Dumb Newbie Question

[SigMan1980]

Hey Guys,
Hoping someone could clear something up for me. What is the diffrence between bag limit and posession? For instance, pheasant is 2 daily, 4 posession. Not sure how one could posess 4 while only being allowed to take 2. Any clarification would be great. Thanks,

[knight0334]

Multiple days.

If I remember correctly, possession is what you have at any time including in your freezer at home/camp - that also includes prior seasons.

Possession of 4 = You can take 2 in a day, then 2 in the next day -then you have to consume what you have before you can take any more. Or 1 from last season, 2 on opening day of this season, and 1 from any day there after.

[LorDiego01]

Methinks you need to take your boomstick in the backyard, and practice till you can get 2 in 1 shot.

[buster]

Just happened to have my handy-dandy hunting and trapping digest in front of me. It says a "field possession limit" is the maximum number of legally taken wildlife of a species that a person may legally possess or transport between the place of taking and the person's permanent place of residence.

From what that says, I think you can have any number of any species at your permanent abode, but not transport more than a two day limit.

[Dredly]

yeah you can possess some in the morning and some different ones in the afternoon assuming you don't have the originals with you anymore

The idea behind it is basically preventing you from destroying a flock that is flying by or killing all the birds kicked up at a single time.

[Coop650]

Originally Posted by Dredly

yeah you can possess some in the morning and some different ones in the afternoon assuming you don't have the originals with you anymore

I am not sure this is correct, it says "Two daily". I think if you killed 4 in one day, even if it was two in the morning and two more in the afternoon, you could be in trouble since you broke the daily limit.

[Dredly]

Originally Posted by Coop650

I am not sure this is correct, it says "Two daily". I think if you killed 4 in one day, even if it was two in the morning and two more in the afternoon, you could be in trouble since you broke the daily limit.

hmmm good point... There is a game warden on these boards somewhere... wonder if he could clear it up for us?

[PropCop]

Not a game warden, but I can try.

From the PGC Digest:

"Possession Limits: It is unlawful on the opening day of a hunting
season to 1) possess more than the daily limit; 2) thereafter possess
more game than may be legally taken in two days. A Field Possession
Limit is the maximum number of legally taken wildlife of a species
that a person may legally possess or transport between the place of
taking and the person’s permanent place of residence."

For example, if the bag limit is two, then you can only take two per day, not two per outing on the same day. If you don't go home that night, or if you leave the first two in the car, you can take two more the next day. You cannot have more than 4 in total in your possession outside your home.

What I'm not sure of is, how many you can have in your home. The regulation seems to limit it to the field and during transport to the home.

Maybe one of the veteran hunters can answer that issue.

[Ret-Fed]

Originally Posted by PropCop

... What I'm not sure of is, how many you can have in your home. The regulation seems to limit it to the field and during transport to the home. ...

"... how many you can have in your home." depends on whether you exceeded a season or possession limit for the species in question. If you did, then the game animal/bird would be unlawful. If you didn't exceed any season or possession limits, then there is no limit that you can have at your home (assuming that they were lawfully killed, with respect to PGC laws & regulations).

Essentially, if the game was lawfully killed, then you could have any number in your home, e.g. you legally killed 2 deer, and a friend gave you 2 deer, you would be lawful in possessing all 4 deer in your home. Also, if you illegally killed 1 deer, then it would be unlawful to possess that 1 illegal deer in your home. Field possession limits would also apply if you are hunting from a cabin for a few days, and then you return home (permanent residence), transporting your game from cabin to home.

See Possession & transportation language from Title 58 below:

Title 58 (Regulations):
§ 139.6. Field possession and transportation limits.
(a) Opening day of season. It is unlawful for a person to possess or transport game or wildlife, in excess of the daily limit as set forth in § 139.4 (relating to seasons and bag limits for the license year).

(b) Following opening day of season. It is unlawful for a person to possess or transport game or wildlife, at or between the place where taken and his place of permanent residence, in excess of twice the daily limit, or the season limit, whichever applies, as set forth in § 139.4.

[PropCop]

Nice clarification, Ret-Fed.