Man busted for poaching trophy bull elk in the Blue Mountains

[400out]

Anybody know if this was the Peola bull(s) that got poached last year?
400out?

I'm not sure! I've made some calls  Doesn't sound like it though 

[pianoman9701]

There's no distinction between having an extra trout in your bag and killing a trophy bull, other than having to pay the wildlife assessment fine for the bull. Perhaps there should be varying degrees of poaching and then, we're making the rule books bigger and that makes everyone mad. I'd be all for someone like this losing his license for life. I think the guy with the extra fish should lose it for 2 years. But again, that would take new regulations and people don't like that. It'd be nice if everyone were just ethical hunters/fishermen and we didn't have to address this. In a perfect world,...

[ThePascoKid]

I'm thinking it was Tucannon or Dayton, seeing as how there is only a little tiny sliver of Columbia county in Peola

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

So am I reading this wrong? Did him and his wife get drawn for a bull tag and he shot them both? Or did they have spike only tags and whack 2 big bulls? 

[ThePascoKid]

I think she had a bull tag and he shot hers and an extra

[pianoman9701]

The way I read it is he and she both had a tag, and he shot both animals. Tough getting caught breaking the law, I guess.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

If that's the case this is not poaching it's called group hunting, still illegal but not poaching. Tags were issued and tags were filled no extra bulls were taken than the state had planned on.  Unless his wife was back at home and not even hunting, then it's not poaching.  Thanks wdfw for making us think your actually doing something, try catching a real criminal.
If i was hunting with my wife and we had bull tags, she better not miss or I'm pulling the trigger!

[dreamingbig]

elkinrutdrivemenuts-

Sir, I respectfully disagree.  It is poaching.  Poaching is the unlawful shooting of game when you don't have the right to.  As you stated, it is illegal to shoot an animal for another person and it isn't the first time he has done it (reference the article and shooting a deer for her in 2009).  Think about how your draw odds are being affected by him applying for her and shooting game for her.  It isn't right and it isn't lawful.  Two years penalty isn't enough in my opinion.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Read what I wrote, if she is not even hunting and is sitting at home, that's poaching. If they had been applying for years, she can't hit the broad side of a barn or wounds one  and he drops it for her, that isn't poaching. It sounds like he was doing the first, which is not cool. Yea it affects our drawings. They are not clear however as to what the situation. The need some more detail. 

[h20hunter]

I will second the opinion that it is poaching by legal definition. It may be unlawfull but not poaching in your opinion but opinions don't count when there is a legal definition.

[SnakeEyes]

If you cannot hit the broadside of a barn and take an animal ethically you should not be hunting wether it is your wife or best friend. This is clearly poaching. Party hunting is not legal.

[ThePascoKid]

The way I read it in the Tri-city Herald was that he shot 2 bulls with 1 tag and it was his wifes tag.

[pianoman9701]

Well, that would clear up the poaching question. It's too bad this guy'll be able to hunt in two years.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

Ok it was an example guys, everyone misses or wounds their game at times, a little help is warranted to prevent wounded game
From getting away.  However it appears the guy was hunting with 2 tags and his wife wasn't around, that is poaching not group hunting.  Group hunting is totally different. If two guys are shooting at 1 bull, they both have tags, and they both hit it, is that illegal? Do you really draw stick when a animal jumps up to see who should donthe shooting. Who cares if you got meat in the fridge. That is an example of group hunting, helping others in the taking if game, not taking game for them when they are not even hunting!

[bigtex]

I will second the opinion that it is poaching by legal definition. It may be unlawfull but not poaching in your opinion but opinions don't count when there is a legal definition.

There is no legal definition (at least in WA) of poaching.