Land boundaries, what's "legal"

[Irrelevant]

I discovered this weekend that WDFW mis-signed a reserve area (publicly owned land were hunting isn't allowed) by over 150 yards per both the aerials photos and Onx/GPS. What's the legality of hunting within that gap? I assume it's illegal since it's signed, but we also have enough technology to know where we are, and given the legal description of the reserve is codified in state law, it's not hard to find nor interpret. I mean if I setup I would have to contest the boundary, and maybe still lose, simply because it was signed.

 

[gouch]

The boundary is where the boundary is. Fences may tell you one thing, signs may tell you another and your GPS might give you another answer. The only way to be sure is to have it marked by a surveyor and every now and again a surveyor might get it wrong. If you get sited for hunting in a close area and have the money to hire a lawyer and a surveyor... go for it.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Is it actually worth it?

 

[Irrelevant]

Is it actually worth it?

In this case, maybe.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I discovered this weekend that WDFW mis-signed a reserve area (publicly owned land were hunting isn't allowed) by over 150 yards per both the aerials photos and Onx/GPS. What's the legality of hunting within that gap? I assume it's illegal since it's signed, but we also have enough technology to know where we are, and given the legal description of the reserve is codified in state law, it's not hard to find nor interpret. I mean if I setup I would have to contest the boundary, and maybe still lose, simply because it was signed.

Both sides of the boundary are reserve? So we are talking about an area of no hunting in a reserve?

Then I bet the sign is the boundary regardless.

If it’s a refuge in NF and the “no hunting” is some sort of other legal boundary then the sign is meaningless.

If the later case I’d run title and make sure the boundaries you have are correct then hunt it.

 

[Irrelevant]

Both sides of the boundary are reserve? So we are talking about an area of no hunting in a reserve?

Then I bet the sign is the boundary regardless.

If it’s a refuge in NF and the “no hunting” is some sort of other legal boundary then the sign is meaningless.

If the later case I’d run title and make sure the boundaries you have are correct then hunt it.

All land is public and managed by WDFW. They have a small area within the larger area where they don't want hunting to give wildlife a true refuge from hunting. In order to exclude hunting as recreation from this small area of land, they have codified the boundary of this Reserve area in the state code via metes and bounds. It's not a huge area, just a bit over a square mile.

The hitch for me, is that if it's an administrative area, like a no shooting area around a house, then the sign is the boundary. But if they actually have the area description codified, then in my mind, that should be the actual boundary, not wherever the seasonal tech placed the signs.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

All land is public and managed by WDFW. They have a small area within the larger area where they don't want hunting to give wildlife a true refuge from hunting. In order to exclude hunting as recreation from this small area of land, they have codified the boundary of this Reserve area in the state code via metes and bounds. It's not a huge area, just a bit over a square mile.

The hitch for me, is that if it's an administrative area, like a no shooting area around a house, then the sign is the boundary. But if they actually have the area description codified, then in my mind, that should be the actual boundary, not wherever the seasonal tech placed the signs.

Gotcha, yeah I agree with your reasoning.

The WMAs around here are similarly marked and the signs are totally haphazard.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I‘d call and if it’s a case of lazy work file a complaint.

 

[Irrelevant]

So, I sent screen shots of the location of the signs and the legal boundaries to the local WDFW office. I was expecting a general, it is what it is email. Instead I received a response from the area manager who described a recent Boundary change and that the wires may have been crossed between the office and field staff but that they'll fix the signs asap.

 

[LuketheDog]

So, I sent screen shots of the location of the signs and the legal boundaries to the local WDFW office. I was expecting a general, it is what it is email. Instead I received a response from the area manager who described a recent Boundary change and that the wires may have been crossed between the office and field staff but that they'll fix the signs asap.

Government fixed a mistake? I'm...shocked...

 

[Irrelevant]

Government fixed a mistake? I'm...shocked...

Just got an email where they confirmed the signs were incorrectly placed, and they'd already moved them. He thanked me several times for bringing it to their attention. In turn, I thanked him for taking it seriously.