When is a road not a road?

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Hunting from, to, or across a road is illegal, of course, as it should be. But there are roads and then there are roads:

-Interstate Highways
-State Highways
-Municipal streets
-County-maintained streets
-Non-county-maintained residential streets & backroads, such as roads not behind locked gates but way back, rarely traveled, and only going to the land of 2-5 landowners, let's say.
-4-wheeler "roads" & other trails on public land
-Roads on private property behind locked gates, where various lessess have keys to the locks and come and go regularly (for timber and other mining, and hunting)
-4-wheeler "roads" & other trails on private land
Etc.

The bolded ones are the ones I'm scratching my head on, primarily. The italicized one would be acceptable, I'm pretty sure.


And among those, other factors:
Paved/Gravel/Dirt
Houses within a certain distances vs. not
How frequently used?
Etc.

When is it legal? When is it moral/ethical/wise to shoot from, to, or across? What's the definition of road? Or is it vague/undefined? Anyone live in a state where the regs actually bother to specifically define the word "road"?

Thanks.

 

[buck460XVR]

the way it was explained to me by a Wisconsin Warden is that if it's on a map and is taken care of by any municipality(i.e. received monies for maintenance) it qualifies as a road. If it not shown as an improved road on a map and if it doesn't get plowed in the winter by the state/county/township it is not covered by the general rules. 4 wheeler/snowmobile trails and logging roads are generally exempt unless posted otherwise.......as are private roads/driveways/access roads on private land. If I have a doubt whether or not it falls under the legal description of a road, I just walk the 50 ft into the woods.

 

[MCgunner]

When it's on private land, at least in Texas. You can hunt off the roads all you want on your own property in Texas. Been there, done that.

 

[sm]

Based on my experiences and observations over the years; I call the Top Attorney for the Game & Fish.

If I am or "might" be near a location, I will also get in writing, what the states are , not only for State, also Fed, County and whatever else Gov't.

Fact is, locations change, and not every officer can know everything about a district.
No disrespect intended to G&F, or Sheriff Dept, just the fact is, too many variables can occur, and not make it to hard-copy, and now-a-days Internet.


Biggest thing that affected me and mine was 9/11.
The War on Drugs.
Areas adjacent to Military property, Timber lands near lakes used for water supply, Lands near lakes for water supply, dams, rivers, streams...

I and mine cannot access some areas at all, some we have to enter a certain way, and have to stay in certain areas.

I mean not only will Armed Military be checking, we have had the folks in SUVs with dark glass - just "appear" in a heart beat.

We get stuff in writing.
WE get definitions from the Top Persons.

 

[ArmedBear]

California defines it as "a road or way open to the public." That's probably a good working definition.

Now WRT having a loaded and chambered firearm in the car, or loaded but unchambered, or whatever, that varies a great deal from state to state. "End County Maintained Road" is a sign I look for. From my reading of the law (and it's damn near incomprehensible) I can stuff rounds in the magazine at that point here.

Different states have very different rules about this. VERY.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Roads are publicly maintained. "Private" roads are driveways, unless a governmental body comes in and begins to maintain it (paves it, fixes potholes, puts down gravel, posts official speed limit signs).

Alot of old private roads (and abandoned roads) show up now on topo maps as they are good landmarks, and satellite imaging has made it easier to make better maps, BUT just because it's paved, doesn't make it a road. Again it must be maintained.

LD

 

[svtruth]

The OP also

asked moral/ethical/wise
One concern I would have is the tunnel vision effect of a scope.
Also heard of a pair of brothers driving along a road, saw a deer, stopped, driver got out, steadied on roof and fatally shot passenger brother when he got out.