[Shot low]

Was trying to find the regulations on snapping turtles but didn't have much luck. Was wondering if it's legal to shoot them in Indiana? Thanks

 

[eshaw]

Contact the state DNR. They should know. It varies from state to state.

 

[Payphone Jones]

You can take carp, gar, bowfin, buffalo, and shad with bowfishing equipment. You can take Eastern Snapping Turtles with fishing or hunting gear. I'm going to go out on a limb, and say the answer is no.......most of the time, and here's why. There is a season, a bag limit, and a size limit. That makes them sport game, which would mean that you have to follow some rules. If they are on land, and you are as well, is the only way I could see it being legal. You can't legally shoot critters from a boat, with the exception of trash fish. You also can't shoot into or across water to take game. Step up on the bank and you're good to go. There is a better than 50% chance I'm wrong, so you would be best off to call your local CO, or like eshaw said, the DNR. DNR in Indiana is not typically very helpful to interpret the law. Now, I have a question for you. Why would you want to? We eat a bunch of turtle around here, but they are terrible if you don't keep them in some clean water for a month or so. I had a dip chit kid on my boat that shot one once. Point made it thru the top shell and that was it. You can imagine what that was like for the turtle to get that arrow out. I'm no **** kind of guy, but there's just no sense in torturing a critter like that. That kid doesn't ride on my boat anymore.

 

[Shot low]

thanks for the info and we see them all the time when we're bowfishing. We like to eat them and we have the tanks to soak them in. But I know what you mean when you say torturing them if you shoot them in the shell and I wouldn't want to do that. You would have to shoot them in the head.

 

[Payphone Jones]

That's funny right there. P E T @ is censored.:laugh:

 

[whiteriverrambo]

no they can not be taken by bowfishing equipment. the state sees bowfishing as fishing equipment and requires a fishing license, but legal things to take are limited to the "rough fish list". if you try to go in the back door and say your shooting them with hunting equipment it better be during the day and either from the bank or from a anchored craft. you can fire a weapon from a boat as long as its not under power, only moving by current or wind. I agree with Luke that they are regulated by a season and bag limit and that makes them "sport game".

Frogs on the other hand have a season but no limit and I think the Proc says can be taken by any means. once again you enter a grey area. I have seen and heard it all, let me say this- Conservation Officers job is to write citations. It is your job to know the law. It is the judge who gets to interpret and enforce these "regulations" as he sees fit. All State regulations are written very vegg, don't be less informed than those who are watching you.

 

[whiteriverrambo]

http://www.eregulations.com/indiana/hunting/small-game/

funny its says long bow and arrow for frogs. legal means of taking a turtle is not covered.

it is not legal to shoot a fish with a cross bow in Indiana either.

 

[Payphone Jones]

The ONLY thing you can "hunt" from a boat, is waterfowl. It is unlawful to take any fur bearer from any boat. Animals caught in legally set traps are the ONLY exception to this. I've got a few buddies that scored CO Swanson the District 5 Officer of the year by shooting from a boat. It is legal in TN though, and I'm here to tell ya, that's the way to deer hunt!:shh:

 

[whiteriverrambo]

I just waiting on beaver to be approved to the rough fish list. if they're under water they are fish right?

 

[Payphone Jones]

I just waiting on beaver to be approved to the rough fish list. if they're under water they are fish right?

I don't care how you take out those destructive sum beaches! Make sure Amy has the flopper stopper ready! :laugh:

 

[mudfish]

That's funny right there. P E T @ is censored.:laugh:

Because they look for people talking about them!
:co:

 

[ctbreitwieser]

The ONLY thing you can "hunt" from a boat, is waterfowl. It is unlawful to take any fur bearer from any boat. Animals caught in legally set traps are the ONLY exception to this. I've got a few buddies that scored CO Swanson the District 5 Officer of the year by shooting from a boat. It is legal in TN though, and I'm here to tell ya, that's the way to deer hunt!:shh:

You can squirrel hunt from a boat. I have the Facebook message screen shot on my phone from the IN DNR district 7. Just make sure the boat is only moving under the natural current when taking a shot.

 

[jcraney]

I've got told by an officer that you can't squirrel hunt from a boat, talked to the head officer in Indiana and he then told me that you could as long as you weren't under power. People around our place deer hunt like crazy out of boats and I've never heard of anyone ever getting a ticket for it either.

 

[Payphone Jones]

You guys do what you want with this information. Keep in mind that not all people are good at their job, or knowing every law in the book. Here it is straight out of the book, and I guarantee the judge has read it.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

This is part of the conversation I had with the district 7 DNR.

 

[Payphone Jones]

A squirrel, although furry, is not considered a fur bearer in the state of Indiana. Neither is a deer. I would bet that you would get several different interpretations of the law if you were to ask several different Conservation Officers. I know our local district 5 COs, and I'm not shooting anything out of a boat around here. They get mad down deep about stuff like that for some reason. I think I'll ask this question at the boat show this year, since there is always a half dozen COs at the booth. It's almost like the law is written as a set up.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

That's odd. Squirrel hunting on the river is a pretty common thing around here. What would be the best way to get an actual answer and not just interpretations?

 

[Payphone Jones]

I'd say that you did the right thing by getting it in writing from a CO. The law reads like shooting a deer from a boat would be legal and illegal all at the same time. It's like they don't want us to know the answer.