Stolen Kill

[andrew_in_idaho]

The person or people who took your elk are just flat out poor examples human beings.  They are wrong, not you. 
Keep working hard and you will have plenty of freezers full of game in the future!

You know the worst part about this. The scumbag that took this elk only did it so he could appear successful to the people in his life. The truth is he's not only an unsuccessful hunter he is also unsuccessful at life. I hope Every bite of that elk taste like guilt. I don't care how long you were away from that elk or weather or not it was tagged or out in the open or whatever. If I and most every other guy on this forum came upon a dead elk. We would look for the successful hunter and pitch in and help. Next time will be better. Good luck deer hunting Aston.

Yes! I hate hearing/reading about theft of animals. I've read quite a few stories on here where kills were taken at gunpoint, I know in my family there was a couple that had their animal stolen. Why is that a thought in someone's mind?! It's so disgusting, I'm pretty sure they're not starving homeless migrants who need the meat to survive, they're doing it for the trophy/bragging rights/story! What is wrong with those individuals. You should be hunting for personal accomplishments and providing for yourself or your family. You want to steal something go stuff your pants with ham at a supermarket. It's such a disheartening theft to steal someone's kill when they worked so hard at getting mentally (mostly) and physically prepared to take a life and these parasites just show up and treat it like it's theirs for the taking.  </rant>

The thing I've never understood about stealing someone else's animal is the why of it. Nowadays I almost seem to try and avoid tagging out early just to avoid the end of the season, granted I am in Idaho and I can deer hunt for 4 months if I wanted to chase seasons from unit to unit, but I just can't fathom how anybody could get any satisfaction from stealing another's kill. I love game meat and always try to make sure my freezer is fully stocked at seasons end but I could never bring myself to the level of needing to steal someone else's hard earned kill.


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[DOUBLELUNG]

You didn't do anything stupid.  A criminal committed a crime, and your property was stolen.

[splitshot]

   also take some pics  of him and u with the elk.  mike w

[Grit dog]

   also take some pics  of him and u with the elk.  mike w

Good idear there! 
If he didn't want his pic taken there's your sign!
I didn't know hunting had to be like friggen CSI! 
Carry a small broken trail cam to hang out of the way when you go back for help? With a note saying " look for the other cameras too"?
Leave a gamies business card taped to the elk when you leave?
Hiding something or marking the elk is great, if you find the perp or animal, but stolen is stolen. How do you check quarters or game bags hanging in every camp?
Fake rattlesnake coiled up next to it?
Trip wire or 2 to make me wonder what else you booby trapped?

I'd think most game theives or theives in general you're not going to get the first timer, so creative ways to make them leave your stuff alone are more appropriate.

[The Gobble-stopper]

Something doesn't sound right with this story.

I was thinking the same thing.  No ordinary man could have retrieved an elk by himself in that short amount of time.  Generally it take a while to gut it, he would have to split it into a few pieces to load it in his truck, and he had to decide right after the shot to do it, in order to get it out in time.

You may not have noticed OP, but Chuck Norris had actually been in a stare down with that cow, when you came along and shot it, you ruined his hunt.  However, he can move much faster through the brush than you and a quick snap of the elk finished it.  He then felt nature calling and after returning from his bathroom break he saw you had tagged his prize, he threw the tag on the ground in disgust and carried the elk out under his arm leaving the entrails for the scavenger that you are.  You are fortunate that you didn't catch him, I hear he likes elk meat and doesn't like being called a thief.

Who say's the thief hauled it to their truck?  They probably stashed it a ways away in the brush then sat and waited for the OP to return, find the thief, giggled at his temper tantrum and cursing, then packed it out hours later.  They probably stashed their truck or atv as well if they've been doing this for awhile.

I found the elk! Check out the first pic/ first post on this subject. The elk appears to be laying down right in the middle of the pic.. Another quality piece of detective work on my part. Problem solved! 

[The Gobble-stopper]

I will never gut another elk in less its laying in a road which also will probably never happen where I hunt . Sucks that we have to worry about such dushe bags  .Move on and learn a lessen , maybe cut off the head or a ear and take it with you next time or change areas .

I never leave the head with the animal. Makes it harder for a thief to prove he shot the animal. And I never gut the animal if I have to leave it. Takes longer for a thief to get it out of the woods before I come back loaded down with fire power ready to have a nice talk. Of course unless its hot weather. But then again I will not hunt on a hot day.

[cavemann]

Hey Aston, you can hunt with me anytime..  There is no reason we shouldn't be able to leave a dispatched animal in the field to come back and get it..  There are plenty of hunters on here that have killed animals and needed more than one trip to pack it out..  Gutted, quartered, tagged, not gutted and tagged, skinned, not skinned...  A thief is a thief and can still take a gutted animal plugged with cards, shells, pennies and other methods..  If stolen, it's stolen and it still makes the thief a thief..  Good luck to you in your future hunts and adventures and don't let this discourage you.

As for everyone giving the guy a hard time as Monday morning quarterbacks, this is why people don't share stories..  Good on Aston for sharing an experience we can learn from.  Welcome to the site Aston, not everyone on here is a jack wagon.  Thanks for sharing and good luck man.

[Astonb86]

Hey Aston, you can hunt with me anytime..  There is no reason we shouldn't be able to leave a dispatched animal in the field to come back and get it..  There are plenty of hunters on here that have killed animals and needed more than one trip to pack it out..  Gutted, quartered, tagged, not gutted and tagged, skinned, not skinned...  A thief is a thief and can still take a gutted animal plugged with cards, shells, pennies and other methods..  If stolen, it's stolen and it still makes the thief a thief..  Good luck to you in your future hunts and adventures and don't let this discourage you.

As for everyone giving the guy a hard time as Monday morning quarterbacks, this is why people don't share stories..  Good on Aston for sharing an experience we can learn from.  Welcome to the site Aston, not everyone on here is a jack wagon.  Thanks for sharing and good luck man.

Hey thanks man. And yeah it makes sense, I think a lot for things need to be factored but at the end I can only learn from my mistakes. Next year will be different and I have already begun training again, not that I ever stop.
Careful I may take you up on that offer. Im looking for a good hunting partner, someone that will go the distance. Always looking for good people.

[Astonb86]

Update to all.
Spoke with WFWD and let them know what happened, continued to hunt these last couple days. Yesterday was my last, cant afford to come out again. Better luck next time, thanks all for the words of wisdom and or support. Good learning experience, I will get better having experienced this. Good luck to you all hope you season turned out well. 

[rosscrazyelk]

I had a animal stolen from me when I was a kid.  Strong armed more like it.
Sorry to hear

[WSU]

I had a animal stolen from me when I was a kid.  Strong armed more like it.
Sorry to hear

Same with me, although I was 15 or 16.  In my case, I tracked the elk from where I shot it and there were two guys standing over it that made it clear it was theirs.

[csaaphill]

Update to all.
Spoke with WFWD and let them know what happened, continued to hunt these last couple days. Yesterday was my last, cant afford to come out again. Better luck next time, thanks all for the words of wisdom and or support. Good learning experience, I will get better having experienced this. Good luck to you all hope you season turned out well. 

good for you keep at it next time it's yours, not some thief's.

[carpsniperg2]

Oh man whats up austin! Mark was just telling me this story and i put it together. Its matt w.

Bum deal there is lots of scum out there.

[Astonb86]

Oh man whats up austin! Mark was just telling me this story and i put it together. Its matt w.

Bum deal there is lots of scum out there.

Small world, yeah super crappy but what are you going to do. I have considered coming up that way a time or two but I dont know. Didnt have great luck during rifle season in high school. You guys do have some good spots for birds though maybe Ill come for that.

[tgomez]

That sucks!!!! I know the feeling. I shot a 5x4 whitetail above 150" 8 years ago and had someone steal my deer heading back to my vehicle to get my pack frame. When I returned my buck was gone, only a gut pile remained. It was my biggest whitetail I have ever harvested and was also my longest kill shot at 387 yards. I don't know how people can even do it. You got that elk, so hold your head high. Sorry about your luck. As for the POS who stole it, as the say Karma is a .....!