# Gun in kayak transport question



## lyle (Dec 26, 2004)

I was stopped by a CO @ an inland lake boat launch. I was coming in from the hunt and had my gun loaded. The digest is unclear about gun transport in canoes/kayaks that are not motorized and not under the power of wind. He informed me that it was a misdemeanor and could take me to jail. Any insight? What about "sneak blinds" that people use?


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## eye-sore (Jan 7, 2012)

Float hunting is legal in digest.isn't that what your doing lol


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## Grumpy 2 (Mar 9, 2010)

lyle said:


> I was stopped by a CO @ an inland lake boat launch. I was coming in from the hunt and had my gun loaded. The digest is unclear about gun transport in canoes/kayaks that are not motorized and not under the power of wind. He informed me that it was a misdemeanor and could take me to jail. Any insight? What about "sneak blinds" that people use?


If the canoe/kayak was NOT under power you were not breaking any laws. Float hunting is legal out of a non motorized canoe/kayak. If you got his name and contact information I'd give him, or his district supervisor, a call to make sure the CO knows they gave you bad information.


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

lyle said:


> I was stopped by a CO @ an inland lake boat launch. I was coming in from the hunt and had my gun loaded. The digest is unclear about gun transport in canoes/kayaks that are not motorized and not under the power of wind. He informed me that it was a misdemeanor and could take me to jail. Any insight? What about "sneak blinds" that people use?


The digest seems pretty clear to me:

"No person shall attempt to take (waterfowl)...From, or by means of, any sailboat, or any floating craft or device of any kind propelled or towed by power or sail, unless the motor has been completely shut off and/
or the sails furled and its progress ceased. A craft under power may be used
to retrieve dead or crippled birds; however, crippled birds may not be shot from
such craft while under power or until forward progress has ceased. A loaded gun
shall not be transported in an automobile, aircraft, motorboat or sailboat, motor
bike, tractor, ORV, snowmobile or other motorized vehicle."

Unless you've got a sail rigged to your kayak you shouldn't have a problem. Time to start carrying a paper version of the digest.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

very straightforward....no motor, no foul. You can paddle to your asses content with a loaded gun...no violation. Yes, have a chat (nicely) with this officer


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## warrenwaterfowler (Aug 31, 2007)

Kinda weird that a CO wouldn't know a long standing, basic rule like that.


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## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Question would not be that you were paddling vs. Under power but if you could legall hunt there. We have places where we cut in front of houses,where we don't have permission as we paddle to where we do have permission. Gun is unloaded as we pass these houses.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

I agree with what everybody above is saying, except I'll ask how close were you to the boat launch? I would guess that as soon as you got close enough to where it would be illegal to hunt, then your gun should be unloaded. 

In your OP you said the CO stopped you AT the boat launch. If hunting is illegal at the boat launch, then a CO could probably technically ding you for having a loaded shotgun....


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## N.E. Outdoorsman (Sep 18, 2006)

Was his comment maybe related to the boat launch location, or time (shooting hours)?


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

I assumed he was cautioned about a loaded gun being in a boat under power. If it was because of distances from dwellings, etc., it's a whole other can of worms.


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## flighthunter (Nov 21, 2005)

could you declare you were just open carrying the shotgun? yahoos do it in birmingham just to make a point.


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

Unless it was after shooting time, you were fine legally. 

I had a similar issue years ago in my row boat (My gun was unloaded, but not in a case). In that instance the CO was simply new to the job and wasn't 100% up on the particulars of the law. Lots of new CO's this year, might have something to do with it.


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## WoodyMG (May 29, 2013)

I'd of sentenced you to life without parole.


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## Shupac (Apr 17, 2005)

Would a person be able to legally open carry other firearms at a boat launch? If so, how different is simply having a loaded shotgun in a non-powered boat? Not much, I think, unless the problem was hunting too close to the launch or being set up to hunt. But it's hard to say the OP was actually hunting at that point. Murky case for sure.


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## Duckhunter66 (Nov 24, 2013)

Shupac said:


> Would a person be able to legally open carry other firearms at a boat launch? If so, how different is simply having a loaded shotgun in a non-powered boat? Not much, I think, unless the problem was hunting too close to the launch or being set up to hunt. But it's hard to say the OP was actually hunting at that point. Murky case for sure.


I think the main items here would be "Intent" if you are hunting that would have different rules than open carry.


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## WoodyMG (May 29, 2013)

If you have a concealed carry lic, would that not permit you to do all but fire the weapon while in a moving vehicle.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

warrenwaterfowler said:


> Kinda weird that a CO wouldn't know a long standing, basic rule like that.


many people mistakenly assume that every CO out there is a life-long outdoorsperson, and knows everything there is to know about hunting, fishing, boating, snowmobiling, etc., etc. It's just not true. I'd hazard a guess some of these CO's are city kids that spent very little if any time in a boat. Seriously! Just talk to some of the veteran DNR CO's and they'll give you some insight into the new crop of CO's coming on. And don't get me wrong...it's not their fault. It's just that in this day and age there are not that many younger people learning the outdoor pursuits at a young age like many of us did. So they need a lot of experience...


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## lyle (Dec 26, 2004)

I was approaching the boat launch and questioned at it. For all matters, I could've been pulling in to shoot a squirrel. The parcel I was at is completely undeveloped with no homes. It wouldn't have been an open carry, as the gun was hidden down in the vessel. I do, however, have my CPL. That is opening up another can of worms! I guess my main concern was paddling around the lake and river and shooting birds from my yak. Been doing it for years. Going to keep doing it for years. This guy was obviously wrong!


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## Bruce Folske (Dec 5, 2007)

lyle said:


> I was approaching the boat launch and questioned at it. For all matters, I could've been pulling in to shoot a squirrel. The parcel I was at is completely undeveloped with no homes. It wouldn't have been an open carry, as the gun was hidden down in the vessel. I do, however, have my CPL. That is opening up another can of worms! I guess my main concern was paddling around the lake and river and shooting birds from my yak. Been doing it for years. Going to keep doing it for years. This guy was obviously wrong!


Pretty sure CPL only covers hand guns.


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## warrenwaterfowler (Aug 31, 2007)

And pretty sure you'd need orange on to shoot a squirrel


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