Hunter facing charges after death of beloved elk named Bullwinkle

[Branden]

I'm not going to comment on the legalities of it because I was not there nor the one that got supposed permission to hunt that area.

I do have a problem though with the part about how it's bad to shoot an animal in a field. Zero difference then shooting a cat out of a tree. Neither one takes any skill yet 99% of the people on this site would jump at the chance to shoot a lion in a tree. The first thread on this issue was started because guys were saying it wasn't much of a hunt. Not that it was illegal. Then that started after a page or two.

So for the guys that are saying it's not hunting get off your high horse.

You do a lot of hound hunting Brandon??

oooo you beat me to it!

he likely has never cougar hunted....

I've been lucky enough to do many different hunts, including hunts in several other countries, cougar hunting is still my favorite hunt. Some of the best cougar hunts have ended by taking photos and leaving the cat in the tree! The most rewarding part is watching the young hounds learn and develop into experienced lion hounds. Almost anyone can become successful in many types of hunting, but to be a top notch hound hunter requires incredible dedication by the hunter and a very sharp learning curve. After all the time and work to get good at hound hunting, you can take your dogs to field, search for days and sometimes weeks to find a good track, you and your dogs can experience the thrill of the hunt, hopefully you catch the cat and get photos of the hunted, and then you leave the hunted animal unharmed in the wild after experiencing the hunt of lifetime. Hunting really can't get any better than that!

For those that choose to notch a cougar tag you then have some of the best meat in the woods!

I've actually shot 4 lions in Washington. All without hounds. So yes I've hunted cats before.

Let's say I was rich like some hunters are and a cat is on my bucket list. I hire the best outfitter I can find. Wait by the phone for a call once they get good snow in the area I'm hunting.

Fly in, ride out with an outfitter and cut tracks right away. Get lucky and the cat is treed after a few minutes cause it had a kill next to the road. Hike the 200 yards off the road and shoot it out of the tree. Get my trophy pictures of me with my cat.

Yes not all cat hunts are like that. But some are that easy. And some are way more physical. But at the end of the day most of the cats that get killed take absolutely zero skill from the guys doing the shooting. They pay money to a guy that trains dogs to tree animals. They follow the dogs and shoot an animal out of a tree. Absolutely zero skill on the shooters part. So you have a very good dog trainer, and a guy that pays money to shoot an animal out of a tree, and the actually hunters are the dogs.

How about a guided whitetail hunt with bait? You pay the money, ride out to the blind on the ATV. Wait for the feeder to kick on. Once it does here come the deer and bam you just killed a trophy whitetail. Again zero skill involved. Zero effort involved.

[bobcat]

I think it's somewhat legitimate to call this elk a pet and to have a problem with the taking of this elk because of how tame it was. The reason it was this way is because it never lived in a GMU that was open to branch antler elk hunting. This was the only reason this bull survived to the age that he did. Nobody else killed him because it had always been illegal to do so. Until Tod Reichert came along.

[teanawayslayer]

I think it's somewhat legitimate to call this elk a pet and to have a problem with the taking of this elk because of how tame it was. The reason it was this way is because it never lived in a GMU that was open to branch antler elk hunting. This was the only reason this bull survived to the age that he did. Nobody else killed him because it had always been illegal to do so. Until Tod Reichert came along.

one of the bulls that hung out with bullwinkle was tranquilized this winter and was relocate to Joe watt feed lot. When the bull came to it walked out of the trailer looked at all the elk ran all the way to east side before breaking through the fence. He found his way home within less than a week. Hmmm tame? 

[PlateauNDN]

That's the problem nowadays. People turning wild animals into pets. Did it not say they were feeding it and petting it? That sounds like a pet to me. Heck, my argument would be as the homeowner I contacted the State to get its "pet" off my property because it's ruining and damaging my property and interfering with my livestock if not, I'll take care of it myself.

Or, it threatened and intimidated my wife and/or kids when we went outside so I put it down.  If somebodies pet harasses or comes onto my grandmother's pasture and begins to harass her cattle it get a dirt nap and bath in the canal.

Is there a reason they were trying to remove elk? Was there more than one elk involved in relocation? Were there any plans to lethally remove them?

 

[PlateauNDN]

Why can't the bunny huggers name and tame wolves.....

[PlateauNDN]

Isn't there a law against keeping wild animals as pets?

[Curly]

I wonder how popular the land owner that gave Tod R permission is with the locals that enjoyed watching Bullwinkle? 

[dreamunelk]

I wonder how popular the land owner that gave Tod R permission is with the locals that enjoyed watching Bullwinkle?

I wonder how much Mr. R. paid the landowner.

[ridgefire]

I wonder how some people consider this hunting and try to justify it. Hopefully he cant buy his way out of this one.

[JDHasty]

That's the problem nowadays. People turning wild animals into pets. Did it not say they were feeding it and petting it? That sounds like a pet to me. Heck, my argument would be as the homeowner I contacted the State to get its "pet" off my property because it's ruining and damaging my property and interfering with my livestock if not, I'll take care of it myself.

Or, it threatened and intimidated my wife and/or kids when we went outside so I put it down.  If somebodies pet harasses or comes onto my grandmother's pasture and begins to harass her cattle it get a dirt nap and bath in the canal.

Is there a reason they were trying to remove elk? Was there more than one elk involved in relocation? Were there any plans to lethally remove them?

 

The story would have NEVER gained traction if that were the case. 

Whatever gave anyone the notion that this was going to end well totally escapes me. 

OK, I have held my cards close to the vest, but this particular bull was just hanging out.  Not causing anybody any heartburn.  He was "just there." 

He hung with about five other mature bulls, but other than they were uber visible, he wasn't any different than any other bull that would go away once hunting season started IF he were in a legal GMU.  So, he is what my rancher cousin says are the "bums" he supports while making a living growing alfalfa to feed next winter. 

But "Bullwinkle,"  and his brothers, "were not causing enough of a problem" to be liquidated.  In fact, they provided enough entertainment that those who paid the 'bull elk band tax" willingly did so.  If one person objected and wanted lethal steps taken, what matters is that there was no controlling legal authority to implement lethal removal.     

[PlateauNDN]

Jd, I think you've done a good job presenting the issues. I just added some additional ideas as I was getting tired of hearing the same argument over and over and over and over and over and over. the same argument that spanned 3 different threads and what, 70 pages total?

Thought I'd present fresh new ideas to stir the pot and rattle the masses

[kiticaashunter]

Wow alot more keeps piling on since I looked at this site. Like I said I got on here to clear things up. I guess that didn't happen at all. The hunter seems to be judged worse and many of you discredited me. Do what you need to do.

The true fact is at the time the only question in anobodys  mind  was could a rifle be used, or did it need to be a muzzleloader. So they did what we were tought 30 years ago in the fire arms safety course and called and asked the question. Mr. Grant said that it could not be killed with a rifle in that unit. Then was asked if it could because the hunter was disabled.  He said he would figure it out. 16 minutes later (documented) he called back and told them they shouldn't use a rifle and muzzleloader was fine. That shows Grant knew the exact unit this was in.

I have been hunting for more than 3 decades. I miss the times when things didn't seem to change so much. I appaud the people on here that seem to know every rule all the time as thinges change. We all try to keep up on everything.  But are not afraid to call and ask for clarification when needed. In this case WDFG didn't just say it was ok, they went and double checked and again gave the ok.
This was a high profile tag, nobody involved wanted any issues in this case.

Worst part on this forum is the hunter has had some very bad things said about him. He is one of the most generous good people alive. And has done more for the elk than 95% of the hunters in this state combined. 

[huntnphool]

He is one of the most generous good people alive. And has done more for the elk than 95% of the hunters in this state combined.

 What more has he done than the bidder $1000 behind his bid wouldn't have done?

[Colville]

I can afford paid hunts. I'd never in a million years pay for a tag, then pay to access a block of alfalfa to shoot a popular and habituated animal. Its pathetic.  Even if compmetely legal, its beneath any sportsman who "does more" for elk than most.

What a crying blanking shame, regardless of the law. Id sooner never hunt again as share a camp with someone who felt that was honorable and is willing to hang their name on it. Or anyone else who would look away to keep in his good graces.

[huntnphool]

 How about backing up your statement and answering the question kiti, my guess is you have nothing to back it up.

 Better be careful of making false statements of Tod Riechert, you may get sued.