Any advice? Hunting where 2 gmus meet

[dylan34_36]

I have found some elk in an any elk unit but it is very close to another one that is not any elk. Less than a few football fields close. If a legal elk in the one unit I potentially shoot were to either require a follow up shot or expire in the other unit where it is not legal, how would I proceed? 

[ghosthunter]

If you shoot one in the elk area and it crosses into no elk area.

First mark where you were and elk was. Mark any blood trail.

Then get on the phone to a game agent and let him know what happen. He will advise you on what you could do.

I had this happen to me and it worked out just fine.

Even if you can’t reach one a call to 911 indicates you were trying to do the right thing.

Everyone packs a phone now days. You think you are alone but there is always someone who will make the call on you. Proceed with caution.

[dylan34_36]

If you shoot one in the elk area and it crosses into no elk area.

First mark where you were and elk was. Mark any blood trail.

Then get on the phone to a game agent and let him know what happen. He will advise you on what you could do.

I had this happen to me and it worked out just fine.

Even if you can’t reach one a call to 911 indicates you were trying to do the right thing.

Everyone packs a phone now days. You think you are alone but there is always someone who will make the call on you. Proceed with caution.

I appreciate it. Ill figure out a way to get in contact with an agent out there.

[jrebel]

Assuming both units / areas you are talking about are public access (legally)....I would mark the blood trail and go retrieve my elk.  If the elk was on private or otherwise on land that was not public access....I would attempt making calls to gain access, then I would go retrieve my elk.  If I was remotely worried about it, I would not hunt that close to the boundary / border. 

[dylan34_36]

Assuming both units / areas you are talking about are public access (legally)....I would mark the blood trail and go retrieve my elk.  If the elk was on private or otherwise on land that was not public access....I would attempt making calls to gain access, then I would go retrieve my elk.  If I was remotely worried about it, I would not hunt that close to the boundary / border.

Yeah they are both legal public land and both open for elk just the one is any elk. Im not super worried about it just was wondering about the steps to take.

[CP]

I have found some elk in an any elk unit but it is very close to another one that is not any elk. Less than a few football fields close. If a legal elk in the one unit I potentially shoot were to either require a follow up shot or expire in the other unit where it is not legal, how would I proceed?

Proceed carefully.  Try to avoid the situation that you describe but if it happens as I see it you have 2 choices.

1.  Do what you need to do and leave quickly.
2.  Call WDFW and explain the situation before you do any follow-up actions. 

[buglebuster]

If everything is 100% legal and all public land, I wouldn't do anything different than normal. I'd find the elk, take my pics, process, and pack out. Nothing to worry about.

[Mtnwalker]

  hunt it. Open is open, maybe run your gps tracker for proof if you're concerned but I'd worry about the hypotheticals when/if they happen. Shoot bull in open unit, good to go.

[jamesfromseattle]

I had this happen in a different state. Bad shot led to tracking a deer across a road (also the boundary) and a game warden coincidentally drove by while I was following the trail on the wrong side of the road (open to public), thinking I was hunting where I shouldn't be.

I had already put my rifle back in the car and I was marking blood on my GPS. I showed him the GPS track, and he seemed to decide my story was credible and didn't have any problem with me. If didn't have a GPS track and I hadn't put the gun away, I'm not sure he would have believed me.

This anecdote is only worth what you're paying me for it. If you're concerned about a certain scenario, it might be worth a call to a game warden beforehand to make sure it's all good. There's quite a bit of grey area and discretion involved in these enforcement scenarios, but if you're relying on info the game warden gave you beforehand, my guess is that you'll be pretty safe.

[buglebuster]

I had this happen in a different state. Bad shot led to tracking a deer across a road (also the boundary) and a game warden coincidentally drove by while I was following the trail on the wrong side of the road (open to public), thinking I was hunting where I shouldn't be.

I had already put my rifle back in the car and I was marking blood on my GPS. I showed him the GPS track, and he seemed to decide my story was credible and didn't have any problem with me. If didn't have a GPS track and I hadn't put the gun away, I'm not sure he would have believed me.

This anecdote is only worth what you're paying me for it. If you're concerned about a certain scenario, it might be worth a call to a game warden beforehand to make sure it's all good. There's quite a bit of grey area and discretion involved in these enforcement scenarios, but if you're relying on info the game warden gave you beforehand, my guess is that you'll be pretty safe.

While I understand what you're saying I tend to follow the rule, the less they know the better(even when 100% legal) if you call and ask these questions they have record of you doing so, they may tend to believe you're planning on doing something wrong and getting all the info you need to get away with it. Then if it happens, and you call them it's pretty coincidental IMO. This could be completely out of line but I'd rather just hunt and go about my business legally and deal with anything that may arise when it happens.

[coachcw]

Retrieval is different than a follow up shot , if you shoot a bull in any elk unit and it runs into a spike unit id not take a follow up shot . let nature run its course . you said a couple football fields so just make a good shot .

[lewy]

I had this happen in a different state. Bad shot led to tracking a deer across a road (also the boundary) and a game warden coincidentally drove by while I was following the trail on the wrong side of the road (open to public), thinking I was hunting where I shouldn't be.

I had already put my rifle back in the car and I was marking blood on my GPS. I showed him the GPS track, and he seemed to decide my story was credible and didn't have any problem with me. If didn't have a GPS track and I hadn't put the gun away, I'm not sure he would have believed me.

This anecdote is only worth what you're paying me for it. If you're concerned about a certain scenario, it might be worth a call to a game warden beforehand to make sure it's all good. There's quite a bit of grey area and discretion involved in these enforcement scenarios, but if you're relying on info the game warden gave you beforehand, my guess is that you'll be pretty safe.

While I understand what you're saying I tend to follow the rule, the less they know the better(even when 100% legal) if you call and ask these questions they have record of you doing so, they may tend to believe you're planning on doing something wrong and getting all the info you need to get away with it. Then if it happens, and you call them it's pretty coincidental IMO. This could be completely out of line but I'd rather just hunt and go about my business legally and deal with anything that may arise when it happens.

I agree. I would probably do a quick phone pic/video doc just in case but other than that wouldnt worry about it