Poor WDFW Decision leads to Ruined Quality Bull Elk Permit Hunt

[bobcat]

Great job WDFW!   

It's just too bad they had to waste time writing this letter. 

[6x6in6]

I think wdfw handled the situation just fine.  The hunter was informed of the situation and options in advance of the hunt.  They also offered a cow elk to replace the meat in an effort to work with her. 

This study is important...understanding where these bulls over-winter will improve the understanding of bull:cow ratios which are thought by many to be underestimated.  This may result in more bull tags which means more hunting opportunity.  In this case I very much support the study and find it is worth a little inconvenience to the hunters. 

If the following statement in the WDFW's main body of the letter is accurate "Mrs. Garton and her hunting party were aware of the collar as they evaluated this bull......" (assumption of evaluated means pre-shot and not post in this instance), the options that were given to her prior to and post harvest of this bull, I really do not see what the issue here is.

[gunnarnewt]

  If they saw the collar, and were discussing it, then she made a choice. And when we make choices,we have to live with them. Plain and simple.   

[JLS]

Great job WDFW!   

It's just too bad they had to waste time writing this letter.

No kidding.  She knew exactly what she was getting into before the hunt.

It appears to me that DFW bent over backwards to accomodate her with a kill permit elk.  This complaint is beyond stupid.

[CAMPMEAT]

Just think of all the things WDFW does that we don't even know about until after the fact.............. wolves come to mind first.

Add to that, That we pay for............unknowingly.

No kidding on how corrupt the gubmint is in my mind........

[TheHunt]

I knew there were two sides of the story.  Game Department did right on this one.

[j_h_nimrod]

Tag

[leed]

I don't get on here much, sorry. But I see Wingshootere posted for me. I'm glad you all are having this discussion. There are many views. I do have PDR still being processed and I'll post it all when I receive it. There is more.............
There are always two sides to every story. Keep in mind everything I posted is fact.  My only point to this is the fact that the timing sucked, it should have been postponed and how would you like it if you were starring at a 400 plus bull and had to make those decisions? It's not right! We as hunters pay the way. We as hunters should be considered in every policy and action they take. We were not. They had a total disregard for the permit hunters and placed them all in precarious positions. It just wasn't the right thing to do at that time. I spent one and a half hours in the Directors office wed morning with Phil and his senior staff and we had a good conversation. I will not share it so don't ask please. There are allot of issues surrounding the Colockum herd that most don't understand and they department is working, I believe, to solve some internal issues in decision making now. A step forward. Overall they do a great job but we as hunters and fishers need to remind them on occasions that they work for us and it's our public land that they manage for us. A critical times the land and it's resources may be restricted in order to protect and conserve it for future use and to bring the health back up but it's ours and we should have access to it as long as it's a healthy landscape with a healthy population of game and non-game animals. LD

[billythekidrock]

Great job WDFW!   

It's just too bad they had to waste time writing this letter.

No kidding.  She knew exactly what she was getting into before the hunt.

It appears to me that DFW bent over backwards to accomodate her with a kill permit elk.  This complaint is beyond stupid.

I agree 100%.

[Bob33]

Just think of all the things WDFW does that we don't even know about until after the fact........

Like spending hours and hours of precious time responding to frivolous complaints?

[hogsniper]

 There is a whole thread dedicated to collaring animals last week and people are pissed about that!  So what happens when they let her shoot another animal and you realize its collared as well?    And is she willing to give up the whole animal or did she want to keep the horns while shooting another bull/cow?   I think people just biatch to biatch sometimes! 

[boneaddict]

Just think of all the things WDFW does that we don't even know about until after the fact........

Like spending hours and hours of precious time responding to frivolous complaints?

A-men!

[Tbar]

Leed can you take a step back and realize this is something done right . The wdfw needs a pat  on the back and a thank you in this case. I would take an elk killed on an ag kill permit over a stinky rutted up bull (for meat) any day of the week and twice on Sunday..
I wish you would look at it with a glass half full attitude, as things could have played out much differently with said bull. Hypothetically speaking lets say you scouted this very bull prior to the permit season. Would it be far fetched to think that after the capture and study word could have been leaked of  a 400 inch bull and a tribal member goes up and shoots it. End of story.(that is hypothetical but not far fetched).
The last thing that bugs me is your thread title. Ruined, seriously? Show some respect for a truly magnificent animal that she was able to harvest with what has become basically a once in a lifetime draw.(and show these guys a pic of the ruined hunt)This is/was a bull of a lifetime and celebrate it for that.
Congrats to  hunter and next  time a field elk is offered smile and say thank you.