Hunter facing charges after death of beloved elk named Bullwinkle

[PlateauNDN]

Also, I think someone confirmed on here that the 2007 incident resulted in a conviction for lying and not any game related convictions so this in a sense would be his 1st offense, if it holds up.

 As a result of a plee, any good attorney will get his client a lesser charge in the end, than the one they are originally facing.

 Don't think for a second a judge does not have all the facts/history in front of them while hearing a case.

I know, I've been on the side of the enforcement side of the law for quite awhile. It doesn't matter, seriously, as I've witnessed 1st hand in tribal, municipal, district and federal court if you weren't convicted on it then it doesn't hold much bearing. The judge will see it, read it, review it and at least majority of the time that I witnessed they didn't even bring it up.

It comes back to what you were convicted of and had the strongest case on. I've seen people with multiple offenses that were plead down and the prosecutor pushed saying they plead and the judge stated numerous times that if in fact that we're the case now, then why not all those times as well, if you seen a pattern why not push for the tougher sentences, why agree to a plea?

Like I said, reality. I've read for over, what,  70 pages and it's been a lot of facts and fiction and wishful thinking. Honestly, I don't see this as being more than a simple slap on the hand and in the end the pet will still have been a pet which is now dead and forgotten just like Cecil and next season there will be another animal for everyone to focus on.

[Rainier10]

Dare I ask.......

What if he did make the calls and get the permission from WDFW to shoot this bull? Who would be the bad guy at that point? This has been burning in the back of my head since the beginning of this hot mess.

We get it, or at least I do, they don't have the authority by law but If it turns out authority was given then he's walking.

He walks WDFW might need an unlisted information phone number

Great question, reply and comment. All three of you nailed it.

If that is what happened focus of anger over this incident will shift to the WDFW.

My prediction if this goes down. You'll still have the crowd who remains pissed off at Mr. Reichert for even calling for permission in the first place.
(stand by. I'm putting on my flame retardant suit)

For sure, nobody wins in this one, it is an absolute mess.  There will be plenty of blame to go around depending on what angle you are looking at it from.  In reality there are a ton of people to blame.  Todd, the guides, the landowner, WDFW, people who turned this animal into pretty much a pet, the list can go on and on.

The worst part is no matter where you put the blame it is a black eye for hunting in general.

Once that elk was targeted nothing good was going to come of it.

[PlateauNDN]

I'd say, once those bulls were domesticated they were doomed. If not Mr Reichert,  then someone else probably would've. Let wild be wild.

[Rainier10]

I'd say, once those bulls were domesticated they were doomed. If not Mr Reichert,  then someone else probably would've. Let wild be wild.

It's like deja vu all over again.  I think you said this a couple of months ago in this thread or another one on the same topic.  You're just not going to budge are you? Insert sarcasm emoji here.  I agree with you 100%, they were doomed and something would have happened to them anyway.

[Legacy]

To me Reichert's guilt or innocence is probably not as worrisome as what impact his taking of this bull (which by all accounts appears to have been a "pet", that had a name and that was fed regularly alfalfa hay in a fenced area by local kids) could have on legitimate hunters and hunting in general. Most of what I've read indicates this trophy was killed without any remote semblance of "fair chase" or any traditional notions of fair play or ethical hunting. So far, news of this episode has been kept fairly local and I'm hoping we don't end up with another "Cecil" incident once some anti-hunter individual or group uses social media to feign shock and outrage, which then spreads like wildfire and gets shared by others who chime in and paint all hunters as elitist and wealthy mass killers who care little for wildlife and animal rights. 

[huntnphool]

To me Reichert's guilt or innocence is probably not as worrisome as what impact his taking of this bull (which by all accounts appears to have been a "pet", that had a name and that was fed regularly alfalfa hay in a fenced area by local kids) could have on legitimate hunters and hunting in general. Most of what I've read indicates this trophy was killed without any remote semblance of "fair chase" or any traditional notions of fair play or ethical hunting. So far, news of this episode has been kept fairly local and I'm hoping we don't end up with another "Cecil" incident once some anti-hunter individual or group uses social media to feign shock and outrage, which then spreads like wildfire and gets shared by others who chime in and paint all hunters as elitist and wealthy mass killers who care little for wildlife and animal rights.

 Well said.

[Miles]

Bullwinkle sounds more like a moose name anyway...

[jackelope]

Bullwinkle sounds more like a moose name anyway...

It doesn't make sense, does it?

I thought his name was Ranger.

[bearpaw]

To me Reichert's guilt or innocence is probably not as worrisome as what impact his taking of this bull (which by all accounts appears to have been a "pet", that had a name and that was fed regularly alfalfa hay in a fenced area by local kids) could have on legitimate hunters and hunting in general. Most of what I've read indicates this trophy was killed without any remote semblance of "fair chase" or any traditional notions of fair play or ethical hunting. So far, news of this episode has been kept fairly local and I'm hoping we don't end up with another "Cecil" incident once some anti-hunter individual or group uses social media to feign shock and outrage, which then spreads like wildfire and gets shared by others who chime in and paint all hunters as elitist and wealthy mass killers who care little for wildlife and animal rights.

 Well said.

I agree, it's also worrisome that some hunters themselves have made this such a big deal that it will harm hunters in the end.

[PlateauNDN]

To me Reichert's guilt or innocence is probably not as worrisome as what impact his taking of this bull (which by all accounts appears to have been a "pet", that had a name and that was fed regularly alfalfa hay in a fenced area by local kids) could have on legitimate hunters and hunting in general. Most of what I've read indicates this trophy was killed without any remote semblance of "fair chase" or any traditional notions of fair play or ethical hunting. So far, news of this episode has been kept fairly local and I'm hoping we don't end up with another "Cecil" incident once some anti-hunter individual or group uses social media to feign shock and outrage, which then spreads like wildfire and gets shared by others who chime in and paint all hunters as elitist and wealthy mass killers who care little for wildlife and animal rights.

 Well said.

I agree, it's also worrisome that some hunters themselves have made this such a big deal that it will harm hunters in the end.

Hunters made this a circus. I get it, he was in the wrong for shooting a domestic animal, but by blowing this outta proportion we may have made things worse. Who knows at this point. Hopefully larry, curly, Moe & rocky (the other pet bulls) learn from T his and stay away.

Though I heard wdfw bungled an attempted tranquilizing and had to put 1 of them down. Another waste of resources.

[bobcat]

The main issue isn't how this bull elk was "domesticated" but that the elk tag the hunter used was not valid in the unit.

It's the same as if a guy with an eastern tag killed a bull in western Washington. It's illegal. Period. It's not that complicated.

[full choke]

To me Reichert's guilt or innocence is probably not as worrisome as what impact his taking of this bull (which by all accounts appears to have been a "pet", that had a name and that was fed regularly alfalfa hay in a fenced area by local kids) could have on legitimate hunters and hunting in general. Most of what I've read indicates this trophy was killed without any remote semblance of "fair chase" or any traditional notions of fair play or ethical hunting. So far, news of this episode has been kept fairly local and I'm hoping we don't end up with another "Cecil" incident once some anti-hunter individual or group uses social media to feign shock and outrage, which then spreads like wildfire and gets shared by others who chime in and paint all hunters as elitist and wealthy mass killers who care little for wildlife and animal rights.

 Well said.

I agree, it's also worrisome that some hunters themselves have made this such a big deal that it will harm hunters in the end.

Hunters made this a circus. I get it, he was in the wrong for shooting a domestic animal, but by blowing this outta proportion we may have made things worse. Who knows at this point. Hopefully larry, curly, Moe & rocky (the other pet bulls) learn from T his and stay away.

Though I heard wdfw bungled an attempted tranquilizing and had to put 1 of them down. Another waste of resources.

No. He was wrong for shooting an animal in a closed unit. Quit trying to change the subject...

[724wd]

The main issue isn't how this bull elk was "domesticated" but that the elk tag the hunter used was not valid in the unit.

It's the same as if a guy with an eastern tag killed a bull in western Washington. It's illegal. Period. It's not that complicated.

   i couldn't give two poops about how the bull killed.  the bull was in a unit not open.  He should be held accountable for that, regardless of the name of the bull.  Also, the "calling WDFW" shouldn't be a defense, as the rules were already set.  The unit was closed to taking branch bulls.

[Tbar]

I agree with Plat.  And yes one of the other bulls in this group was wasted after being tangled.  They are wild animals and should be hunted, period. 

[PlateauNDN]

I know as I stated many times I know it's a closed unit. I'm not disputing that as that was proven from the beginning.  Read my previous posts today and you'll understand what I'm stating bobcat, full choke and 724.