Opinion Needed

[scomp25]

This past week while hunting in Oregon where my nephew had a youth antlerless rifle tag in a archery general season we had a little confrontation or there lack of.

He shot a cow and it dropped in it's tracks!  When he shot there was another party yelling what are you shooting at or hey we are over here something to that from what we remember at that exciting time.  My nephew yelled back YOUTH COW HUNT!!

They were dressing out a elk that they shot prior to us not less than 100 yards away.   I can totally understand there concern.

We dressed the elk out and headed to our truck that was where they were parked but not where we entered the area because this was the shortest/easiest route to take.

This party of three were right behind us as we unloaded our packs.  We were not 30 feet away and tried to make small talk about what we got and what they got.  The female said a couple of words but the other guys got into their truck and we left basically at the same time.

I wanted to have a conversation as I suspected they thought we were POACHING and I wanted to let them know we were totally legal.

Ends up that they called in my plate numbers to OSP and we ended up being confronted by OSP Officer Knapp.  We gave him the details and he was more than cordial even offering a congrats to my nephew and hoping to see us later or even next year.

It would have been nice if the hunters would have engaged in conversation so they could have learned about our LEGAL HUNT SUCCESS rather than having a OSP officer drive 1 hour one way to check on us.

If we were poaching we would be the worst ever at exercising this form of "hunting" as he was in hunter orange and we actually took a animal out a spot that other hunters I presumable be had killed a archery elk kill.

Would it have been great if they would have consulted the regs before calling in to make sure they new what hunts were going on before contacting the law?

A day or two later my nephew still carrying a rifle while wearing hunting orange walking back to the truck with we had a truck stop by and ask him if he had a youth tag and he said yes and that he got a elk.  They encouraged him to keep bear hunting and offered congratulations....nice that hunter were familiar with current hut in this unit.

I am a little sour or a lot sour having the law called on me.  A little conversation would have gone a long ways.

I just want to confirm that this was a legal hunt that was a awesome experience for my nephew and that officer Knapp was great.

Again, if the other hunters would have engaged in conversation this would likely been avoided.

Are we not a tightly group exercising our rights to hunt?  By dividing us by rifle, bow, ml, master hunt, youth etc, is that the course we want to take. 

Just talk....if there is something that does seem right after conversing make the call to law enforcement I am all for it  as I think poaching is a large determent to our big game especially out of season but in season as well.

If the hunting party reads this post me and I will give you my phone number so you can call me to give your side of the story......there are always two sides and I want to learn from your perspective.



Scott

[The100Road]

In his mind you where poaching. (He was wrong) if I thought I witnessed a poaching I don't think I would confront them either. Why risk a hostile situation? Call it in and move on. 

Congrats on the great hunt. 

[csaaphill]

This past week while hunting in Oregon where my nephew had a youth antlerless rifle tag in a archery general season we had a little confrontation or there lack of.

He shot a cow and it dropped in it's tracks!  When he shot there was another party yelling what are you shooting at or hey we are over here something to that from what we remember at that exciting time.  My nephew yelled back YOUTH COW HUNT!!

They were dressing out a elk that they shot prior to us not less than 100 yards away.   I can totally understand there concern.

We dressed the elk out and headed to our truck that was where they were parked but not where we entered the area because this was the shortest/easiest route to take.

This party of three were right behind us as we unloaded our packs.  We were not 30 feet away and tried to make small talk about what we got and what they got.  The female said a couple of words but the other guys got into their truck and we left basically at the same time.

I wanted to have a conversation as I suspected they thought we were POACHING and I wanted to let them know we were totally legal.

Ends up that they called in my plate numbers to OSP and we ended up being confronted by OSP Officer Knapp.  We gave him the details and he was more than cordial even offering a congrats to my nephew and hoping to see us later or even next year.

It would have been nice if the hunters would have engaged in conversation so they could have learned about our LEGAL HUNT SUCCESS rather than having a OSP officer drive 1 hour one way to check on us.

If we were poaching we would be the worst ever at exercising this form of "hunting" as he was in hunter orange and we actually took a animal out a spot that other hunters I presumable be had killed a archery elk kill.

Would it have been great if they would have consulted the regs before calling in to make sure they new what hunts were going on before contacting the law?

A day or two later my nephew still carrying a rifle while wearing hunting orange walking back to the truck with we had a truck stop by and ask him if he had a youth tag and he said yes and that he got a elk.  They encouraged him to keep bear hunting and offered congratulations....nice that hunter were familiar with current hut in this unit.

I am a little sour or a lot sour having the law called on me.  A little conversation would have gone a long ways.

I just want to confirm that this was a legal hunt that was a awesome experience for my nephew and that officer Knapp was great.

Again, if the other hunters would have engaged in conversation this would likely been avoided.

Are we not a tightly group exercising our rights to hunt?  By dividing us by rifle, bow, ml, master hunt, youth etc, is that the course we want to take. 

Just talk....if there is something that does seem right after conversing make the call to law enforcement I am all for it  as I think poaching is a large determent to our big game especially out of season but in season as well.

If the hunting party reads this post me and I will give you my phone number so you can call me to give your side of the story......there are always two sides and I want to learn from your perspective.



Scott

meh people always wanting to throw their weight around and get people into trouble. They think they know it all and can't be bothered. not sure if Oregon gives points for poaching but there you go. Turning  us into cowards and unfriendly lot is what I see it as. yes a little bit of conversation even if he thought you poached would of or could of cleared things up.
Had some guys years ago, give me crap about fishing, something they thought they knew. I had the regs with me and showed them that indeed I was right.
Not one of the snitch and move on crowd, that idea is killing the sport, and turning us against each other. Every man for himself.

[JLS]

Not everyone has good people skills.  Maybe you were better off talking to Trooper Knapp than these folks?

I think it's unrealistic to think that all hunters are aware of every special permit season.  Sure, they could have asked, but refer to above.

Laugh about it and move on.  Congratulations to your nephew, and good on you for taking him out.