Stupid hog question

[WacosSon]

Being somewhat new to OK, and not having the same laws back home, hoping someone can answer this outright....

When hog hunting on public land, are you required to hunt with the weapon of the season, or can you say, kill a hog with a .30-06 even during bow season?


Apologies if this has been answered somewhere else...just couldn't find it.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Well first of all you have to have an archery deer tag, at a minimum, regardless of equipment.

I think the technical answer to your question is *IF* the WMA in question is open to coyote hunting during deer archery, then yes. But the practical answer is gonna be no - the GW is gonna say that coyote season don't cut it for centerfire - you've got to use archery equip. You can use any weapon for hogs that is legal for a season which is open on the WMA for another animal. If coyote season is open, then in THEORY you can use a centerfire on pigs. But in reality, this would probably not fly anywhere - and if it did fly anywhere, only at Love Valley or other places where they're overrun with hogs. It's a gray area. Right now there's two different ways of interpreting the rule when NOT in any deer season. Some GWs/WMAs say nope; you gotta use squirrel equip even though coyote season is open (rimfiire or shotgun bb or smaller); some GWs/WMAs say sure thing - blast those pigs with centerfires all year long, because hey, it's yote season. But I don't think you'll find ANY of them interpreting this gray area in your favor during any deer season, except MAYBE late season after the Christmas special doe hunts at places like Love Valley, and even then probably not.

I believe this is right.

 

[WacosSon]

So, would my best bet be to call the WMA in question and just ask if they allow centerfire for coyote/hog hunting during archery season?

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Yes, exactly!!

 

[WacosSon]

Now, see, that would just be too easy!

 

[r00s7a]

I am pretty sure this has been talked about before. Calling a GW is always the best advice. Other than that, assuming that there are no special regulations on the WMA, you can shoot a pig at any time with a centerfire rifle. Reason being, coyotes are always in season with a centerfire, therefore hogs are legal with a centerfire rifle. I don't think there are many GW's that are going to give you hell over this if they know you are legitimately hunting pigs and not trying to shoot a deer. Poaching deer off a WMA is just almost unthinkable, but I am sure there are idiots that try. Any warden with a head on his shoulders is going to know what you are really doing and know that it is not only legal, but very beneficial. I have run into one or two young gung ho GW's that would try to write you up probably. So I would always advise a phone call.

Archery season has no affect on hunting pigs, and sorry Doc, I disagree with you man, you do not have to have a deer archery tag. If it is during ML or rifle season, you do.

"Resident & Nonresident License Requirements: All persons pursuing hogs with a firearm or archery equipment must possess a hunting license (see page 5), unless otherwise exempt. In addition, persons pursuing hogs on WMAs open during youth deer gun, bear muzzleloader (in open counties), deer muzzleloader, deer gun, holiday antlerless deer gun (in open zones), elk gun (in open counties) and antelope gun (in open areas) seasons with a shotgun and rifled slug, or any rifle or handgun larger than .22 caliber rimfire, must possess either a filled or unfilled license appropriate for the current season, unless otherwise exempt."

 

[300WSM]

I would call the point of contact for the WMA, not just any game warden.

 

[Davs2601]

Also I have heard that some of the biologists for the areas will actually take you out and put you on the hogs. Most of them are willing to do anything to get rid of a few. Hit them up and im sure they will at least give yu some good info