MUST READ

[dwholmes]

****UPDATE**** I have talked to the vet that was involved and she works for the NW Indians fisheries ( I won't give her name here) she told me the drug that they used to tranquilize the cow elk is called Thianl and the FDA says DO NOT USE ON FOOD GRADE ANIMALS!! This drug is used out of helicopters because it puts the animal down quickly. They use a different drug when they are on the ground trying to tranquilize the animals and its called BAM and I have been told that drug is out of the animals system in 28 days. The Thianl never leaves the animals system and makes it inedible the rest of its life. I have talked to a couple biologist (one with the Swinomish tribe and one with WDFW) and they both have confirmed what she told me but can not tell me if this drug is used throughout the state on all the elk herds. They tranquilized 25 cow elk in the 418 unit with this drug in March. This is a project that involves 8 tribes and wdfw from what I am being told.


I just had a very disturbing phone call with a cousin of mine. His brother shot a cow elk a couple days ago in the 407 unit and she had a collar on it (no big deal) except there was no ID on the collar and she had a tag in her ear that said do not eat and it had a phone number. They get cell service and call the number and it’s a veterinarian and she works with the tribes and state. She said it was safe to eat and they would be fine. Then calls them back a little bit later  and says no you can’t eat the meat because the tribe (stilliguamish) are using non FDA approved tranquilizers when they collared this elk in March.
 The biologist shows up and tells them they aren’t suppose to shoot collared elk (a lie) and that they collared this elk only a week ago (another lie). He took the elk and dumped it so nobody can eat the meat.
 Why is the stilly tribe tranquilizing and collaring elk in the 407 unit....so they can track them and shoot them easier??
 If Wdfw has a 26 million dollar shortfall why are they wasting money putting a tribal collar on these elk.
 Why are they using a unapproved tranquilizer on these animals if it makes the meat inedible what a damn waste!!

[Lumpy Taters]

My very first call would be to the state to verify the information. 

[Mfowl]

Hmmm...I seem to recall reading several warnings about not shooting collared elk specifically because the tranqs make them inedible for even up to months afterward. These were from WDFW  regarding collaring in the Colockum. Don't know anything about the tribes or the 407. Your cousins brother should call the Vet back and ask what the study is about?

[NOCK NOCK]

Odd for sure.    ……. but isn't your cousins brother, your cousin too?

[Bowhunter3]

Fishy

[Chukarhead]

Welcome to the forum!  It was a grand entrance.

[Stein]

After watching congress today, I would have eaten the meat.

[jackelope]

Odd for sure.    ……. but isn't your cousins brother, your cousin too?

Fishy

[jackelope]

I just saw this posted lots of times on Facebook.

The tribes do lots of management type stuff. I suspect this was an example of that free of any conspiracies.

[ghosthunter]

After watching congress today, I would have eaten the meat.

 

[KFhunter]

It was collared in march?

I woulda ate it.

[dwholmes]

The vet said it was collared on March however the biologist called back and said do not eat it as it was tranquilized last week. Two separate stories on it from the two people who can tell us if it’s fine to eat. The biologist took the elk and dumped it. In the regs it also very clearly states that you are fine to shoot a collared elk. You just need to call and report. All the elk who get tranquilized and tagged are supposed to be done well before hunting season so this issue does not arise. The Stilly tribe is not even located in the area of 407 they are a ways. There was no information on the collar besides it being the Stilly tribes collar.

[Fishmaker57]

A biologist from the Tribe, or from the State? If it was from the state, have him call WDFW and report that the biologist took his elk....I imagine they would issue another tag.

[lastmk8]

I have to agree with Chukarhead , this post is a Grand Entrance to our forum.  That being said, lots of fishy stuff about this situation, and I'm sure I'm not alone it wanting to know the  final outcome. 

As the regs state, shooting a collard elk is ok, so now someone stole your bounty.  Two different stories about when it was collared and darted...??  fishy again.  If everything is legit, I also think the hunter should receive another tag, as our guidelines state just the opposite. 

Not to many things make a person an overnight sensation on this site, unless you are selling fish and making deliveries in the quantities like Skillet, but we would all love to follow this incident until the final chapter.  This is an interesting one, keep us posted please.

Might also consider adding a little more meat to your Subject line, some may just gloss over "Must Read", maybe add darted-collared Elk to it......

Thanks and welcome again.

[KP-Skagit]

And it was a 407 elk... which is equivalent to shooting a Bigfoot/Unicorn hybrid while blindfolded underwater.