More trouble for the AHE program

[Backstraps]

Rough time for hunter program
By SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

If all it really took was a couple of rotten apples to spoil a barrel, a recent rash of incidents in Central Washington would make the state's Advanced Hunter Education (AHE) program smell pretty rancid.

It does not.

The program has always been about creating a corps of elite hunters whose ethical standards and technical proficiency were above reproach, and the vast majority live up to that.

But not all do.

A few hunters have clearly aspired to the AHE certification — and the Master Hunter card that came with it — not for the responsibility of living up to its standards, but to abuse its privileges. And without having to face a particularly difficult qualification process and a serious background check, those few have slipped in — as the last couple of weeks have made painfully evident.

So the AHE process is being refined and, ultimately, replaced by the state's more-stringent, harder-to-get-into Master Hunter program.

"This thing," says one of the men overseeing the transformation, "needs a tune-up."

* * * *

Master Hunters under either the old and new standards have the opportunity to take a second, non-trophy (antlerless or spike) elk; non-advanced hunters may harvest only one in any given year.

But the idea is for them to use that opportunity to take elk that are getting into agricultural areas or other locations where they might do damage. The hunters themselves become a management tool, "to keep the bad elk out of good places," says state Fish and Wildlife Department enforcement Capt. Rich Mann.

Master Hunters have a longer season in which to harvest that second elk, lasting from August through the end of January.

But as that period is coming to an end, Mann says, "We've got some people who are getting kind of greedy."

Over just five days last week, Yakima-based wildlife enforcement officers dealt with four questionable incidents involving seven AHE-qualified hunters. The possible infractions, some of which will bring charges included:

1) Hunting in a state park (Ginkgo Petrified Forest, near Vantage in Kittitas County), which is illegal.

2) Firing a gun from, along or across a public roadway — in this case, shooting across two lanes of Old Vantage Highway to take an elk, possibly before the legal shooting hour, and then failing to tag it possibly as long as a half-hour after the animal was killed.

3) Harassing or herding elk across a state park (also Ginkgo, though this was a separate incident) to an armed hunting partner waiting just outside the park boundary.

4) Shooting a second elk when you've got a permit for just one.

State wildlife enforcement officer Steve Rogers is a Master Hunter and it's a status that, he says, "I take very seriously." So he was extremely disappointed to find two of his peers going after elk nine days ago within Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park.

The two men, from Gig Harbor and Port Townsend, told Rogers they didn't know they were on a state park and asked if he could show them on a map where they were. His response: If you're a Master Hunter, you should be able to show me on a map where you are.

"I believe mistakes happen," Rogers says. "People can get confused. Maybe they read a map wrong. But I expect (experienced hunters) to be able to sort it out or find somebody who can help them out beforehand. They should have known better."

The final damning evidence? The hunters' truck was parked between two state park signs.

Last Saturday, enforcement Sgt. Mike Sprecher and a co-worker responded to both the failure-to-tag incident, which involved 40- and 57-year-old hunters from Selah, and the Ginkgo herding incident involving two 50-something hunters from the greater Seattle area.

The two Selah hunters, Sprecher says, would likely be charged only for failure to tag the two elk they killed, because the officers couldn't prove what they believed — that at least one hunter had shot from the road, possibly before the time at which they could legally begin shooting.

"From where they said they shot from," Sprecher says, "it just wasn't possible." And a pair of casings from a .270 hunting rifle — the caliber of gun one of the hunters was using — were found on the far side of Vantage Highway.

The fact that there were so questionable issues around an incident involving two Master Hunters was disappointing to Sprecher.

"We're wanting to use the best quality hunters we can get (in the AHE program)," he says. "If this is the best we can get, we're in trouble."

* * * *

But enforcement officials have mixed emotions when it comes to the last incident, the 39-year-old Yakima man who took two elk on the same day.

He was hunting northwest of Tieton, when he shot at a cow elk up French Canyon. The group bolted, and the hunter thought he had missed, then fired again.

That quick second, as it turned out, was his only mistake — and it turned out to be an honest one. His first shot had connected, and so had his second. And as soon as he realized he had killed a second elk, even before field-dressing the first he called wildlife enforcement officials to report his gaffe. And then waited the 90 minutes until Mann arrived to take his statement.

Charges may yet be filed in this case pending a review of the case, but Mann says the "mitigating circumstances" might — and should — have a bearing on how things turn out.

"That's a situation he could have walked away from, and probably no one would have been the wiser," Mann says. "Those are the ones that make it hard on our end: It appears the guy's doing everything he should do, he has no real reason to turn himself in except for his own integrity.

"It's tough on us as officers. You can't just let the guy walk away scot-free, but here's a guy with some honesty and integrity, and the circumstances were just bad to begin with. There's an ethic to saying, 'I messed up.'"

Where the hunter messed up was in his haste to take a second shot when he not yet ascertained whether the first shot hit his intended target. And if he is ultimately cited, Mann says, the hunter — ethical standards and all — will lose his Master Hunter privileges.

"Regardless," Mann says, "you're still responsible for your shot."

[WDFW-SUX]

"If this is the best we can get, we're in trouble."

Sounds like a motto for the WDFW

[dbllunger]

Program is good, but no way possible to screen ethical behavior unless the person has a prior offense.

[mkcj]

They should lose there AHE cert. for life!

[SuperDave]

I agree, pull there certifications and surrender all points!

[chukarchaser]

You got to give the guy who turned himself in credit.  He made a mistake but he put up when most would shut up.  To my way of thinking he deserves credit for that.  Hard way to learn a lesson, but most are.

[Crunchy]

THe guy that shot two elk needs his head checked.  I think that if you put the cross hairs on an elk and squeeze the trigger you know you will have connected.  How could you not, and then to shoot again?

[boneaddict]

He made a mistake, but was willing to face the consequences.  That was impressive in this day and age.  I' proud of him.  As for the other jack asses, I wish they would pull the AHE gig.  I have an aquantance that has it ans is one of the worst hunters I know of.  I have mentioned before of him.  He has more game violations than anyone I know yet he is a MASTER hunter.  If you want to call that elite. BULL$HIT.  Then he is hunting and shoots a cow elk in the jaw this week.  Headshot, off the hood of your truck, its legal for him as he has a disabled permit because he is so fat he can't walk.  MORE BULL$hit.  Then he shoots again as the elk is flopping around, misses and takes a third headshot to finally kill it.  This same guy shot the nose off of a deer last year.  JACKA$$.  and there isn't a damn thing we can do about it.  This hunting until the end of January is also bull$hit.  Why would elk be a problem in and around the Ginko.  Thats their wintering ground.  More Bull$hit.  Again, not a damn thing we can do about it.  A friend asked me the other day if I was going to sign up to be a master hunter.  I just laughed in disgust.  I guess I know two people that are master hunters.  One utilizes it and feeds his family, the other is nothing but a glorified poacher.  They should have damage control hunts, sign up on a list to get called or something if there are trouble elk.  This open season crap until february is Bull$hit.  Do you want to know how I reallyfeel.  If you get caught poaching and you are an AHE grad, the fines should be X10.  Jailx10, consequences x10.  I agree with the whole map thing.  You an't pull that *censored* and be considered the elite of the elite.  Its a *censored*ING joke, and considering how often I use that word, you all should get the point.

[boneaddict]

PS   WE, very much me, absolutely HATE the indian crap that occurs in this state, especially the Clockum, then we allow this CRAP to occur.  We should be able to police our own.  Hang them son of a bitches from the highest tree.  If you can't find one in the Klickitat, I'll hunt one down for you.   Its ok because its only a cow and not a big bull.  That frickin herd is in trouble and we have Jacka$$es hunting it in January.  Seems like a frickin double standard if you ask me.  We sit on here and bash the indians for hunting during off season times then this *censored* happens. What really pisses me of is this is the ammunition the Disney crowd needs to put another nail in the coffin.  They better lose all hunting rights, their guns, their truck, have their name on the front page of every paper.  They should have NO rights.  Just ask me how I feel about pedophiles if you think I am being too harsh.  they should have to donate 2 years of their life picking up trash along the freeway by vantage. 

[WDFW-SUX]

 

I know a "MASTER HUNTER" that ran out of bullets (2 Boxes) on a damage field hunt..............he came home empty handed.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I agree with your statements about season length.  It's not serving the purpose of DAMAGE CONTROL.  The resident elk should be targeted early in the season (Aug-Sept) and then be hunted in an "as needed" program.  They've also redrawn the maps to accomodate those that prefer to use common sense when managing wildlife.

Bone- the new certification will remove those that have had a fish/game violoation in the last ten years.  When the worthless AHE you mentioned goes to recert he'll get the boot.

[Skyvalhunter]

Bone how do you feel about Pedophiles?

[boneaddict]

Hoist them up into a tree by their balls until they fall off.  Maybe that would work with these guys.

[Slider]

I have heard RUMORS of Master Hunters shooting from the road? This past couple weeks around Dryden!!! And the cops blocking the road so they could get them up to the Old Hiway!!! But again Rumors

[Backstraps]

I agree with your statements about season length.  It's not serving the purpose of DAMAGE CONTROL.  The resident elk should be targeted early in the season (Aug-Sept) and then be hunted in an "as needed" program.  They've also redrawn the maps to accomodate those that prefer to use common sense when managing wildlife.WELL SAID WAcoyotehunter!
I AGREE! DAMAGE CONTROL HUNTS ONLY!LEAVE THE ELK ALONE THIS TIME OF YEAR! THEY'RE STRESSED OUT ENOUGH AND WILL BE CALVING SOON!