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Regulation deciphering

LYON

LYON

PMA Member
As we all know, there are parts, seems like more than not, of the iowa regulation manual that is as grey as grey can be. I have a feeling it was written that way to allow for multiple possible interpretations of a law to allow an officer to solve each problem in a way that best fits that particular scenario. ANYWAY, that being said, I have a question regarding Willbates' Rainy day surprise post. I am in no way saying he is in the wrong, just using his thread as an example. Texting while in the stand to locate or tell the whereabouts of deer. Is it legal or not? The regs say 2-way radio transmitter cannot be used except for yotes. But they describe a 2-way radio transmitter as a radio capable of transmitting voice messages. They specifically list a cell phone as a regulated device. so my question is, is a text okay by the law? I would think yes since its not a voice signal, but the concept is still the same. Using an electronic device to communicate where game is. Just interested to see how everyone else interprets that.
 
ya idk I got that message from somebody else. cant stop a text from coming in. The deer were over 300-400 yards away in a different section. It is what it is
 
I winced when I read the story as well. I think a CO having a bad day might not look very highly on this.

Isn't that huge of a deal to me the way the story was told. If you had been organizing a deer drive where this transmission coordinated effort, probably what the law is looking to curtail.
 
Willbates I understand completely. And I have no issue with it. Didn't mean to make YOU an example, just using your story.
 
What about trailcameras that send pictures to your email? I would think a guy could definately use one of them to get in front of a deer.
 
Two guys hunting together, one says, seeing any? The other said, just had a buck come by but and he is heading your way. Legal, probably not, but happens all the time, texting is going to be hard to enforce as it is the way many communicate now.
 
Hardwood11 said:
Two guys hunting together, one says, seeing any? The other said, just had a buck come by but and he is heading your way. Legal, probably not, but happens all the time, texting is going to be hard to enforce as it is the way many communicate now.
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My thoughts exactly
 
To answer your question, Lyon- I was talking to our local CO during turkey season and this got brought up and it was explained that if you're sending/receiving texts to tell the whereabouts of a critter you would be written up.
With that said, I get WillBates' point too.....can't stop them from coming in, but just passing along info from the CO's mouth.
 
I thought the same thing when I read the story. I have NO issues with a text saying "I just had a buck some through heading in your direction" or something like that. Especially with bow hunting. The test has nothing to do with what path the deer takes from that point on. Like others have said, a CO having a bad day could maybe come down a little harder but all in all I don't see it being a big deal.
 
we text too but not to inform one another about a deer heading there way .. we sit on different areas too far apart. sitting close defeats the calling part of the hunt ie rattles grunts .. mostly text to inform the other that they have made it to the stand and are up safe. i will send texts of what i see , or to say slow morning lets get lunch... meet at truck.. If you are txting your buddy telling him a deer is walking a trail to his/her location then your probably illegal , and your ethics are in question too
 
I think at one point or another MOST of us have sent or received a text from a buddy that said what each of us are seeing and where the deer went. So would it be better if the other person said heading north instead of heading your direction. I think maybe you would be written up if you changed you location to intercept the deer. But sitting in a stand and getting a message saying saw a buck headed you way find it hard to believe a co would write you up on that and be able to prove that was the deer they where talking about. And how exactly does getting a text saying that challange your ethics.

sent from super hunters I phone
 
Thats the thing. Buddy was actually headed to check parks, he works for a conservation board, drove by and seen a bunch of deer to the south of me. He never said they running at you or headed right to ya. Just said theres a bunch of deer to my south.
I can definately see the communication issue. But it still comes back to the fact that a its text and theres no way of knowing what the text is about. It is what it is.
 
I dont see texting as that big of deal for bow hunting. Even if you tell a buddy, "I saw a nice one that looked like he is headed your way." Does that really give him an advantage? That deer could easily change directions. If he does end up going toward you and presents a shot, you will probably see him anyway, regardless if you received a "heads up text." And as Willbates said, you cant help it if someone texts you. Couple years ago my uncle called me as I was headed to my stand and said to come out to his place because is can see a giant walking around by a stand I have out there. Is that illegal? I was technically hunting when he told me that. Lot of grey area on the law IMO.
 
WillBates said:
Thats the thing. Buddy was actually headed to check parks, he works for a conservation board, drove by and seen a bunch of deer to the south of me. He never said they running at you or headed right to ya. Just said theres a bunch of deer to my south.
I can definately see the communication issue. But it still comes back to the fact that a its text and theres no way of knowing what the text is about. It is what it is.
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You did nothing wrong and that text wasn't the reason you killed that bruiser! You have nothing to worry about IMO.
 
I CO may decide to write a ticket in some instances, I don't think the one cited here, but having it hold up in court would be a whole different matter. Unless the text is used to give you an advantage or coordinate movements for a drive or intercept I don't think it's a big deal. The most I can see a text about what your seeing and where can do is keep you in the stand a little longer.
 
Was gun hunting a long time ago before cell phones. I used a two way radio to tell my dad the shot he had heard was me and I shot a nice buck. I also told him I was going to leave the deer and continue the drive so I wouldn't mess things up. When I got out to the road a DNR officer was grilling our group about who was using the two way radios. He had already ripped my dad's out of his hand and held up a whole big sack full of radios he had taken from other hunters that season, bragging about how he was going to put an end to hunters using them by taking them all! When I approached the group he thought he was going to take MY radio. Wrong! :D I quoted the regs to him after he told me he had my conversation recorded. I told him to play me back the part where I disclosed the direction in which game was moving and the part where I coordinated the location of hunters in my group. Needless to say my father got his radio back and It just left me to wonder how many guys handed their radios over without a fight. It pays to know the regs and to even have a copy in your truck. You just never know when some gung-ho,Johnny-law may have his own agenda!
 
If this ever becomes an issue I will honestly quit hunting. Everyone constantly wants to question any time someone posts a deer. I am not singling anyone out, but at this point. If I am lucky enough to get one this year (with the issues I had on our farm that may not happen-another post entirely) I don't think I will post any kind of story. Let's support each other and stop the questioning. Unless it is a clear and apparent law that was broken (I like to think we are all fairly stand up and ethical guys on this site) then lets leave things be for once. The last thing I want to do is give any government group more power (unless of course we are talking about trespassing and actually poaching penalties).

Everyone seems to be too caught up on "catching" someone. If I can't text a buddy when I am hunting then what can I do!?!?
 
LYON said:
The regs say 2-way radio transmitter cannot be used except for yotes. But they describe a 2-way radio transmitter as a radio capable of transmitting voice messages. They specifically list a cell phone as a regulated device. QUOTE]

That's the operative word right there. Capable. Just because your using it for text messages, it is still capable of transmitting voice messages.
It's a slippery slope. If you start allowing texts about deer location and movement, where do you stop? Why have the rule at all? I know this will make me even more unpopular (if that's possible) but I'd write that ticket.

Now before any of you get all bent out of shape I am speaking specifically to text messages concerning deer locations and movements, since that is how the law reads in no uncertain terms. I am NOT talking about telling your buddy your coming over for beers later.
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It most certainly is a ethics situation!.. by sending any text on movement, location, or direction of a deer .you are assisting that person plain and simple, i agree its nearly impossible for a co to really know if someone has used this method .. thats why its a question of your OWN ethics.. I like to think i hunted my deer or other game because i was a good hunter not cuz my buddy text or tipped me off that i should rattle or call cuz one was nearby..
 
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