Helping Friends Fill Their Deer Tags

July 30, 2015

Question: If a group of friends go hunting for a week, and one of the hunters tags a buck on the first day, can he continue to carry his loaded rifle with him and help his friends fill their tags? If not, can he only help with spotting and drives without a weapon? (Rod P., Napa)

Answer: Once a hunter takes a deer and fills his tag, he may accompany other hunters but cannot assist them in any way in the take of additional deer. In addition, he should leave his rifle behind. Otherwise, if encountered in the field with a rifle or other method of take, wildlife officers may determine the person assisting the hunters is also actively hunting.

Interesting question. How about this situation: My friends and I hunt private land for turkeys. The landowner has also asked (actually insisted) we kill any coyotes we have the opportunity to shoot. Once I have my longbeard in the cooler, is there any reason I can't share a spot with my turkey-hunting pal in order to shoot any coyotes that respond to the calling and decoys. We have been stalked by coyotes numerous times, and we actually had a 'yote grab a decoy and take about three leaps before spitting it out. The canine expression equivalent of "Oh, bleep! I hope none of the other guys saw that!" was so priceless we were all laughing too hard to shoot, but that's beside the point. So. I am turkeyed out, but sitting there by my pal with #4 buck in my shotgun. Am I in trouble for continuing to hunt, and doing so with too large of shot, or do I get a pass for coyote hunting?