Hunter facing charges after death of beloved elk named Bullwinkle

[teanawayslayer]

How many people on this thread harvested an elk last year. I'm thinking most of you guys are just internet jockey s who like hunters to get black eyes in media. My question is for JD and tennawayslayer and davemonti when's the last time you guys shot an elk?

two years ago with my peaches tag. I have had a cow tag for the past three seasons and have chose to help other people on there hunts instead of harvesting an elk myself. I have a buddy who has one of the most desired rut tags in the state in the state this year. So I will eat another cow tag  Not that I owe you an explanation. But there it is.

So you only actually hunt elk when you draw bull/quality tag. Explains why you are so jealous of TR. also I think TR s lawyer needs to look into see if any of the landowners in 334 have bull nuisance tags. I know one guy who gets 5 bull tags a year.

no I hunt for elk every year. It's just not always for my tag. I get more enjoyment out of helping people than harvesting myself. If tr would have asked for my help he probably would have gotten it free of charge.

[pianoman9701]

How many people on this thread harvested an elk last year. I'm thinking most of you guys are just internet jockey s who like hunters to get black eyes in media. My question is for JD and tennawayslayer and davemonti when's the last time you guys shot an elk?

You sound desperate and severely lacking in ethics - personal opinion. It makes no difference when someone last shot an elk. It matters when they last purchased a license, hunted for anything, and did it legally and ethically. A vast majority of people posting on this forum (and it seems most on this thread), favor and support legal hunting, even without being able to afford a $50K tag. Many of us also don't mind the auction and lotto tags because of their conservation value. What we find abhorrent are people who, some because of their wealth or position, ignore hunting laws as if they're above them. I personally also find those who justify the illegal actions of poachers as abhorrent.  Cast all of the dispersion you wish. Your position is untenable.

[boneaddict]

And just a note, just because you kill something, or buy an animal it doesn't make you a "Hunter".

Does in my book. Same thing with fishing if you aren't catching it's just a boat ride.

That explains some things.   

[pianoman9701]

  Sure does.

[jackelope]

How many people on this thread harvested an elk last year. I'm thinking most of you guys are just internet jockey s who like hunters to get black eyes in media. My question is for JD and tennawayslayer and davemonti when's the last time you guys shot an elk?

two years ago with my peaches tag. I have had a cow tag for the past three seasons and have chose to help other people on there hunts instead of harvesting an elk myself. I have a buddy who has one of the most desired rut tags in the state in the state this year. So I will eat another cow tag  Not that I owe you an explanation. But there it is.

So you only actually hunt elk when you draw bull/quality tag. Explains why you are so jealous of TR. also I think TR s lawyer needs to look into see if any of the landowners in 334 have bull nuisance tags. I know one guy who gets 5 bull tags a year.

And just a note, just because you kill something, or buy an animal it doesn't make you a "Hunter".

Does in my book. Same thing with fishing if you aren't catching it's just a boat ride.

Wow...that's all I got.

I haven't even tried to kill an elk in the last 3-4 years. I prefer deer and I've been busy with family and life stuff. Where does that put me?

[Woodchuck]

City Slicker

[bearpaw]

I don't think these testosterone type of public discussions about who is more of a hunter are good for hunting. Essentially anyone who buys a hunting license is a "hunter"! Some hunters depending on their experience and/or available time, connections, or simple luck may be more successful than others, but we are all hunters if we buy a hunting license and follow the law! 

[WAPatriot]

How many people on this thread harvested an elk last year. I'm thinking most of you guys are just internet jockey s who like hunters to get black eyes in media. My question is for JD and tennawayslayer and davemonti when's the last time you guys shot an elk?

You sound desperate and severely lacking in ethics - personal opinion. It makes no difference when someone last shot an elk. It matters when they last purchased a license, hunted for anything, and did it legally and ethically. A vast majority of people posting on this forum (and it seems most on this thread), favor and support legal hunting, even without being able to afford a $50K tag. Many of us also don't mind the auction and lotto tags because of their conservation value. What we find abhorrent are people who, some because of their wealth or position, ignore hunting laws as if they're above them. I personally also find those who justify the illegal actions of poachers as abhorrent.  Cast all of the dispersion you wish. Your position is untenable.

Lol inoccent until proven guilty.  Also it does matter when the last time someone kills an elk its says a lot about them. Me I'm a killer I shot a little calf this year. Sweetest meat of all time it was light pink not even red. Put that in your ethics pipe and smoke it.

[Rainier10]

I don't think these testosterone type of public discussions about who is more of a hunter are good for hunting. Essentially anyone who buys a hunting license is a "hunter"! Some hunters depending on their experience and/or available time, connections, or simple luck may be more successful than others, but we are all hunters if we buy a hunting license and follow the law! 

And additionally and more importantly I think we are conservationists.  The money from licensing and hunting equipment goes to wildlife management.  All wildlife, not just wild game.  People who take game illegally are stealing opportunity from those that follow the rules.  I could get a deer or elk every year if I broke the rules.  What's the difference between shooting a deer 15 minutes after hunting hours or in February?

We need people to buy licenses and tags to have the opportunity to harvest an animal.  With out them we don't have any money for wildlife management.  When people poach and take that opportunity away there is less opportunity for those hunting legally.

[WAPatriot]

Or for that matter what if someone's arrow only weights 420 grams instead of the the legal 430 grams

[Rainier10]

Or for that matter what if someone's arrow only weights 420 grams instead of the the legal 430 grams

My guess is most if caught with an arrow 10 grams under weight would argue that it was a simple mistake but take the ticket and move on if the officer wrote them up.  They might take it to court and try to get it reduced but in the end technically they broke the rules.

Hunting the old muzzleloader 911 years ago someone pushed a herd of elk out of the ML911 area across the road we were driving out on.  The elk stopped on the left side of the road and we didn't shoot.  The elk were out of the area by 60 feet.  Could we have shot and said we shot on the correct side of the road and it died on the opposite side?  Yes, but if we were going to do that why wouldn't we just shoot one way out of bounds and out of everyone's view?  Same thing, out of bounds is out of bounds.

[huntnphool]

Or for that matter what if someone's arrow only weights 420 grams instead of the the legal 430 grams

 Wait, it's a minimum 430gr now?

 When did they change it from 6gr. per pound of draw weight?

[WAPatriot]

Or for that matter what if someone's arrow only weights 420 grams instead of the the legal 430 grams

 Wait, it's a minimum 430gr now?

 When did they change it from 6gr. per pound of draw weight?

No just an example

[WAPatriot]

Or for that matter what if someone's arrow only weights 420 grams instead of the the legal 430 grams

My guess is most if caught with an arrow 10 grams under weight would argue that it was a simple mistake but take the ticket and move on if the officer wrote them up.  They might take it to court and try to get it reduced but in the end technically they broke the rules.

Hunting the old muzzleloader 911 years ago someone pushed a herd of elk out of the ML911 area across the road we were driving out on.  The elk stopped on the left side of the road and we didn't shoot.  The elk were out of the area by 60 feet.  Could we have shot and said we shot on the correct side of the road and it died on the opposite side?  Yes, but if we were going to do that why wouldn't we just shoot one way out of bounds and out of everyone's view?  Same thing, out of bounds is out of bounds.

Would it be ethical if you shot an elk in a legal area but it was injured and ran into a non leagal area to finish it off.

[Curly]

I'd say TR is definitely not innocent.  He shot an elk in a closed unit.  That is an undisputed fact. 

Now, whether or not he ends up having to pay the price for the crime is another thing.  By calling wdfw and asking about firearm restrictions in the Ellensburg unit, they did cast a gray area on the case.  They may have found a scapegoat in the wdfw employee that answered their question about being ok to shoot an elk with a muzzleloader.

I guess the question that a judge or jury will likely have to think about is whether TR and his accomplices knew the rules and were just trying to find a way around them by calling wdfw and hoping to get someone that didn't know the specific rules for that permit. 

They might also have to think about how the rules are worded.  I do think it would leave less room for confusion when the rules didn't say "Any 300 or 500 series GMU open to elk hunting, except GMU's not open to branch antlered bull elk hunting".  Instead, why not just list the couple of GMU's that are off-limits?  That would help the officers being called and asked the question instead of them having to look for 20 minutes to see if there are any branch bull hunting in the unit.

I would think he would have a decent chance at being found not guilty in court.  But I wouldn't bet on it either.   And even if he is found not guilty sure doesn't mean he is innocent........just means the court found mitigating circumstances to let him get away with it.

(That's my 2 cents.  I'm nobody though, so my 2 cents is not worth much.  My opinion is only based on what I've read on the court of Hunt-Wa and Incident Report by WDFW).  And BTW - I'm in no way jealous.....not the least bit jealous in any way.  Just an interesting case to me so I'm following along.)