Post by: donimator on October 15, 2014, 01:52:53 PM
Day 1- Hiked her all over on opening day (14 miles) and found a good buck. Got my wife all setup with my back pack as a rest and settled in for the shot. It was an obvious large widish deer with 2 points per side. Did the 45min stare down at 200 yds trying to put a 3rd point on him. When he finally turned and I was able to spot the 3rd point, he dashed over the hill with no shot. Bummer! Would have been my wife's first deer. She got the full buck fever experience and all.
Day 2- Took it easy and did around 6miles in the morning. Kicked up a nice 2pt white tail, but he didn't cooperate. Spend the evening overlooking a hill just out of camp that we see deer all the time. Same hill that I got one opening day last year. It has become her favorite spot to glass. As we are sitting there, I hear a shot from just up the draw. I peak my head over the hill to see a deer staring at an approaching hunter at about 50yrds. Deer wobbles and falls over in the grass. As the deer is flopping around, I see him take the 2nd shot. He then gets about 15ft from the deer, turns around and begins to walk back to his truck up the hill. I thought that is strange. I thought maybe he needs to go get his tag or knife, or call a friend. But something inside me said go get his license plate number. I never could see the antlers. We drove up the road and wrote down his license plate number and headed back to camp for the night.
Day 3- The next morning, we went to check it out and the deer was still there! And Alive! I could clearly see one side of the antlers at that point and see only two points. Then we drove up to the Sinlahekin Headquarters and reported the incident. The manager followed us back and dispatched the buck. Sure enough, it was clearly a large 2pt buck. The manager gave the license plate number to the game warden and they tracked in down in Conconully. After a short interview he confessed. I heard that part from others camped around me. The warden visited our camp while we were gone and left his card.
Day 4- We do a short hunt and see nothing, pack up and head on out. Once back into Omak, I called the warden and got the full story from him. The hunter did confess. They charged him with shooting and not tagging a game animal, wasteful use of a game animal?, hunting out of season, etc, etc. They also took his rifle and is license. After the warden thanked me for calling it in he said I would be rewarded with 10 Bonus points! The entire time reporting this and everything, bonus points never even crossed my mind. I guess I thought of the incident as a mistake and not poaching. It crossed my mind for one second that what if that was me. Part of me feels a little bad for the guy if it was an honest mistake, but then I think about day 1 of our hunt. We sat for 45min waiting to confirm the deer had 3pts on it. We didn't get that deer because of that. I will never pull the trigger on an animal unless 100% sure. He should have done the same.
Hopefully next year I draw the Quality tag with those bonus points. But for the rest of this year, my wife and I are giving it our all to fill our late season White Tail Buck Special permits in the Sinlahekin!
Post by: DOUBLELUNG on October 15, 2014, 01:56:47 PM
Post by: Big game archer on October 15, 2014, 02:00:38 PM
Post by: h20hunter on October 15, 2014, 02:04:27 PM
Post by: quadrafire on October 15, 2014, 02:05:15 PM
Be prepared to be called an nosey SOB before this thread is done. Seems not all share the view that this is the appropriate thing to do
Post by: washelkhunter on October 15, 2014, 02:06:57 PM
Post by: Yelper Guy on October 15, 2014, 02:07:15 PM
Post by: GurrCentral on October 15, 2014, 02:08:52 PM
Post by: JJB11B on October 15, 2014, 02:16:35 PM
Post by: Curly on October 15, 2014, 02:23:13 PM
Good for you for reporting it. :tup:
Post by: JohnVH on October 15, 2014, 02:52:13 PM
Him not finishing the buck off is the worst part of that story. That's terrible to have the deer suffer like that.
Amen! people suck, I had the cross hairs on a 2pt monday morning, never could make it grow a 3rd point!
Good job getting the plate! Last year hiking around my dad came across a dead 2pt, Id assume someone shot without making sure it was legal :bash:
Post by: mkcj on October 15, 2014, 02:54:50 PM
Post by: Bob33 on October 15, 2014, 03:01:17 PM
Post by: 3nails on October 15, 2014, 03:01:44 PM
Well done! You deserve the reward! If he had recovered the deer and properly taken care of it, run it down, and then turned it over to the wdfw, and admit his error he'd of probably only lost his tag and or maybe recd a citation, but he did'nt. Honest mistakes are just that; however his actions are a clear display of a lack of character.:yeah: Yup!
Post by: donimator on October 15, 2014, 03:08:03 PM
Post by: jackelope on October 15, 2014, 03:08:42 PM
Post by: Old Man Yager on October 15, 2014, 03:22:57 PM
Post by: Birdguy on October 15, 2014, 03:24:13 PM
Both my kids KNOW that you cannot take a bullet back once the trigger is pulled. If you are unsure for any reason you do not shoot. Letting a questionable shot leave your gun is never an honest mistake.
Post by: elkoholic1 on October 15, 2014, 03:37:00 PM
Post by: Fishnclifff on October 15, 2014, 05:36:38 PM
Him not finishing the buck off is the worst part of that story. That's terrible to have the deer suffer like that.
Good for you for reporting it. :tup:
This gives him a possible defense, because he didn't kill it and leave it to waste.
Post by: blacktail378 on October 15, 2014, 05:51:26 PM
Post by: Hunterman on October 15, 2014, 07:12:44 PM
This is the type of thing that's going to happen a lot when the state made an eye guard a countable point. The eye guard should never been counted as a point.
Hunterman(Tony)
Post by: troyspinetar on October 15, 2014, 07:23:40 PM
Again...good for you :tup:
Post by: Humptulips on October 15, 2014, 08:13:54 PM
Good job for reporting it. :tup:I would say this is what happens when they make you count points. If it was any buck otherwise law abiding citizens wouldn't become criminals by an honest mistake.
This is the type of thing that's going to happen a lot when the state made an eye guard a countable point. The eye guard should never been counted as a point.
Hunterman(Tony)
Post by: 300rum on October 15, 2014, 08:35:57 PM
You are certainly right that it has made quite a few law abiding citizen's criminals.
Good job for reporting it. :tup:I would say this is what happens when they make you count points. If it was any buck otherwise law abiding citizens wouldn't become criminals by an honest mistake.
This is the type of thing that's going to happen a lot when the state made an eye guard a countable point. The eye guard should never been counted as a point.
Hunterman(Tony)
Post by: jasnt on October 15, 2014, 08:38:50 PM
Him not finishing the buck off is the worst part of that story. That's terrible to have the deer suffer like that.
Good for you for reporting it. :tup:
+1
Post by: TangoU on October 15, 2014, 08:47:18 PM
It is about tax revenue and voodoo wildlife biology.
You are certainly right that it has made quite a few law abiding citizen's criminals.Good job for reporting it. :tup:I would say this is what happens when they make you count points. If it was any buck otherwise law abiding citizens wouldn't become criminals by an honest mistake.
This is the type of thing that's going to happen a lot when the state made an eye guard a countable point. The eye guard should never been counted as a point.
Hunterman(Tony)
Why not just make it any deer, then you don't have to worry about it at all. :dunno:
Post by: Payne on October 15, 2014, 09:27:52 PM
If he had recovered the deer and properly taken care of it, run it down, and then turned it over to the wdfw, and admit his error he'd of probably only lost his tag and or maybe recd a citation, but he did'nt. Honest mistakes are just that; however his actions are a clear display of a lack of character.
I agree that it was horrible that he didn't finish the deer off. But to make a mistake and turn yourself in..!? I've heard way too many stories of people turning themselves in and getting the book thrown at them big time... I'm not defending the guy that shot the deer and left it, just saying... Would you turn yourself in if you thought that you would get a huge fine (in the thousands), loose your license and possibly loose your gun for "doing the right thing" by turning yourself in? I believe that most people would never turn themselves in because of this.
Post by: Payne on October 15, 2014, 09:47:58 PM
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Post by: actionshooter on October 15, 2014, 10:08:48 PM
Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Ya, 5-6 years ago in Montana I made an honest mistake, not going into details but it was a big game violation. There is no way my ethics would allow me to leave (waste) an animal I killed, I thought about loading it up in the truck (my buddies truck) and making a break for home, but I weighed the consequences and he could loose his truck and I would get a fine and maybe loose my rifle. I called the game warden, told him what happened, he gave me the address to his office and told me to meet him in a couple of hours.
I met him, explained what happened and I couldn't BELIEVE what happened next...... he thanked me for not leaving the animal! He said it happened all the time and he truly appreciated turning myself in and not wasting the animal. He wrote me a warning, let me keep the meat, and wrote a note to get me through any check stations and sent me on my way.
Post by: Payne on October 15, 2014, 10:17:38 PM
Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Ya, 5-6 years ago in Montana I made an honest mistake, not going into details but it was a big game violation. There is no way my ethics would allow me to leave (waste) an animal I killed, I thought about loading it up in the truck (my buddies truck) and making a break for home, but I weighed the consequences and he could loose his truck and I would get a fine and maybe loose my rifle. I called the game warden, told him what happened, he gave me the address to his office and told me to meet him in a couple of hours.
I met him, explained what happened and I couldn't BELIEVE what happened next...... he thanked me for not leaving the animal! He said it happened all the time and he truly appreciated turning myself in and not wasting the animal. He wrote me a warning, let me keep the meat, and wrote a note to get me through any check stations and sent me on my way.
Wow! great story, thanks for sharing that! Glad to hear about positive stories like this!
Post by: ctwiggs1 on October 16, 2014, 07:30:41 AM
Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Ya, 5-6 years ago in Montana I made an honest mistake, not going into details but it was a big game violation. There is no way my ethics would allow me to leave (waste) an animal I killed, I thought about loading it up in the truck (my buddies truck) and making a break for home, but I weighed the consequences and he could loose his truck and I would get a fine and maybe loose my rifle. I called the game warden, told him what happened, he gave me the address to his office and told me to meet him in a couple of hours.
I met him, explained what happened and I couldn't BELIEVE what happened next...... he thanked me for not leaving the animal! He said it happened all the time and he truly appreciated turning myself in and not wasting the animal. He wrote me a warning, let me keep the meat, and wrote a note to get me through any check stations and sent me on my way.
Regardless of the officers actions, :tup: :tup: :tup: :tup: to you! Good job and way to set an example!
Post by: Band on October 16, 2014, 07:31:06 AM
That is a far cry from what I've heard about game violations in Washington. Out of respect for the law and fear of penalties, I have learned to pass on any animal that I am not 100% sure is legal (and I've done that plenty of times). BUT, should I ever inadvertently break a big game law there is no way I would turn myself in. As long as I didn't see any witnesses I would hot foot it out of there lickity split and never come back. I would not turn myself in. No way, no how! And then I would spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. :twocents:Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Ya, 5-6 years ago in Montana I made an honest mistake, not going into details but it was a big game violation. There is no way my ethics would allow me to leave (waste) an animal I killed, I thought about loading it up in the truck (my buddies truck) and making a break for home, but I weighed the consequences and he could loose his truck and I would get a fine and maybe loose my rifle. I called the game warden, told him what happened, he gave me the address to his office and told me to meet him in a couple of hours.
I met him, explained what happened and I couldn't BELIEVE what happened next...... he thanked me for not leaving the animal! He said it happened all the time and he truly appreciated turning myself in and not wasting the animal. He wrote me a warning, let me keep the meat, and wrote a note to get me through any check stations and sent me on my way.
Post by: ctwiggs1 on October 16, 2014, 07:33:42 AM
That is a far cry from what I've heard about game violations in Washington. Out of respect for the law and fear of penalties, I have learned to pass on any animal that I am not 100% sure is legal (and I've done that plenty of times). BUT, should I ever inadvertently break a big game law there is no way I would turn myself in. As long as I didn't see any witnesses I would hot foot it out of there lickity split and never come back. I would not turn myself in. No way, no how! And then I would spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder. :twocents:Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Ya, 5-6 years ago in Montana I made an honest mistake, not going into details but it was a big game violation. There is no way my ethics would allow me to leave (waste) an animal I killed, I thought about loading it up in the truck (my buddies truck) and making a break for home, but I weighed the consequences and he could loose his truck and I would get a fine and maybe loose my rifle. I called the game warden, told him what happened, he gave me the address to his office and told me to meet him in a couple of hours.
I met him, explained what happened and I couldn't BELIEVE what happened next...... he thanked me for not leaving the animal! He said it happened all the time and he truly appreciated turning myself in and not wasting the animal. He wrote me a warning, let me keep the meat, and wrote a note to get me through any check stations and sent me on my way.
I know of several instances where game wardens have extended grace to people who have accidentally shot the wrong animal. Probably because I am personal friends with a GW.
Post by: donimator on October 16, 2014, 07:50:23 AM
Post by: TopOfTheFoodChain on October 16, 2014, 08:04:53 AM
Post by: quadrafire on October 16, 2014, 08:06:49 AM
Post by: Stein on October 16, 2014, 09:23:55 AM
Post by: Bows4huntn on October 16, 2014, 09:55:42 AM
Post by: 334OKH on October 16, 2014, 10:35:02 AM
Post by: Payne on October 16, 2014, 11:51:52 AM
Others around the camp area asked the warden while he was there about that. It actually comes down to the warden. Some will be easy, some will still come down hard. But he did say they all come down as hard as they can when you do what this guy did. From what I heard, if he would have first off killed it, then tag it and gut it and immediately turn himself in he for sure would have lost his license for the year, got one ticket, and maybe a little more. Probably would not have lost his gun and might even be able to hunt next year. Now, that they took his gun and threw the book at him, he will have to lawyer up and pay big time to get his hunting rights restored anytime soon.
Yeah this makes since, I believe that it really does come down to the warden individually... My (small) personal experiences is about 50/50 good/bad. It's just all the other stories I hear that scare me!
Congrats on the points, that guy really should have at least finished the poor deer off.
Post by: Bill W on October 16, 2014, 12:16:56 PM
Only heard two shots on the first day.
Post by: JJB11B on October 16, 2014, 03:51:43 PM
My roommate turned himself in after finishing off a deer wounded by a mutual friend, Field dressed the deer drug it to a road and waited for the game officer, he paid the $300 and was able to hunt the next year, I would be able to look myself in the mirror better knowing that I did the right thing after doing the wrong thing..If he had recovered the deer and properly taken care of it, run it down, and then turned it over to the wdfw, and admit his error he'd of probably only lost his tag and or maybe recd a citation, but he did'nt. Honest mistakes are just that; however his actions are a clear display of a lack of character.
I agree that it was horrible that he didn't finish the deer off. But to make a mistake and turn yourself in..!? I've heard way too many stories of people turning themselves in and getting the book thrown at them big time... I'm not defending the guy that shot the deer and left it, just saying... Would you turn yourself in if you thought that you would get a huge fine (in the thousands), loose your license and possibly loose your gun for "doing the right thing" by turning yourself in? I believe that most people would never turn themselves in because of this.
Post by: Trailblazer on October 16, 2014, 04:52:21 PM
Post by: JJB11B on October 16, 2014, 04:53:37 PM
Awesome! It is people like that that give all hunters a bad rep!!was that directed to the OP? If so I agree
Post by: bigtex on October 16, 2014, 05:36:25 PM
Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?WA has no "accidental take" law. Several bills have been introduced over the years to enact a law but none have ever even gotten out of committee. One of the bills was because a state legislator shot an illegal deer/elk and self reported, WDFW shows up and issues him the full illegal take citation which at the time was $2,540.
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Realistically all an officer could do is a) press charges, there are no longer "tickets" for criminal offenses in WA you MUST go to court) b) written/verbal warning.
There are stories of people getting "smaller" tickets for these types of things where basically the officer make a handshake deal with the hunter where the officer will write a citation for some random offense and the hunter will just pay it off. Problem is for some reason there is a spike of "yes sir I will pay it" and then suddenly the guy fights the ticket and wins because the guy didn't actually commit the offense the officer wrote them for. So those handshake deals are gone.
It would be something like this:
Officer contacts guy fishing without a license (mandatory court offense)
Officer says: I'll make you a deal and give you a $99 ticket for barbed hook even though you don't have a barbed hook and you won't face the mandatory court appearance
Violator: Yes sir I'll be sure to pay it, thanks so much
Violator then fights the citation which since it is an infraction the officer won't receive notifiction they are fighting it, and won't need to appear. Violator goes before the judge and says your honor I didn't have a barbed hook/I wasn't in a barbed hook required area. Judge says I agree and dismisses the case. Guy doesn't have to pay a dime.
The days of those handshake deals are gone and it's a shame, but we can only blame society for this
Post by: Payne on October 16, 2014, 05:55:19 PM
Anyone know of someone that has made a mistake and turned themselves in and what the repercussions were?WA has no "accidental take" law. Several bills have been introduced over the years to enact a law but none have ever even gotten out of committee. One of the bills was because a state legislator shot an illegal deer/elk and self reported, WDFW shows up and issues him the full illegal take citation which at the time was $2,540.
... sorry don't mean to jack this thread... :)
Realistically all an officer could do is a) press charges, there are no longer "tickets" for criminal offenses in WA you MUST go to court) b) written/verbal warning.
There are stories of people getting "smaller" tickets for these types of things where basically the officer make a handshake deal with the hunter where the officer will write a citation for some random offense and the hunter will just pay it off. Problem is for some reason there is a spike of "yes sir I will pay it" and then suddenly the guy fights the ticket and wins because the guy didn't actually commit the offense the officer wrote them for. So those handshake deals are gone.
It would be something like this:
Officer contacts guy fishing without a license (mandatory court offense)
Officer says: I'll make you a deal and give you a $99 ticket for barbed hook even though you don't have a barbed hook and you won't face the mandatory court appearance
Violator: Yes sir I'll be sure to pay it, thanks so much
Violator then fights the citation which since it is an infraction the officer won't receive notifiction they are fighting it, and won't need to appear. Violator goes before the judge and says your honor I didn't have a barbed hook/I wasn't in a barbed hook required area. Judge says I agree and dismisses the case. Guy doesn't have to pay a dime.
The days of those handshake deals are gone and it's a shame, but we can only blame society for this
I don't know if they are totally gone, I got a deal like that not too long back... and I was so thankful, the game warden that did that for me really made me happy to realize that they are not all "out to get you".
Post by: blindluck on October 16, 2014, 06:53:35 PM
Post by: MeatMaster on October 16, 2014, 07:08:10 PM
Post by: bassquatch on October 18, 2014, 02:05:29 PM
Post by: cohocrazy on October 18, 2014, 02:36:49 PM
Post by: Huntinsparky on October 19, 2014, 03:23:32 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 19, 2014, 03:24:26 PM
At least the animal didnt go to waste the warden gave it to and older guy that was camped in the area
Thats a cool way to handle that. :tup:
Post by: BiggLuke on October 20, 2014, 08:05:45 PM
I wish there were more guys like you out there and less like the yahoo that shot the 2 point.
Post by: CAMPMEAT on October 20, 2014, 08:23:21 PM
Nice job turning that guy in. How do the points work? Do you choose what species they go towards or do you get 10 additional points toward every species you put in for?
I got to choose where I wanted my points to go, elk.
Post by: Bob33 on October 20, 2014, 08:30:36 PM
http://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-28-291 (http://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-28-291)
6. Citizen reward for reporting violations - bonus points: A person who provides information which contributes substantially to the arrest of another person for illegally hunting or killing big game or an endangered species as defined by Title 77 RCW is eligible to receive ten bonus points toward the special hunting permit drawing for one application category of deer or elk special hunting season permits.
Post by: Payne on October 20, 2014, 10:36:46 PM
At least the animal didnt go to waste the warden gave it to and older guy that was camped in the area
Thats a cool way to handle that. :tup:
:tup: :tup:
Post by: donimator on October 20, 2014, 11:34:24 PM
Post by: tgomez on October 25, 2014, 03:21:42 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 25, 2014, 03:37:53 PM
It was a mistake they went really bad when he left it suffering half dead. :bash:
Post by: Jingles on October 25, 2014, 03:57:22 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 25, 2014, 04:24:20 PM
wow 10 points for being a snitch
Jingles go poach something and I will turn you in and get the points, then when you get your hunting rights back we can go in on a quality hunt with the points! :tup: :chuckle:
Post by: Skillet on October 25, 2014, 04:26:41 PM
wow 10 points for being a snitch
wow 10 points for being a snitchGreat attitude for a site sponsor. :rolleyes: