Poacher has my 5x5 elk

[LongTatLaw]

                                    
So, after well over a week and probably 60 hours looking I found the headless corpse of my once BEAUTIFUL 5x5 huge bodied bull elk. Ill post the story of the hunt after this rant.

So, I spend a few hours today combing the hillside for my bow killed elk. This has been my sad frequent hobby since I shot him and couldn't find him. 

Well, the landowner meets me at my truck with some "great news". A local kid (probably 20 years old) that mushroom hunts the property was bragging about finding the elk and having its head.       

 well, five minutes later Im at his house and he meets me at the truck as if he knew I was coming.

As Im asking him about the elk I see 1/2 of my very distinctive arrow bloodstained and wedged into the storage rack of his ATV. He admits the arrow was in the elk and in one piece when he found it. He decided to break off the arrow and take it home with him...why?      not sure... but he was nice enough to give me my now broken arrow back. 

He admits he chopped the head off of the Elk     and even comments on how big it was.    Well, after offering to pay 100$ for a "finders" fee his story just keeps changing. He told the land owner he had it. Now he says he cut its head off but then tied it to the tree next to the elk?? Well Ive been to the elk and theres no head tied to a tree.

Long story short... he has my horns and Im gonna try to introduce him to the friendly local game warden tomorrow.

My question?

I shed hunt... Ive found full skulls and dead animals whole as well. Ive taken many home and I see a cow elk skull I found in skookumchuck as I type.

However, why would anyone want a 5x5 (big but not amazing) elk head so bad that they would move it to make it impossible to find...brag to several people about having it.... all the while knowing who the elk belonged to and how to reach them.... then when the guy shows up at your door offering to pay you for his elk... I mean..trust me...

some guy knocks on my door tomorrow and tells me the area where I found this (3 years dead) cow elk skull.... Ill gift wrap it before I hand it over... and be glad to reunite the two of them.... right???

well the guys says I dont have it my buddy does.

I track down the buddy even though the poacher doesnt give me nearly enough info for a normal person to find him... he hasnt been near the elk and hasnt spoken to the poacher for months... but offers to help and suggests I call the game warden (not the advice of a guilty man).

So, now Im gonna try the game warden for help and if that doesnt work.... Id not want to offer further comments on my intentions on the grounds that it may incriminate me later...lol

just kidding! sorta

oh well,

Ive seen one bull elk in the woods this year... and I killed him just to have him stolen from me.    The hunt story follows!

                                                                  DONT POACH!!!!!!!!!!

[MichaelJ]

That's jacked up man I'd have a hard time not getting physical with the punk...  best of luck and you'll get it back one way or the other...  btw were you able to save the meat?

Michael

[MichaelJ]

they means more than one person... you better call the authorities man they're seriously overstepping thier 'rights'.

Michael

[boneaddict]

I'm not sure what kind of legal right you have to it and them finding it, but get the law man there with you.  When one shows up on their porch, their sotry just might change.

[billythekidrock]

I'm not sure what kind of legal right you have to it and them finding it, but get the law man there with you.  When one shows up on their porch, their sotry just might change.

My thoughts exactly.

[jackelope]

it is illegal to pick up and take a dead-head though, right? maybe you got that going for you.
wdfw incident report phone #, also the poaching hotline #
1-800-477-6224
i keep it programmed into my cell phone.
too bad about the bull.

[boneaddict]

I'm not sure if this state has gone there yet or not.  I know many have.  Just for your info, in NM you have to leave the skull where it is at, and contact the department.  An officer comes and gets it, then if everything checks out, and there is no foul play, you have the right to buy it from them.  I have no idea how much or how they determine the price.

[wastickslinger]

Jackelope is right. Only naturally shed antlers may be taken without a valid tag in Washington. Turn the sucker in. Heck you might end up with your antlers back and 10 preference points for another bull tag next year!!!!

[boneaddict]

This is a long thirty minutes...............

[jackelope]

Turning him in after the fact would probably do no good.
call the incident report line now and tell them he picked up a dead head...see what happens. aside from that i think it is merely a question of ethics...right or wrong.

[arrowflinger]

Is he a poacher or someone that just stole the head an animal?? better to call the incident report line.

[jackelope]

Is he a poacher or someone that just stole the head an animal??

kind of what i was thinking...did he even steal it, or did he just find it in the woods and take it home? not that i doubt your story, i just don;t think the guy's a "poacher"
a stone cold rig'd up bull laying dead in the woods, big rack, meat's spoiled, nobody's around, what would you do...maybe we should start a  poll.

[Ray]

a stone cold rig'd up bull laying dead in the woods, big rack, meat's spoiled, nobody's around, what would you do...maybe we should start a  poll.

Interesting thoughts but my guess would be that it is an illegal action. Especially if they didn't have a tag for that animal in the given season. Whether someone would use the term "poaching" or not ... it is at the very least unethical in my book. Sure the meat might go to waste but then again someone could come by to drag it out of the woods and legally claim it too.

[wastickslinger]

You mean to tell me that you guys pick up skulls in washington. Not me, it's against the law

[Ray]

One real question is: when do you consider it abandon game kill? I expect there would be lots of answers to that.