Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Rifle found in woods

There is no way I'd keep it and not let LE know. If it's stolen, and you have it in your possession you are hosed if caught.

I would think if you turned it in after it goes unclaimed for XXX Days you may be able to keep it. It may be worth checking if there were any lost hunters in that general area in the last couple years that were never found. The body may be close by if so. As far as it being stolen, I would highly doubt it is being out in the middle of nowhere and loaded. Someone intentionally leaned it against a tree. If you found it in a hollow log or culvert then I would suspect stolen.

This is what I'd do. Found with a loaded chamber it is probably just a lost gun but lots of folks walk into the woods to commit suicide. If there were a fired cartridge in the chamber, they'd bring in cadaver dogs to look for remains. I've worked on such recoveries before and found bones, shoes, cell phones, wallets, etc. in an area as big as a basketball court. Animals scatter remains quite a distance.

Turn it in to SO, or lead them to it.

If it is not stolen, put your name on it, if you want it. When it's time is up in lost and found, if is unclaimed, it becomes yours as finder.

My boss saw a 4ft object fall off the roof of a car, some distance ahead. He picked the object up and found it to be a rifle case with a 243 Browning BLR and a 3-9 scope. Stopping to pick up the object resulted in losing sight of the vehicle it fell off.

The boss too it to CPS and turned in. Of course he put his name on it. Something like 30 days later it was unclaimed and it became his.

Kind of aggravating as that man was so cheap that when he opened his wallet, moths flew out. Also, he had pretty much given up hunting and shooting so he had no use for it. I don't know what he did with it.

Yep.

I have heard of people losing guns while hunting. Laying it down getting destracted and walking away then can't remember where thay laid it.

Give the cops the serial number to check, not the gun. Once they have their sticky paws on it, it's gone for good.

yep did that once

Long walk back to retrieve it

Yep, in Oregon, you'd probably be fugged. I knew a guy that got busted for picking up a debit card, someone lost, and giving it to a store clerk. Stupid fn laws in Oregon.

I’ve got a vanguard. Losing it in the woods would be a blessing. Will never happen though because I’ll never hunt with the POS.

Sure it isn't operator error?

Mine shoots like every shot after the first, the next bullet tries to crawl through the first hole.

Happens when someone is dragging a deer out.
You would think you could track yourself back, but not always.
A co-worker was on the mountain one Sunday for a couple hours trying to find his
bag and rifle.



For those thinking it was ditched.
Who wouldn't hide it?
Cover it with leaves or dirt and rocks?

If I wanted a rifle gone, it wouldn't be easily found.
Have the ability to make one cease to exist, but burying it isn't hard.

Gun and gear to truck first then the deer goes out if I can't get it all in 1 load.

No way is my rifle staying behind without me there.

I know someone that was tracking a buck he shot. It was after dark before he started on the blood trail. A few guys were with him. That buck went a long way in very thick cover.

After they found the buck, at some point he put his rifle against a tree, and walked away from it. He went back the next morning and multiple times after that to look for his rifle, but never found it.

Glad I don't live where you do!

Dude, I'm so glad you found my rifle. Dad always told me not to hunt drunk, but you know how it goes at deer camp. I'll pm my address so you can return it. I'll be glad to pay shipping and a bit of a finders fee. I'd really be in trouble if the Mrs. Knew I'd lost it. You may have saved me from divorce.

Want to make me an offer? Vanguard First Lite in 6.5PRC…

What rifle?

Don't need it. Mine's a 26" barreled Kuiu Vias pattern in 6.5-300 Wby, amazingly accurate!

What law would that break?
I found a debit card at an atm a while back. Took it to the bank. They called the girl and she came and picked it up. I didn’t get arrested or anything.