Branch Antlered Bull Shot Accidentally off of 1401 Rd

[Michelle_Nelson]

I too respect the hunter for "Doing the Right Thing"  He had a choice of action, and maned up. Many would have walked with a "Who cares" attitude. He made a choice of ethical conduct. He needs to be held accountable, but this man is a sportsman not a poacher!

  I don't think he's a poacher but there is nothing ethical about not knowing what you're shooting at.  I don't beloved that you deserve kudos for owning up to your mistakes.  That's just being a man. If you can't see if its legal then how do you know if there is another person directly behind it watching it just like you are.  How do you know it isn't a person bent over like that kid in darrington who shot the hiker.  Come on guts you know I have a valid point.  This

No one on here denied "that shooting before you know what your shooting at" wasn't a valid point. 
 
We were discussing the fact that the guy turned himself in and accepted the consequences.  When he could have very easily walked away and left the elk there to rot.  Resulting in him more than likely getting away with it.

[runamuk]

I also am not getting the party hunting reference

party hunting is what lots of people do who buy their wives tags then fill them for them or neighbors tags etc....happens all the time....kinda a dumb law...

and it is possible the tag holder was running out of time and hadnt filled it...I'd think better to fill a tag than not 

This state depends heavily on honesty.  That's the only way you can have over the counter tags for everyone that wants one.  Tag success is an important statistic as well.  If everybody tagged out, we wouldn't have any animals left.  A good season in WA is when tag sales are up and hunter success is low.  I would think hunters would frown upon husbands filling their wives (and kids) tags.

interesting since this is essentially what you are allowed to do for your family and elders 

I am new to hunting only been at it 3 years...I can say most my experiences prior were more about people filling freezers with meat and very little to do with size of racks etc....so yes I saw a lot of that and had no idea it was frowned upon let alone illegal....the tribes are not the only people who still hunt for subsistence rather than for trophy or "hunting" experience.

[Coastal_native]

I also am not getting the party hunting reference

party hunting is what lots of people do who buy their wives tags then fill them for them or neighbors tags etc....happens all the time....kinda a dumb law...

and it is possible the tag holder was running out of time and hadnt filled it...I'd think better to fill a tag than not 

This state depends heavily on honesty.  That's the only way you can have over the counter tags for everyone that wants one.  Tag success is an important statistic as well.  If everybody tagged out, we wouldn't have any animals left.  A good season in WA is when tag sales are up and hunter success is low.  I would think hunters would frown upon husbands filling their wives (and kids) tags.

interesting since this is essentially what you are allowed to do for your family and elders 

I am new to hunting only been at it 3 years...I can say most my experiences prior were more about people filling freezers with meat and very little to do with size of racks etc....so yes I saw a lot of that and had no idea it was frowned upon let alone illegal....the tribes are not the only people who still hunt for subsistence rather than for trophy or "hunting" experience.

I wasn't trying to flame you.  I was trying to point out that, although it seems like a dumb law, it is crutial to the way WDFW sets regulations, IMO.

Obviously you took more offense to "who said it" then "what was said".  I'll mind my own business.

[runamuk]

I also am not getting the party hunting reference

party hunting is what lots of people do who buy their wives tags then fill them for them or neighbors tags etc....happens all the time....kinda a dumb law...

and it is possible the tag holder was running out of time and hadnt filled it...I'd think better to fill a tag than not 

This state depends heavily on honesty.  That's the only way you can have over the counter tags for everyone that wants one.  Tag success is an important statistic as well.  If everybody tagged out, we wouldn't have any animals left.  A good season in WA is when tag sales are up and hunter success is low.  I would think hunters would frown upon husbands filling their wives (and kids) tags.

interesting since this is essentially what you are allowed to do for your family and elders 

I am new to hunting only been at it 3 years...I can say most my experiences prior were more about people filling freezers with meat and very little to do with size of racks etc....so yes I saw a lot of that and had no idea it was frowned upon let alone illegal....the tribes are not the only people who still hunt for subsistence rather than for trophy or "hunting" experience.

I wasn't trying to flame you.  I was trying to point out that, although it seems like a dumb law, it is crutial to the way WDFW sets regulations, IMO.

Obviously you took more offense to "who said it" then "what was said".  I'll mind my own business.

No I found it interesting that you of all people would find fault with the idea of filling someones freezer in the name of an agency who sets rules for me but not you?  Seriously Coastal I am sort of surprised you find their or my law so crucial when you are not affected by it ....this is sort of like when we get told what you do doesnt have an effect....

It is a dumb law in my opinion...I have an empty freezer and a tag I couldnt fill in the time I had....I do not have an extended season I have one brief shot competing with hundreds of other people in a giant mess this state tries to pass off as hunting opportunity....

other states do not find party hunting at all distasteful  to me it is another somewhat dumb law that is almost never enforced unless its accidentally stumbled upon while happening....

[shooter581]

Whatever happened to "be sure of your target before pulling the trigger!"?  I am astounded to repeatedly read and hear about hunters shooting at a pile of brush or accidently killing the wrong animal (or human).  These types would not be welcome in my camp. 

[elkfins]

Before I would pass judgement on the hunter being sure of what he was shooting at I would need to see the animal.  At a distance, a lot of 2x2's look like 1x2's.

Several years ago, a friend and myself watched a 2x2 for about 5 minutes at about 200 yards.  We could tell that the left side was clearly a 2pt. After watching the elk for at least 5 minutes with binoculars and rifle scopes, we both decided that it was in fact a legal elk and were just about to shoot.  About that time, another hunter crossed over a ridge from another direction and shot it.  As we approached him, we could see him trying to break the antler with a rock.  Once we got there, the guy was panicked and trying to hide the rock he was using to break the small antler point. The second point on the right side was about 1 1/4" long and pointed straight out to the side of the antler.  Gamies were called and showed up on the scene. I'm not sure of the outcome other than the elk was loaded up into the gamies truck... He likely got a ticket and maybe more troubles as I'm sure they would have been more lenient with the guy had he not tried to bust the antler point off.

My point is, until we were there, we could not see the second point on the right side and were confident it was a 1x2.  Fortunately for us, the other guy shot it before we did.  So, I can see how someone can accidentally shoot a branched bull... depending on the particular bull in question.

[Rooster1981]

Accidents happen alot in spike only areas and the game wardens Can be really cool about it as long as you tell the truth and be totally honest about the situation, I shot a 1x2 in a true spike area and called it in and got the minimal fine and was told it will be chalked up as an accident and it wont go on my record. Ill post the entire story so other hunters can learn form my experience.

[pianoman9701]

Whatever happened to "be sure of your target before pulling the trigger!"?  I am astounded to repeatedly read and hear about hunters shooting at a pile of brush or accidently killing the wrong animal (or human).  These types would not be welcome in my camp.

He wasn't shooting at a noise in the brush. Bad analogy. He was shooting at an elk and made a mistake. He DID fess up and will pay penalties as a result. Many would've walked away from this and wasted the animal. Although killing the wrong animal was bad, someone of his honor and ethics would be welcomed into my camp. I've made mistakes before. How about you, Shooter? How did you handle them?

[Drake7]

Ok, I hate to get this revved up again but I just can remain quiet when I read all these self righteous posts ridiculing this guy for shooting an animal he should not have and then reporting himself to the authorities, dealing with the consequences all the while moving the elk closer to road and cleaning it so as not to waste the animal.  I am just one hunter out here and I can tell you I have seen so many unethical things go on year after year in our hunting areas it is refreshing to have someone admit they made a mistake and own up to it.  In the last 3 years alone I have been witness to morons shooting into a herd of cows and bulls injuring many and killing at least two.  They were reported and arrested.  I have been witness to (2) two points taken and smuggled out during spike bull season,  a cow elk shot by a guy riding an ATV (he was riding with a loaded gun and shot from the ATV), a 6 point bull left to die, either shot by mistake, on purpose or lost by the hunter.  All reported but too late for the wardens to catch the culprits.   All this in the course of the last 3 years!  I won’t even go into all the ATV’s off green dot and legal roads, going cross country, etc.  It’s flat out amazing all the illegal and unethical behavior going on out there.  The fact this guy owned up to his mistake makes him hunter of the year (ok a slight exageration) when compared to the low life’s involved in the situations mentioned above.  Whoever you are, thank you for doing the ethical thing and coming forward.   Ok I feel better 

[shooter581]

Whatever happened to "be sure of your target before pulling the trigger!"?  I am astounded to repeatedly read and hear about hunters shooting at a pile of brush or accidently killing the wrong animal (or human).  These types would not be welcome in my camp.

He wasn't shooting at a noise in the brush. Bad analogy. He was shooting at an elk and made a mistake. He DID fess up and will pay penalties as a result. Many would've walked away from this and wasted the animal. Although killing the wrong animal was bad, someone of his honor and ethics would be welcomed into my camp. I've made mistakes before. How about you, Shooter? How did you handle them?

I "handled" it by going home with unfilled tags because I couldn't be 100% sure I was shooting at a legal animal.  I do have to commend the hunter for fessing up for his mistake; I'm sure he has paid a price mentally as well.  Maybe my stance was too harsh, sorry for that. 

[ghosthunter]

Ok, I hate to get this revved up again but I just can remain quiet when I read all these self righteous posts ridiculing this guy for shooting an animal he should not have and then reporting himself to the authorities, dealing with the consequences all the while moving the elk closer to road and cleaning it so as not to waste the animal.  I am just one hunter out here and I can tell you I have seen so many unethical things go on year after year in our hunting areas it is refreshing to have someone admit they made a mistake and own up to it.  In the last 3 years alone I have been witness to morons shooting into a herd of cows and bulls injuring many and killing at least two.  They were reported and arrested.  I have been witness to (2) two points taken and smuggled out during spike bull season,  a cow elk shot by a guy riding an ATV (he was riding with a loaded gun and shot from the ATV), a 6 point bull left to die, either shot by mistake, on purpose or lost by the hunter.  All reported but too late for the wardens to catch the culprits.   All this in the course of the last 3 years!  I won’t even go into all the ATV’s off green dot and legal roads, going cross country, etc.  It’s flat out amazing all the illegal and unethical behavior going on out there.  The fact this guy owned up to his mistake makes him hunter of the year (ok a slight exageration) when compared to the low life’s involved in the situations mentioned above.  Whoever you are, thank you for doing the ethical thing and coming forward.   Ok I feel better 

[dreamunelk]

Ok, I hate to get this revved up again but I just can remain quiet when I read all these self righteous posts ridiculing this guy for shooting an animal he should not have and then reporting himself to the authorities, dealing with the consequences all the while moving the elk closer to road and cleaning it so as not to waste the animal.  I am just one hunter out here and I can tell you I have seen so many unethical things go on year after year in our hunting areas it is refreshing to have someone admit they made a mistake and own up to it.  In the last 3 years alone I have been witness to morons shooting into a herd of cows and bulls injuring many and killing at least two.  They were reported and arrested.  I have been witness to (2) two points taken and smuggled out during spike bull season,  a cow elk shot by a guy riding an ATV (he was riding with a loaded gun and shot from the ATV), a 6 point bull left to die, either shot by mistake, on purpose or lost by the hunter.  All reported but too late for the wardens to catch the culprits.   All this in the course of the last 3 years!  I won’t even go into all the ATV’s off green dot and legal roads, going cross country, etc.  It’s flat out amazing all the illegal and unethical behavior going on out there.  The fact this guy owned up to his mistake makes him hunter of the year (ok a slight exageration) when compared to the low life’s involved in the situations mentioned above.  Whoever you are, thank you for doing the ethical thing and coming forward.   Ok I feel better 

x2

[PA BEN]

They all broke the law, the game's too. The meat could have gone to a jail or mission. But let someone else tag it and then wright the one who shot it a ticket.
It is unlawful to aid or assist anyone in the commission of a game law violation.

8. Failure to tag properly:
It is illegal to use another hunter’s tag for an
animal you have killed. It is illegal for another
hunter to use your tag on an animal they have
killed (except under WAC 232-12-828).

[rosscrazyelk]

How do you accidently shoot a elk?

[Willis McGee]

I also am not getting the party hunting reference

party hunting is what lots of people do who buy their wives tags then fill them for them or neighbors tags etc....happens all the time....kinda a dumb law...

and it is possible the tag holder was running out of time and hadnt filled it...I'd think better to fill a tag than not 

This state depends heavily on honesty.  That's the only way you can have over the counter tags for everyone that wants one.  Tag success is an important statistic as well.  If everybody tagged out, we wouldn't have any animals left.  A good season in WA is when tag sales are up and hunter success is low.  I would think hunters would frown upon husbands filling their wives (and kids) tags.

interesting since this is essentially what you are allowed to do for your family and elders 

I am new to hunting only been at it 3 years...I can say most my experiences prior were more about people filling freezers with meat and very little to do with size of racks etc....so yes I saw a lot of that and had no idea it was frowned upon let alone illegal....the tribes are not the only people who still hunt for subsistence rather than for trophy or "hunting" experience.

I wasn't trying to flame you.  I was trying to point out that, although it seems like a dumb law, it is crutial to the way WDFW sets regulations, IMO.

Obviously you took more offense to "who said it" then "what was said".  I'll mind my own business.

No I found it interesting that you of all people would find fault with the idea of filling someones freezer in the name of an agency who sets rules for me but not you?  Seriously Coastal I am sort of surprised you find their or my law so crucial when you are not affected by it ....this is sort of like when we get told what you do doesnt have an effect....

It is a dumb law in my opinion...I have an empty freezer and a tag I couldnt fill in the time I had....I do not have an extended season I have one brief shot competing with hundreds of other people in a giant mess this state tries to pass off as hunting opportunity....

other states do not find party hunting at all distasteful  to me it is another somewhat dumb law that is almost never enforced unless its accidentally stumbled upon while happening....

If you and Coastal Native were hunting partners, then you could fill your freezers legally. Stop bickering and become hunting partners.