My not true spike

[Rooster1981]

On opening morning of eastern mod, I hiked out of camp headed strait for a herd of over 200 head that my hunting party spotted the night before. As I was reaching the top of the hill with my hunting buddy" A 16 year old kid" we heard multiple shots fired just over the hill. We quickly made it to the top and started to head over the hill, just then I got radioed from another friend that the herd was moving my way. I started to glass the opposite hill side and forty head with two bulls were running across the hill in front of us. Another hunter was chasing the elk and had taken a shot at the spike bull in the herd. We watched the herd from about 700 yards away come within about 300 yards from us.

 I told my bud that the bull looked legal and I was going to take the shot. I shot as the elk were on the move and the herd stopped and split, the spike stopped running and started to turn back so I shot again all the while thinking I could see the bulls antlers just fine........ The bull went down and we both were very excited. Well as we were headed towards the bull my buddy sat the hunting pack down when I was shooting at the bull which was cam-mo and lost it. I told him just keep looking for the pack and I will go locate the bull.

 Well before I could get to the bull some jerk on a quad cut me off and said he checked out my bull and said it was a 1x2 and continued to chew my AZZ. I told him to bugger off and I went to locate the bull. Well before I could get to the bull this guy on the quad had two of his friends run up to my bull and were gutting it. I got to the bull and said what the hell do you think you guys are doing, they replied we thought since its a 1x2  we might get to keep it if we turned you in. I told them to F&%$#@ off and took pics of them gutting the bull.

Well true to be hold the bull had a three inch kicker half way up the right beam that was pearl white compared to his rest of his dark brown antlers. Well these guys decided that they were in bad shape for messing with the bull and decided to run for it. I had to go back and find my lost pack, go to my truck and find cell phone service. Before I could make it a half mile two game wardens were recovering another 1x2 that had been called in which had a fork that was about an 1 1/4 ".

Well I Immediately told the game wardens what I did and what had transpired. the game wardens were very cool about it and told me these things happen and I did the right thing. We were on our way to the bull and the same guys that were harassing me earlyer were on there way down the road and the warden stopped them and they ended up getting finned for two loaded guns on there quads no helmets and one guy didn't have his drivers licence 

I took the wardens up to the bull and they checked it out and told me that when ever you kill an animal and it turns out to be Illegal call it in as soon as possible, gut it and tag it. Every thing rides on what you do right after the kill, I ended up with a misdemeanor fine of $80.00 that will not go on my record only because I never showed any malintent. And I obviously lost my tag for the year. If I had tried to run or lie in any way they would have gave me $2500.00 fine I would have lost my gun and my truck I would have  been brought up on charges.

Four of us including the two game wardens drug the bull about a half mile down to a road and loaded up the elk. the elk was sent to the Yakima mission to feed the homeless. The game wardens were very cool and even consoled me and told me that I would be OK and I did every thing right. My bull was the second one to go into there truck and when we were dragging out the spike they got another call for # 3.

[THunt]

Thats too bad.  At least you handled it correctly.  I think that is a major problem of True Spike.

[400out]

WOW Yes you did the right thing and the law respected that! IMO you got lucky though it could have gone either way  I bet you don't take that shot again without comfirming the animal! It is a very slippery slope big animal big antlers and sometimes very hard to see a inch coming off of it, it happens way to often kind of a snow ball effect of one week to hunt, numbers of spikes to shoot and the pressure of trying to fill a tag! 

Good for you on doing the honest thing 

[GoldTip]

Good job on handling the episode correctly.  You made the mistake, owned up to it and handled it like a true sportsman.  Sorry to hear it happened at all.

[WAcoyotehunter]

That true spike rule is really turning out to be a challenge.  Glad everything ended up ok for you and good for you for doing the right thing. 

[hoffmas56]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I commend you for taking the legal and ethical course of action, in an extremely tough situation. I find it very difficult to believe that the "true spike" concept will increase the bull to cow ratio, when many similar illegal kills will happen and go unreported.

[Rooster1981]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I commend you for taking the legal and ethical course of action, in an extremely tough situation. I find it very difficult to believe that the "true spike" concept will increase the bull to cow ratio, when many similar illegal kills will happen and go unreported.

Yes I agree, the game warden tried to explain to me the purpose of trues spike but was rolling his eye's at the same time. 

[HUNT]

Thats the main reason I wouldn't hunt in a true spike only unit.  Not worth the risk in my opinion.

[colockumelk]

IMHO opinion if the bull to cow ratio is that bad then go to permit only. Because once you get to where its that restrictive its sort of like entrapment.

[bigtex]

I took the wardens up to the bull and they checked it out and told me that when ever you kill an animal and it turns out to be Illegal call it in as soon as possible, gut it and tag it. Every thing rides on what you do right after the kill, I ended up with a misdemeanor fine of $80.00 that will not go on my record only because I never showed any malintent. And I obviously lost my tag for the year. If I had tried to run or lie in any way they would have gave me $2500.00 fine I would have lost my gun and my truck I would have  been brought up on charges.

Just want to clarify something you said regarding the violations.

Shooting a non-true spike (only one side is a spike) in a true spike area is actually not a misd, but a civil infraction. Now lets say you would have shot a 2X2 in a true spike, antlerless, or spike only area you would be facing gross misd charges and that is where the $2,540 fine comes in which I mentioned in the 1401 rd thread

[1morebuck]

Sorry to hear Rooster... Tell you what, you did the right thing, even though it sucks. I give you serious props for what you did.

[hoffmas56]

I agree, there is definitely an increased risk hunting in a true spike area, and consequently more wasted elk and illegal kills happening. I suggested closing the Colockum to increase B to C ratio, several times in the past, but it is a revenue issue that they don't want to address. Meanwhile I have sacrificed branched bull restrictions and now true spike, for a herd that still suffers from pathetic B to C ratio. Gee, I wonder if certain user groups hunting during the summer months might be the problem???

[Rainier10]

Way to do the right thing and what a great example you set for your hunting buddy "16 year old kid".  Hopefully he will learn from your mistake and also what to do if makes a mistake down the line.  You are a great example.  It is a tough pill to swallow but good job.

[slim9300]

That's no fun. Makes you want some 15X+ binos, since I couldn't see such a tiny point with my 10x at that yardage. Lol.

The only other suggestion I have for you is be careful with the comment about the radios.

[Rooster1981]

Just want to clarify something you said regarding the violations.

Shooting a non-true spike (only one side is a spike) in a true spike area is actually not a misd, but a civil infraction. Now lets say you would have shot a 2X2 in a true spike, antlerless, or spike only area you would be facing gross misd charges and that is where the $2,540 fine comes in which I mentioned in the 1401 rd thread
[/quote]

Yes you are correct its a civil infraction, The game warden was very clear though if I hadnt come clean and wasn't honest I would have gotten the 2540.00 ticket.