WDFW and Hoof Rot

[BluMtHunter]

Today in the Coweeman unit, permit antlerless cow elk hunt.  a friend of mine shot and killed a cow elk this am with real bad hoof rot the animal was tagged, gutted, quartered and packed out, the elk was extremely under weight, no fat and the meat was brown not red.  a call was made to Olympia WDFW, they were told the meat would probably be no good but no new tag would be issued. in disbelief they made more calls and were able to get in touch with officer Martheller of the WDFW,  they explained there predicament and he told them to go ahead and chuck the meat and go buy a duplicate tag, ok problem solved, they chucked all the meat and were on the way to town to buy a new tag when officer Martheller called back a said after talking to his Sergent NO new tag would be issued. now extremely frustrated more calls were made , many more in hopes that the hunter should after all the run around would at lest be able to get his draw points back. contact was maid with Capt. Schlenker  of the WDFW and the hunter was told NO new tag and NO retrieval of points.   i have been hunting in this state for 47 yrs. and have been pro game dept. for all of them.  but the decisions made in this matter by the WDFW  IMO are total B.S.  just wanted to share and get your guys opinion.

[Bob33]

That is unfortunate all the way around. If instructions were given to get a duplicate tag, they should have honored it.

[ICEMAN]

I understand your grief, but almost understand where wildlife is going to have to go with these requests. At some point, I feel the hunter assumes a bit of risk, and should hesitate a tad bit before pulling the trigger. This opinion will surely be unpopular.

I am more aggrivated at them changing their mind.

[bigtex]

2 things.

The meat was most likely bad. WDFW can't guarantee that the animal you kill is healthy for you to eat. In some states if your animal tests positive for CWD you can get another tag, WDFW does not have such policy. Just because your buddy was unlucky is shooting a diseased animal doesn't mean he entitled to another one.

Officer Marthaller is a newer officer to WDFW. You can't tell me that you and your boss have never been in disagreance about something.

Individuals that shoot eartagged animals (obviously have been drugged at some point) must contact WDFW either by phone or this website: http://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/safe_to_consume/   To see if their animals are safe to eat, if they aren't then too bad.

Is it a "sucky" situation, yes. But WDFW did nothing in violation of agency policy or state law

[bigtex]

I understand your grief, but almost understand where wildlife is going to have to go with these requests. At some point, I feel the hunter assumes a bit of risk, and should hesitate a tad bit before pulling the trigger.

 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Gona have to start glassin hoofs before the shot?

[ICEMAN]

Gona have to start glassin hoofs before the shot?

Yeah, pretty sad, but maybe the truth in these areas. If you saw it severly limping one would probably pass the shot...  Sort of like waiting on a bear to ID if cubs in tow...

[Bob33]

A very high percentage of elk in that area have hoof rot.

[weathergirl]

About three years ago I still had an archery deer tag when an island local called us to say there was a wounded buck near his house.  After a bit of a tracking, we found it and I did manage to shoot it and tag it (I probably wrote this story before).  It turns out that part of its leg was missing, which would have been no big deal, but the meat was sour and strange (smelled "piney"). 

I called WDFW and told them the story.  They said normally they would come out and look at it, but considering where we lived, they accepted emailed photos from me.  They decided to mail me a new tag, explaining that they only make this exception maybe 3 or 4 times a year.  It seems like something similar should have happened in your case. 

[ICEMAN]

About three years ago I still had an archery deer tag when an island local called us to say there was a wounded buck near his house.  After a bit of a tracking, we found it and I did manage to shoot it and tag it (I probably wrote this story before).  It turns out that part of its leg was missing, which would have been no big deal, but the meat was sour and strange (smelled "piney"). 

I called WDFW and told them the story.  They said normally they would come out and look at it, but considering where we lived, they accepted emailed photos from me.  They decided to mail me a new tag, explaining that they only make this exception maybe 3 or 4 times a year.  It seems like something similar should have happened in your case. 

Agree with you, but the current issue is that hoof rot is going to reach pandemic levels in these SW GMU's and wildlife cannot simply re-issue tags for every punky elk that gets shot. Pretty soon the amount of hunters in these areas will probably decrease to a big degree to avoid the risk.

Olympics sounding better and better boys and girls?

[lokidog]

About three years ago I still had an archery deer tag when an island local called us to say there was a wounded buck near his house.  After a bit of a tracking, we found it and I did manage to shoot it and tag it (I probably wrote this story before).  It turns out that part of its leg was missing, which would have been no big deal, but the meat was sour and strange (smelled "piney"). 

I called WDFW and told them the story.  They said normally they would come out and look at it, but considering where we lived, they accepted emailed photos from me.  They decided to mail me a new tag, explaining that they only make this exception maybe 3 or 4 times a year.  It seems like something similar should have happened in your case. 

Agree with you, but the current issue is that hoof rot is going to reach pandemic levels in these SW GMU's and wildlife cannot simply re-issue tags for every punky elk that gets shot. Pretty soon the amount of hunters in these areas will probably decrease to a big degree to avoid the risk.

Olympics sounding better and better boys and girls?

Seems like this might be the perfect situation to issue new permits since it would thin the herd more, isn't hoof rot passed from one animal to another?  Oh wait, just another excuse to bring wolves in I guess.   

[JLS]

Actually, there is a very interesting study on hoof rot that is on WDFWs web page.  The research they did pointed in the direction of selenium and copper deficiences as the leading culprit of the hoof rot issues in this elk herd. 

[Basket Rack]

I understand your grief, but almost understand where wildlife is going to have to go with these requests. At some point, I feel the hunter assumes a bit of risk, and should hesitate a tad bit before pulling the trigger. This opinion will surely be unpopular.

I am more aggrivated at them changing their mind.

Well put Iceman.

[HntnFsh]

I know of a few tags being reissued. Due to being inedible from hoof rot etc. Seems to me like this was more of an exception than what usually happens. Heck I just saw a story either on here or over on Ifish where a guy was given a replacement tag. Another guy I know shot a cow that was in really bad shape a few years ago.He got a new tag. My brother in law killed a bull afew years ago that was inedible. They gave him the choice. Keep the horns and tag it or give up the horns and get a new tag. Actually,I dont think new tags were issued. I think the Game warden wrote them a note.

[akirkland]

This is why this idiotic state will never get another dollar out of me for an elk tag. Well, one reason. I know its not the states fault but they sure arent helping with the hoof rot. Not points given back, no new tag issued. I guess a guy just has to run down to the local wal mart and buy a new licencse cause he "lost his".