Chasing cripples - Sneakbox: shotgun security

There are really two issues here;

(A) legality,,,,,,,, Most states have (as has beenmentioned) laws against transporting an uncased or loaded weapon in a motor vehicle. A boat is a motor vehicle. If it is moving, your gun is being transported = illegal.

(B)safety,,,,,,,,, One can never be too safe, better to unload the chamber than risk an accident.
 
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Dave, I won't speak to the state regulations, only the Federal ones that should be repeated in the state pamphlets. Under Federal law, it is illegal to shot from a vessel under power or with forward momentum from a power source. John Livoti once again gets the prize for giving the correct answer under Federal law. It is never safe to operate a vehicle with a shotgun in the chamber. Every gun in my boat has the cartridge removed from the chamber before forward progress towards a cripple is started. Fred S. also takes the cartridge out of the action an immobilizes the bolt with the cartridge, Once the cripple is located and the momentum stops all hell breaks loose when the cripple resurfaces.
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Don't forget that it is OK to shoot a cripple from a boat under power in the seaduck area in selected seaduck states. I'm surprised that this isn't the case in NJ, since it is NY, CT, MA, ME.
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Correct as we all expect, and if you can cite the exact 50 CFR paragrapg you will also get a gold star.

Trivia quiz, where are the seaduck zones?
 
Dave, I won't speak to the state regulations, only the Federal ones that should be repeated in the state pamphlets. Under Federal law, it is illegal to shot from a vessel under power or with forward momentum from a power source. John Livoti once again gets the prize for giving the correct answer under Federal law. It is never safe to operate a vehicle with a shotgun in the chamber. Every gun in my boat has the cartridge removed from the chamber before forward progress towards a cripple is started. Fred S. also takes the cartridge out of the action an immobilizes the bolt with the cartridge, Once the cripple is located and the momentum stops all hell breaks loose when the cripple resurfaces.
Click to expand...


Don't forget that it is OK to shoot a cripple from a boat under power in the seaduck area in selected seaduck states. I'm surprised that this isn't the case in NJ, since it is NY, CT, MA, ME.
Click to expand...

Correct as we all expect, and if you can cite the exact 50 CFR paragrapg you will also get a gold star.

Trivia quiz, where are the seaduck zones?
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I thought about citing the reg, but thought I'd paraphrase for practice.

Seaduck zone is seaward of the first bridge in a state that is authorized to have a special seaduck season (and allows it). West coast states with seaduck seasons to not allow it correct (I know WA doesn't)?
 
In Maine, the rule banning hunting from a motor vehicle specifically includes motor boats. In the sea duck area, it is legal to shoot from a moving boat to dispatch a cripple. As I understand it, this is true whether or not the motor is on or in gear.

As a safety measure, I and the folks I hunt with don't carry a loaded gun in the boat under power. If solo in the boat, the motor is shut off, then shells go in the gun for a shot at the cripple. (The boat may still have some momentum, and will almost always be drifting with wind and/or current.)

If there are two of us in the boat, on rare occasions, one of us might load the shot gun and take a shot with the boat at idle speed and the motor in neutral while the other one pilots the boat. As I said, this is rare, and I can only think of one case where I was in the boat when this occurred. It was a flat calm day, we'd chased an eider a considerable distance, it was drifting/swimming closer and closer to an area where we could not have legally fired another shot to dispatch it.

We felt it was safe at the time, but with hindsight, I think it was not an ideal situation and in the future I probably would not do it again.
 
This thread has been very enlightening, another great example of the value of the internet! I learned quite a bit. I would like the opportunity to see how cripples are recovered my some of the methods described. I can't imagine I would be nearly successful. My experience with crippled divers is even with 2 guys in a boat, and the gun taking a shot as fast as possible, they often dive the shot, and then snorkel away 30 or 40 yards from where last seen, already out of range. I understand the letter of the law, but am of the opinion that the intent is not to limit the ability to recover wounded game, nor in my opinion is the law designed to protect me, in my opinion, the intent is to prevent motoring, or sailing down on game that has not yet been wounded. Doesn't this go back again to the market gunning days?

Dave
 
This thread has been very enlightening, another great example of the value of the internet! I learned quite a bit. I would like the opportunity to see how cripples are recovered my some of the methods described. I can't imagine I would be nearly successful. My experience with crippled divers is even with 2 guys in a boat, and the gun taking a shot as fast as possible, they often dive the shot, and then snorkel away 30 or 40 yards from where last seen, already out of range. I understand the letter of the law, but am of the opinion that the intent is not to limit the ability to recover wounded game, nor in my opinion is the law designed to protect me, in my opinion, the intent is to prevent motoring, or sailing down on game that has not yet been wounded. Doesn't this go back again to the market gunning days?

Dave
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When I used to hunt divers a lot, like Old Squaw and broadbill, I carryed a box of #2 shot in high velocity. Like Remington Nitro steel or Winchester high velocity. Shot right into the water at close range and they're done. I finished many an Old Squaw by literally blasting the second they dove. I wouldn't shoot straight down at the water, but on an angle it works fine.

I chased a drake hooded merganser for 30 minutes one time. He was really ticking me off. I don't know how many shells I wasted, but he eventually tired to the point where he was diving, but only a foot or two under water. I ran up on him, saw him swimming beneath the surface and fired 3 shots as fast as I could. I literally blew him out of the water. LOL! That was more out of frustration though...lol
 
take shell out of chamber--if there are two of you--one running motor and shooter in bow---either remove shell from chamber, but keep action ready to drop shell in, or keep gun on safe, and remember to check frequently to see if it is INDEED on safe!!
Best bet, get the shell out of chamber--Best thing to do is get a dog!

If you are chasing sea ducks, most states allow shooting while under power, for cripples only!
 
You CAN legally run the boat with the gun loaded. You just can't shoot till the motor is OFF and your motion due the motor has stopped.

Just put the gun below the cockpit so it doesnt fall out.. When you are close enough, kill the motor, pick up the gun
 
OK, I have my first season with the sneakbox behind me.....I have a baby buggy style dodger, I run the boat with a tiller extension in the left hand, and right hand on the dodger frame. When chasing cripples, I would like to have the shotgun accessible, so if the water is not rough, I have my shotgun on the dodger and my right hand secures the shotgun, and steadies me while running the boat. The first modification I want to make is a leash for the shot gun. Hate to drop the A-5 in the drink! Secondly I would like a means of steading the shotgun so I don't have to hold it in place. John Bourbon and I have traded emails, he suggested a shotgun/rifle bracket like might be used in a truck, like law enforcement has... mounted on the starboard side muzzle pointed slightly forward. I thought maybe a scabbard like on an ATV, but to secure it it would need to point down at the hull. Not ideal if there is an accidental discharge!

What do you guys do/use? Plenty of time to mull it over, but interested in what others might have tried.

Perhaps the easier solution is to spend the money on hevi-shot, and have fewer cripples to chase!

Dave
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They should really let you have an extended mag for cripple shooting, that 4th-5th-6th shots would be a nice touch.
 
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I vote for not having the gun loaded until you are ready to aim and shoot it, if you have to move the boat to chase a cripple for ANOTHER reason. Years ago, I was sitting in a tin boat with 2 other guys and we were shooting sea ducks. During a lull in the action one of the guns, in the hands of one of the hunters, just went off.......we had chocolate shorts.

Turns out the ITHICA 10 GUAGE AUTO had a minor problem in the cocking mechanism that required replacement. Thank God the gun was under control and aimed away from us out over the water. Think about it - any loaded gun is cocked, and if it is jarred enough it goes off.......every year we hear about a tragedy where a loaded gun is knocked over in a blind and goes off to kill or maim someone. Why risk that and run a boat over bumpy water with a loaded gun..........regardless of the regulations - wake up guys !!!
MY 2 CENTS - sorry for the drama.
sarge
 
I never move anywhere with a shell in the chamber just for safety reasons. I have one of those ugly neoprene wraps for the stock that holds 5 shells. If the magazine is full and that do-dad on the stock is full, you've got 7 rounds ready when chasing cripples, and you don't have to fumble around in your pocket for extra rounds as soon as you drop one. Almost like not having the plug in really.

Ed.
 
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