GameWarden

[Sagedawg]

  Well IMO it shouldnt happen, first rule in any shooting sports is to safetly identify your target, but as we all know mistakes can and do happen, if it does then you need to Man up and take your lumps. At least they meat wont go to waste and can be donated befor it sours. Just my  



  Sage

[GoldTip]

The correct thing to do if you screw up is to roll the guts out of it so it doesn't spoil and call the GW and explain what happened.  Take your lumps and hopefully learn alot from the incident and never let it happen again.  That being said, sometimes things go wrong and you have to take your medicine.

[DeKuma]

For the record, I was in no way advocating the SSS!!
I have never been in the situation, but my brother was when he was young.  My dad made him call it in, and destroy his tag.  Tough lesson to learn for a 12 year old on his first hunt, but it worked.  At least for me, not so much for my brother....

[Machias]

I know a gentleman from the westside, very good hunter, very good ethics.  Was bow hunting elk with a longbow.  Saw 3 spike bulls running down a finger together, moved over and got in amush range and shot the last bull at 12 yards.  Bull piled up about 80 yards away.  The man walked up and seen the bull had forks at the top that were about three inches long.  From the angle they blended in and he did not see them.  He had been able to glass these bulls for several minutes so it wasn't a hurried shot.  Gutted the animal and tagged and then went and called the G.W.  Game Warden came, hiked in with him and he walked through the whole scenario.  G.W. cited him, but told him he would show up in court and speak to the judge.  Confiscated the bull.  The gentleman helped the G.W. pack the elk back to his truck.  Court date rolls around and not only does the G.W. not show up, but they stick this guy with the newly formed laws about additional fines for trophy bulls, something like an additional 3 or 4 thousand dollars.  That part was eventually tossed because it did not apply, but he did lose his license for three years.  Three years!

[rainshadow1]

A family member killed the wrong elk in Colorado. Called the game warden, took him to the site and explained as above. He took the elk and his tag, took a report but didn't cite, and he was able to buy another tag the next year as if nothing happened. But this isn't Colorado, I know.

[TeacherMan]

Stories like the one you hear above related to the long bow hunter and the 2point elk make you want to shy away from the law. I'm not saying what I would do in this situation but it really makes you think. You don't want to waist anything but most of us can't afford a 3-4 thousand dollar fine either for an honest mistake. Your call I guess. Each situation is a little different. 

[Muleyslyr]

This happened in Cle Elum??  Doesn't fuggin' surprise me at all.   

[Curly]

I know a gentleman from the westside, very good hunter, very good ethics.  Was bow hunting elk with a longbow.  Saw 3 spike bulls running down a finger together, moved over and got in amush range and shot the last bull at 12 yards.  Bull piled up about 80 yards away.  The man walked up and seen the bull had forks at the top that were about three inches long.  From the angle they blended in and he did not see them.  He had been able to glass these bulls for several minutes so it wasn't a hurried shot.  Gutted the animal and tagged and then went and called the G.W.  Game Warden came, hiked in with him and he walked through the whole scenario.  G.W. cited him, but told him he would show up in court and speak to the judge.  Confiscated the bull.  The gentleman helped the G.W. pack the elk back to his truck.  Court date rolls around and not only does the G.W. not show up, but they stick this guy with the newly formed laws about additional fines for trophy bulls, something like an additional 3 or 4 thousand dollars.  That part was eventually tossed because it did not apply, but he did lose his license for three years.  Three years!

That game warden sounds like a prick; he could have at least wrote a letter to the judge to ask for leaniency if he couldn't make it to court.  I bet the GW had some good elk meat that year.   At least the trophy bull fine didn't stick, but that sucks about the 3-years without a license. 

I think losing his tag and the elk would have been punishment enough.

[300rum]

A family member killed the wrong elk in Colorado. Called the game warden, took him to the site and explained as above. He took the elk and his tag, took a report but didn't cite, and he was able to buy another tag the next year as if nothing happened. But this isn't Colorado, I know.

There should certainly be some discretion for an honest mistake.  I've got to hand it to those who have had to do the right thing regardless of what the game department is going to do.

[EARLEYRISER]

Stupid people like that are what causes the real hunters out here to get the bad wrap for crap like that.