So WDFW does chase the elk around... UPDATED

[LDennis24]

On Saturday I was hunting elk with a muzzleloader tag in Whitman County. In the morning we noticed a white helicopter flying in a strange pattern about a mile or two away. About an hour later we received a call from some friends that they had spotted some elk on some other property so we headed over to see if we could put a stalk on them and get a shot. Before we arrived they said a helicopter came in and ran the elk off and followed them onto land we couldn't hunt. Well I  myself happened to be able to hunt that land so I followed the tracks left by the elk and eventually spotted them again on another ridge about 3/4 of a mile away. Before I could get to them I spotted the helicopter again and it began to follow us. When we got to the elk we had to wait for them to cross the road before we could hunt them again because we didn't have permission to hunt where they were currently at. The elk were walking single file on a hilltop and were no longer running from the chopper. Well at this point the chopper stopped following us and began to chase the elk the other direction. As this happened I told my wife to take pictures so we had proof. We have several photos to prove they chased the elk away from us. I feel that I was unfairly denied the chance to pursue the elk due to the choppers actions and don't understand how this is any different than chasing animals in a pickup or on a four wheeler for the purpose of herding animals. I will be unable to hunt elk for the next 2 days as I am working and feel that my hunting season has been ruined due to these actions. As we headed another direction to possibly find some other elk we ran into no less than a dozen other people saying the chopper ran the elk away and was chasing them. We had someone make a phone call to the local biologist and he informed us that they are supposed to be counting mule deer, not harassing the elk herds. I wrote an email to Unsworth asking for an explanation of why this is allowable and why I was denied the right to harvest an elk this season.

[ELKBURGER]

Let us know what response you get...if any. Sorry to hear about your fouled up hunt. Are we gonna hear about any shots fired at white helicopters on the news? :chuckle:Just kidding Its open season on black choppers though.

[grundy53]

I'm sorry this happened to you. Probably some greenie biologist that didn't want you to hurt the poor elk.

Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk

[bobcat]

How do you know who was flying the helicopter? Apparently you're assuming it was the WDFW but I'm wondering why you think that? Can you post some of the pictures?

[JimmyHoffa]

That really sucks to have happen. 

How do you know who was flying the helicopter? Apparently you're assuming it was the WDFW but I'm wondering why you think that? Can you post some of the pictures?

I do wonder if a tail number was recorded and it can be shown who was doing this. 

[LDennis24]

I had someone call the biologist who was working near by. I happen to know him and he informed us that they were supposed to be counting mule deer. I guess he made a phone call on our behalf and requested the chopper land and then he went out to where they were and scolded them but that was heard second hand from the other hunters in the area. I tried posting pics but it wouldn't let me. i'm using my cell phone and not sure how to compress the JPG files. They are 5MB and larger.

[Curly]

There is another thread on here somewhere of the same sort of thing happening.  I'll see if I can find the thread.

[lokidog]

Sounds like hunter and wildlife harassment to me.  WDFW should not be doing "surveys" in areas that are currently open to hunting.  What a bunch of crap.  Hopefully you got some video with an identifiable tail number.  I'd be contacting the media regarding this as I'm sure complaints within WDFW will not go anywhere.

 

[HUNTaHOLIC5]

There is another thread on here somewhere of the same sort of thing happening.  I'll see if I can find the thread.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,186929.0.html

[Rainier10]

  to this thread and the one below.

There is another thread on here somewhere of the same sort of thing happening.  I'll see if I can find the thread.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,186929.0.html

[JimmyHoffa]

I'm not too familiar with the area in question, but from glancing at the regs---the late general muzzy season there only goes to Dec 8th?  So, WDFW couldn't deconflict an aerial mule deer count/general elk season by waiting to send up the whirly bird on Dec 9th instead of the 5th?  Was it some kind of safety window due to weather that made that day the only one for flight?  Or are the mule deer doing something special that they won't be doing four days later?  Maybe they got a discount flight?  But those aside, I agree with others, if counting muleys shouldn't be chasing elk.  Is there a new technique to use elk to kick up the deer out of the brush? 

[LDennis24]

Well some of the other hunters who witnessed it also said the chopper was south about 6 miles for 2 days before Saturday also. I'm working on posting pics.

[LDennis24]

Also also... Lol! Sorry for that. Here's a pic.

[LDennis24]

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[westside bull]

Wow that's a joke! I hope somebody gets fired!!!