Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: firefighter12 on November 01, 2014, 01:43:44 PM

Title: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: firefighter12 on November 01, 2014, 01:43:44 PM: Anyone else hear about an arrest this week in the Mill Creek Watershed? Talked to one of the patrollers and apparently someone killed a 7pt. bull and took the head and horns and left the rest to rot. Wondered if anyone else has heard.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: BENCHLEG on November 01, 2014, 10:23:29 PM: I hope it is true and they put him away. :yike:
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Wexler on November 03, 2014, 09:11:09 AM: I was up there the whole season and didn't hear anything. We hunted 7 of the 9 days and never saw anyone who checked us out, Able or other authorities.
I know not many bulls were taken. Of all the people we talked to, only 4 bulls were taken between Oregon and Washington. I'm sure a few more tags were filled that we didn't hear about. We only had one opportunity to shoot a bull all week.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: etonfish on November 03, 2014, 01:53:19 PM: Quote from: Wexler on November 03, 2014, 09:11:09 AM
I was up there the whole season and didn't hear anything. We hunted 7 of the 9 days and never saw anyone who checked us out, Able or other authorities.
I know not many bulls were taken. Of all the people we talked to, only 4 bulls were taken between Oregon and Washington. I'm sure a few more tags were filled that we didn't hear about. We only had one opportunity to shoot a bull all week.

I hunted the Oregon side and finally found a 6X6 bull on Friday. I was surprised to never see Able the whole time. He must have been working this case. I never heard anything either.

Including mine, I knew of only 4 bulls as well.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: twistedvines on November 03, 2014, 03:02:51 PM: Quote from: etonfish on November 03, 2014, 01:53:19 PM
Quote from: Wexler on November 03, 2014, 09:11:09 AM
I was up there the whole season and didn't hear anything. We hunted 7 of the 9 days and never saw anyone who checked us out, Able or other authorities.
I know not many bulls were taken. Of all the people we talked to, only 4 bulls were taken between Oregon and Washington. I'm sure a few more tags were filled that we didn't hear about. We only had one opportunity to shoot a bull all week.

I hunted the Oregon side and finally found a 6X6 bull on Friday. I was surprised to never see Able the whole time. He must have been working this case. I never heard anything either.

Including mine, I knew of only 4 bulls as well.

Changing topic, will you share approx where on the OR side? I am just becoming more familiar with that area, and just drove down to the watershed gate last week to take a peak!

Thanks
Jesse
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Daytonite on November 03, 2014, 03:08:07 PM: Talked to WDFW enforcement...true story :bash:
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Woodchuck on November 03, 2014, 03:18:25 PM: Any more details?
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: etonfish on November 03, 2014, 03:54:51 PM: Quote from: twistedvines on November 03, 2014, 03:02:51 PM
Quote from: etonfish on November 03, 2014, 01:53:19 PM
Quote from: Wexler on November 03, 2014, 09:11:09 AM
I was up there the whole season and didn't hear anything. We hunted 7 of the 9 days and never saw anyone who checked us out, Able or other authorities.
I know not many bulls were taken. Of all the people we talked to, only 4 bulls were taken between Oregon and Washington. I'm sure a few more tags were filled that we didn't hear about. We only had one opportunity to shoot a bull all week.

I hunted the Oregon side and finally found a 6X6 bull on Friday. I was surprised to never see Able the whole time. He must have been working this case. I never heard anything either.

Including mine, I knew of only 4 bulls as well.

Changing topic, will you share approx where on the OR side? I am just becoming more familiar with that area, and just drove down to the watershed gate last week to take a peak!

Thanks
Jesse

There are only four ridges in the unit. Mine was on Indian Ridge.

The best way to learn the unit is to be a pack mule for someone else. I've done it for 2 other people. Careful though, this is not easy country. If your buddy shoots one in a hole, you might not be friends much longer.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Daytonite on November 04, 2014, 12:15:08 PM: My understanding is that they said they were "not physically capable" to go back in the that hole to recover the elk.....know what you're getting yourself into BEFORE you put in for the tag :bash:

Hopefully will hear more about what happened in the next few weeks
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Rainier10 on November 04, 2014, 12:20:26 PM: So they had a tag but are probably getting written up for wastage?
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Daytonite on November 04, 2014, 12:23:14 PM: That is my understanding
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: etonfish on November 04, 2014, 01:56:47 PM: Quote from: Daytonite on November 04, 2014, 12:15:08 PM
My understanding is that they said they were "not physically capable" to go back in the that hole to recover the elk.....know what you're getting yourself into BEFORE you put in for the tag :bash:

Hopefully will hear more about what happened in the next few weeks

When I heard about it, that was my first thought. This is one of the toughest hunts around. I got lucky and was only 200 vertical feet up to the trail that then when down Indian Ridge. The other two elk I have packed out of the unit were not so good.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: elkinrutdrivemenuts on November 04, 2014, 02:02:34 PM: What a waste. I can understand if you hurt yourself on the initial trip out, but just wasting an animal because its to much work, that's irritating. With all the info about that unit, guys should know its going to be a very physically demanding hunt. Crap, take one scouting trip up there and you will find a way to scrap together the cash for a packer lol!
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: coachcw on November 04, 2014, 02:15:57 PM: that's sucks ... I understand what a tough pack is too. atleast make a effort , keep stepping and you will get there.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: HUNT on November 04, 2014, 02:24:52 PM: Quote from: elkinrutdrivemenuts on November 04, 2014, 02:02:34 PM
What a waste. I can understand if you hurt yourself on the initial trip out, but just wasting an animal because its to much work, that's irritating. With all the info about that unit, guys should know its going to be a very physically demanding hunt. Crap, take one scouting trip up there and you will find a way to scrap together the cash for a packer lol!

There are no packers licensed in there.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: elkinrutdrivemenuts on November 04, 2014, 03:02:02 PM: Quote from: HUNT on November 04, 2014, 02:24:52 PM
Quote from: elkinrutdrivemenuts on November 04, 2014, 02:02:34 PM
What a waste. I can understand if you hurt yourself on the initial trip out, but just wasting an animal because its to much work, that's irritating. With all the info about that unit, guys should know its going to be a very physically demanding hunt. Crap, take one scouting trip up there and you will find a way to scrap together the cash for a packer lol!

There are no packers licensed in there.

Then pay your new buddy with horses to come in with you. Jeeze, why is everyone so nit picky lately!
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: T Pearce on November 04, 2014, 05:23:33 PM: Which Mill Cr Watershed? Walla Walla?
T
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Outdoorskindaguy on November 04, 2014, 05:34:48 PM: anyone know if they took the guys head away from him? i hope they did.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: bobdog86 on November 04, 2014, 05:35:46 PM: I wish people would do 2 two things when contemplating putting in for this hunt: 1. Go with someone as a sherpa first, if you can, if not go look at it from the boundary (and remember this----it's 10x nastier and poopier than it appears!!! steeper and more rugged. 2. If you can't do #1, then go to the summit of Mt Rainier with a 60-80# pack and visualize yourself with a elk quarter on your back, realizing that you have to do it 3 more times. If the person had a physical injury then he/she should have contacted Abel (maybe they did, maybe they didn't who knows), worse case, there's probably alot of people around there that may have volunteered (at least 3) to help, just to get a chance at going in. Unfortunate, but on the bright side, maybe the story will grow legs and will keep some flt-landers from applying in the future.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: PlateauNDN on November 04, 2014, 06:02:32 PM: Quote from: T Pearce on November 04, 2014, 05:23:33 PM
Which Mill Cr Watershed? Walla Walla?
T

:yeah:
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: BENCHLEG on November 04, 2014, 06:52:07 PM: I like your point of view bob. Sad deal. Wasted animal.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: BLUEBULLS on November 04, 2014, 07:17:50 PM: An elk will hang a long time in this weather. I assume the elk wasn't quartered and likely not gutted. Either of those would look very bad. There's a lot of time to get help to retrieve an elk. If it "wasted" that quick it must not have been opened up and tells me there were likely no intentions of retrieving it. Might be wrong but that's my opinion for now. Makes us all look bad.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: mtncook on November 04, 2014, 07:25:10 PM: Jacob, you are so right. I had 2 hunters kill spikes on the 28th they hung at the kill site until 11/2 last day of season. They of course were quartered and shaded all day. That is the longest I have ever left meat hanging. Was mostly surprised nothing got on the gut piles.

mtncook
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: T Pearce on November 04, 2014, 07:41:12 PM: Quote from: PlateauNDN on November 04, 2014, 06:02:32 PM
Quote from: T Pearce on November 04, 2014, 05:23:33 PM
Which Mill Cr Watershed? Walla Walla?
T

:yeah:
Thank you
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: zike on November 04, 2014, 10:06:00 PM: As I understand in AK you can't take out the head and horns til you get out the meat. I don't think they should be allowed to keep the horns Could you hire a helicoper to pull the elk out when you get one? I heard they had a copter pull out a couple of elk years ago in SE wa Joseph area.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: j_h_nimrod on November 04, 2014, 11:28:24 PM: :yeah: all meat must be salvaged before hide, head, or horns are packed out in AK. Copters are illegal for any hunting related purposes in AK.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: huntnnw on November 04, 2014, 11:31:30 PM: If there was an attempt to get meat out there woulda been no ticket. The way WA law is written people can get away with it with a poor me story.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: elk247 on November 04, 2014, 11:33:56 PM: Tagging. Wtf?? :bash: :bash: :bash:
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: firefighter12 on November 05, 2014, 11:28:54 AM: I truly hope that they are not able to keep the head and horns, if you can get those out than you damn sure better be able to get th rest of the animal out. I went down in that hole 7 times this season all they had to do was ask people and on the way out I am sure someone would have helped grabbed a quarter, I know I would have. On a better note I saw some big bulls in there this year and had several at 200 yards but not the distance I can shoot with a bow.
Title: Re: Mill Creek Watershed Arrest
Post by: Jonathan_S on November 05, 2014, 12:06:29 PM: Quote from: firefighter12 on November 05, 2014, 11:28:54 AM
I truly hope that they are not able to keep the head and horns, if you can get those out than you damn sure better be able to get th rest of the animal out. I went down in that hole 7 times this season all they had to do was ask people and on the way out I am sure someone would have helped grabbed a quarter, I know I would have. On a better note I saw some big bulls in there this year and had several at 200 yards but not the distance I can shoot with a bow.

I agree, I think it's despicable to not get the meat.

I think they should be allowed to keep the antlers but pay a very substantial fine. $10,000+ each