Got a ticket

[resident-shooter]

You do not need a license unless u hunt. I was not hunting, so they did not fine me for that.

[joepamjohn]

Get a lawyer.

Just walking into court and telling the judge that you can't ubderstand why the fine is so high won't get you anywhere.

At least get the fine knocked down a bit and get a payment plan.

Best of luck.

Yeah. Get a lawyer and pay him 5 times what your fine is to fight it. Since this is not a criminal case you will never get a DA to represent you. The signs with bullet holes in them just make it worse for the guy they do catch there. It sucks but that is just the way it is.

[audihenry]

Can't you just argue you were hunting and had set up temporary targets to sight in or something?

[RobG]

Well, I mean it is not a felony or anything super serious. It was in Sacramento Bypass Wildlife Area.

Dude there are signs that state shotguns/shotshells only all over that place. There is also the check station down the road that could have saved you a heap of trouble.

Pay the fine unless you think you could hire an attorney for less than 1142.00.

[m98]

You got screwed like me and my buddies back when I was still a kid. We were out playing paintball in a wildlife area and dfg showed up and gave us tickets for "having a propulsive device in wildlife area". A friggin d*ckhead, we were just kids playing paintball, should of just gave us a warning and to leave. The area has been used to play pball in the last 10+yrs by other pball players and that's how we knew of the area.

Our fines were 300bucks for Really Doing nothing wrong other than WHatever this States pathetic Lawmakers had put down on paper. There's just a thin line between Laws that have been broken and ethical calls by any warden/leo.

But I think in the OP's case, he's really screwd and would probably just need to pay the fine. If I remember correctly in the dfg handbook, it specifically states that no centerfire or Rifle firearms are allowed in the wildlife areas. And that pretty much includes any 22lr, pistols, rifles.

[pieeater]

Like the others said get an attorney. I know a good one that is 400 an hour let him spend a couple hours researching and a couple more going to court with you.

[pieeater]

I love all the "this states screwed up laws comment" im sure its ok to target shoot in other states WAs. I mean they call them wildlife areas for a reason.
Something that is posted "state wildlife area" all over it dont ya think maybe their are some rules. Maybe you should check before you target shoot, dirt bike, cut firewood etc.

[CHS]

Like the others said get an attorney. I know a good one that is 400 an hour let him spend a couple hours researching and a couple more going to court with you.

The OP's ticket was 1100-something.

You just told him he should spend 1600 on an attorney?

[RobG]

The OP's ticket was 1100-something.

You just told him he should spend 1600 on an attorney?

I aint no math wiz buts I come up wit da same ting

For 1142 it isn't worth paying for an atty. Even if you only paid 600 for the atty, there is no guarantee that the fine would be reduced. And if it was reduced even by half, you are still more than the original fine. Pony up cowboy. Maybe some CGers can help you out; got any guns to sell

[U2BassAce]

Am I the only one that is worried about a possible misdemeanor ending up on my record? Especially one that has firearms attached to it? I guess if you are guilty you are guilty. But maybe an attorney can get it dropped to something less than a misdemeanor?

You just never know when that little misdemeanor on your record will pop up and bite you in the b*utt. Just saying.......

[pieeater]

The OP's ticket was 1100-something.

You just told him he should spend 1600 on an attorney?

I was being a smartass. lol

[CHS]

Am I the only one that is worried about a possible misdemeanor ending up on my record? Especially one that has firearms attached to it? I guess if you are guilty you are guilty. But maybe an attorney can get it dropped to something less than a misdemeanor?

You just never know when that little misdemeanor on your record will pop up and bite you in the b*utt. Just saying.......

A ticket is NOT a misdemeanor.

[Napalm Bulldog]

thats why i go to the NATIONAL forest!!

If i ever get questioned im hunting squirrels and my aim sucks...LOL

Yeah I heard those paper things with an orange cirlce in the middle make great squirrel bait!

[Darklyte27]

man that's too bad, its kind of hard to argue, because if you weren't sure you should have found out by contacting DFG.

No lawyer but can he really defend himself? take pictures of the signs and say that he saw that there was no restriction to do what he did? Then maybe the judge would lower it or at least have some sympathy and give you a break or forget it all.

[RobG]

man that's too bad, its kind of hard to argue, because if you weren't sure you should have found out by contacting DFG.

No lawyer but can he really defend himself? take pictures of the signs and say that he saw that there was no restriction to do what he did? Then maybe the judge would lower it or at least have some sympathy and give you a break or forget it all.

The signs I have seen all say "shotguns/shotshells" only. Not sure that would help