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Letting them go!
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Topic: Letting them go! (Read 6177 times)
HntnFsh
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Old Salt
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Location: Toledo
Letting them go!
«
on:
November 06, 2016, 05:44:36 AM »
Had to make a tough call last night. After getting completely soaked in the torrential downpours yesterday We were driving out just before dark. When I looked in a family friends field and saw about a dozen elk. 1 fantastic dark horned 6x6 with beautiful polished tips. We've always had permission to hunt his property in the past. But didn't think we really had a reason to pursue it this year because its more of a deer area than elk. Only seen elk there a couple times in a lot of years!
What a mistake.
As we're trying to find his phone # the bull is standing broadside at 100 yards presenting a perfect shot. I was so tempted to pull the trigger. Never struggled so hard with the dilemma. I was 100% certain that he would say shoot it. Couldn't get an answer on the phone. Had probably a 3-5 minute window of opportunity. The ultimate decision was to let it walk. We didn't have specific permission. Even though it has always been given in the past. And was pretty much a standing "ok".
Long,long night last night picturing that bull in my head!
Hoping for another opportunity today!
Adrenaline has been pretty high.
Here we go!
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jennabug
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Longhunter
Join Date: Sep 2016
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Location: TriCities
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #1 on:
November 06, 2016, 06:25:16 AM »
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JLS
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Location: In my last tracks.....
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #2 on:
November 06, 2016, 06:27:22 AM »
Good for you, you made absolutely the right decision!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Matthew 7:13-14
Killercolin
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Tracker
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #3 on:
November 06, 2016, 06:27:48 AM »
Quote from: HntnFsh on November 06, 2016, 05:44:36 AM
We've always had permission to hunt his property in the past.
Key word here is "past". Things change with people every year. Without getting permission this year, I think you made the right choice. Better to be safe than sorry. So go ahead and let us know the exact location so we can see if you would have made a good shot.
Good luck with the rest of your season.
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buckcanyonlodge
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Sourdough
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 2348
Location: Gifford, Lake Roosevelt, Wa.
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #4 on:
November 06, 2016, 06:46:10 AM »
The number 1 complaint of land owners..Just because they give you permission once usually does not mean forever. Also the number 2 complaint from landowners is when the party they give permission to brings extra "guests". You did the right thing.
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Thanks for all for your past support...We officially pulled the plug and have retired from the Biz. Still dabble a little in real estate.
Call Westergard Real Estate for your REAL ESTATE needs in the Tri-County area. Hunting/Recreational or retirement properties. Tri County Area 509-722-3949
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Frontiersman
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #5 on:
November 06, 2016, 11:36:06 AM »
In the long run a good character is FAR more important than an elk. Good for you!
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Stumps
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Pilgrim
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 23
Location: Eatonville
Groups: NRA
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #6 on:
November 06, 2016, 07:59:17 PM »
Saw bulls Saturday and Sunday across the fence from where I was hunting. Got to play by the rules though.
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HntnFsh
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Old Salt
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Location: Toledo
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #7 on:
November 07, 2016, 05:36:29 AM »
Got a call from the landowner last night. Thought we had just left him the message. First 2 words out of his mouth were "Shoot it". Exactly what we thought he would say. But we were a day late and a dollar short.
We know we made the right decision. We take a lot of pride in being ethical hunters. And like my sister said. We don't want our name being thrown around like some of the others in the area!
Hearts still fluttering as I'm constantly picturing that awesome bull with its nice dark rack and polished ivory tips standing broadside waiting for my bullet to hit him right behind the front shoulder!
Thats a memory I can live with!
I think
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boneaddict
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Legend
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #8 on:
November 07, 2016, 05:42:30 AM »
You did right! And that's more impressive these days than a 6x6. And you said we. That means someone else saw you do right.
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PlateauNDN
Y.A.R. Medicine Man
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R.I.P. Colockumelk 20130423. Semper Fi!
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #9 on:
November 07, 2016, 07:32:45 AM »
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Rainier10
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #10 on:
November 07, 2016, 08:05:36 AM »
Wow, way to do the right thing. Good on you, I hope you see him again and get a shot, that will really make for a great story.
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Pain is temporary, achieving the goal is worth it.
I didn't say it would be easy, I said it would be worth it.
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The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HuntWa or the site owner.
jmscon
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Sourdough
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #11 on:
November 07, 2016, 08:08:06 AM »
You did the right thing! And who knows, might be a 7x next year!
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My interpretation of the rules are open to interpretation.
Once I thought I was wrong but I was mistaken.
The Gobble-stopper
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Longhunter
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Location: Lewis county
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #12 on:
November 07, 2016, 08:29:08 AM »
I was so tempted to pull the trigger. [/quote]
So to save you the anguish. You would have missed anyway... Remember to always squeeze the trigger!
But seriously you did the ethical thing. Good job!!!!
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cavemann
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Sourdough
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Location: Washington
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #13 on:
November 07, 2016, 08:32:48 AM »
I have karma prediction... You'll be rewarded with a shot on him this week or an even bigger bull..
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Old Man Yager
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Sourdough
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Location: Puyallup, WA. USA
Groups: NRA, PRHAA
Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #14 on:
November 07, 2016, 02:26:12 PM »
Yup, Karma goes both ways, hope you get another chance at that bull.
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My Dad always said, " Get a bigger hammer "
theleo
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Sourdough
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #15 on:
November 07, 2016, 03:25:59 PM »
You made the rite call, it's better the bull walked than running the risk of burning a bridge with a friend and access to ground to hunt. When I was a kid and found myself in such situations my dad would have me empty my rifle and shoot it with an empty chamber (dry fire). "Click, you're dead" has been said to a lot of animals over the years.
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King Krok
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Re: Letting them go!
«
Reply #16 on:
November 08, 2016, 05:40:07 PM »
Wow, it's nice to actually hear of someone else that's an ethical hunter. Ran into several that were NOT, this last weekend on the east side. Guys breaking locks off of gates and walking through clearcuts that I was visibly watching and driving their vehicles through our camp behind locked gates. So it's very refreshing that there are still some ethical hunters out there. Thank you. I'm sure it was a HARD fought decision, but you did the right thing totally, and not that what anyone else may think. Right, wrong or indifferent. Just my 2 cents.
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