The neighbor told me that him and his buddy shoot deer off a gravel road[ not a fire lane].What they do is drive down these gravel roads until they spot a deer in the woods within bow range,they drive about a block past the deer turn around and the passenger gets out bow in hand, walks along on the side of the driver.When they get to the deer the car keeps going the guy on the road shoots the deer.He must of seen the look in my eyes when he was done telling me because he said it is perfectly legal to shoot off a gravel road.I told him that it wasn't much sport and went back in to the house. To tell you the truth I never checked to see if it is legal in WI. I guess I really dont want to know.I dont want to call the DNR on him if it isn't, couldn't proof it anyway. I just think it is unethical and lazy if it is legal which I dought.
The slamming truck door would be a show stopper for 99% of all the deer I've ever hunted. I'm not real preachy about ethics, but that doesn't sound sporting IMO.
Wisconsin deer hunting regulations... Hunting Near Roadways • Highway means the entire width between the boundary lines of every public road, but does not include private roads and driveways. • Roadway means the portion of the highway which is improved or ordinarily used for vehicle travel, excluding the berm or shoulder. • Public road means those roads shown on the current, official county highway map available from the Department of Transportation for public use (does not include private roads or driveways). It is illegal to: 1. Hunt within 50 feet from the roadway’s center, or 2. Discharge a firearm, shoot an arrow from a bow, or a bolt from a crossbow: a. From or across a highway, or b. Within 50 feet of the roadway’s center. The above prohibition applies to all public roads (defined above). Exceptions: Certain exceptions are allowed for Class A and B Disabled Permit holders. Call the nearest DNR Service Center (page 55) for an explanation of these exceptions.
If it's done in season and it is legal to shoot off the road there (it's illegal to shoot from the surface of ANY road here) then it's not poaching. Ethics and legality are seperate issues although seperated by the finest of threads in a lot of cases.
It almost seems liking cheating. It's like skipping the work part of hunting, or earning your kill. We're all in it for different reasons, with different morals and ethics. If its within his legal right to catch a deer that way, then it's his choice. Would I hunt with him? Nope. Kudos to giving him the eye.
Cooter referenced the WI hunting regs and what your neighbor is doing is illegal. Any road that is marked, named and on a map is illegal to shoot from. It doesn't matter if its paved or gravel. So, yes, your neighbor is poaching.