????? Huh?????

Regulation is a good thing when applied correctly an with common sense. Common sense isn't so common anymore I guess.

I have been in the exact same situation Shot a few ducks and pulled out of the blind to make a round up. As we get to one it starts swimming away. Everyone in the boat immediately said SHOOT IT!!! Natural reaction. The bird is going to die anyway so it doesn't feel like 'outlawing'.

yes,,,and they chose to follow 'the letter of the law' when it benefits them....

but chose to 'interpret' it when it doesnt...

they have you either way,,,thats why the fines are set up that way...not to expensive to force you to fight it....

i was gone with full intent of figting this,,,and come to find out i could have won, cuase the officer had his story totally screwed up and i explained that to the judge and he believed me...but he kept saying, 'the law states that the motor cannot be running and the boat must not be moving' so i knew i would lose...

Not sure if the same will happen to your son as did mine but, last year we got ticketed for shooting out of a moving boat. My copperhead MM doesn't have reverse or neutral. So I would dift into lillies to stop. I guess we shot too soon more than once.

Anyway, my son also got ticketed seing that he was in the boat. When I called WLF in Lacomb, I was told they would not charge him because he was a minor at the time. I seem to recall the agent telling me that anyone under 17 usualy doesn't get charged. Unless it happens again before he's 18. With that said, I received my 'Certified' letter in the mail almost 13months later. My son has yet to get one. On his ticket was his name with my home address. I'm guessing he was not charged.***fingers crossed***

Anyway, good luck and don't worry about it. It could take a very long time to get the letter in the mail. Just don't do the same thing again.

This actually took place in Nov.2010.We had heard stories also about him being under age and 1st offense,that it might possible be dropped,but 13 months later he recieved his certified letter to report to Federal Court and not even an opportunity to just pay the fine.

Usually they charge $300 , be respectful to that judge u don't want to make him mad. And don't waste time telling the story about intent because u will only make him mad with that.

17yrs old, with firends, guns loaded, moving boat, coots a flyin...not the intent...come'oooon man!!!

The law states that on a game reserve your gun can not be loaded ( period ), While the boat is in motion or the motor running. We knock down a duck we get close enough to him, kill the engine and let the boat stop then slam a shell in annd shoot thats legal. Now if you are not on a game reserve you can have the gun loaded but you still can not shoot untill the the boat has ceased its forward progress and the motor is off.

Thanks to everyone who replied to the post.