Hunter facing charges after death of beloved elk named Bullwinkle

[JDHasty]

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/hunter-facing-charges-after-death-of-beloved-elk-named-bullwinkle/article_844ec8ac-1a65-11e6-8639-53981ae0fc80.html

[BULLBLASTER]

That article doesn't paint a great picture for hunting in general...
Not a good deal any way you look at it.

[JDHasty]

I have no problem except the hunt was not legal. 

What earthly value the "trophy" has as a hunting trophy escapes me.  But that is not any of my concern.   What a man hangs in his trophy room is his business, but this was a clear cut case of Unlawful Hunting of Big Game. 

It is the violation of our game laws and the audacity of the act that disturbs me more than the taking of an elk that has a name attached to it. 

I liked the fact that I could find this elk for my kids to look at, but hey, my kids understand that "while Canada geese are beautiful, when you pull their feathers out they have meat inside."

I did make the Bullwinkle analogy knowing full well....  but hey, a legal elk is a legal elk and an "elk" that has palmated antlers, is almost black and has a little friend that answers to the name of Rocket J is not a legal elk.  No one gets to hunt him irrespective of what elk tag you have. 

Well, this blond poster child of a bull elk might just as well have been all of the above for purpose  of his being a legal elk.  Just by virtue that he was munching alfalfa in GMU 334 in GMU 334 when shot he might as well have had palmated antlers, been almost black and had a little friend named Rocket J.

[Bean Counter]

Is this the same story which drew a multipage discussion earlier this year and there was someone getting hot and bothered about a legal issue?

[TVHunts]

I guess no more speculation on this one.  I can't grasp it being called a trophy due to the way it was harvested, to each his own I suppose.  That fact that it was likely illegal compounds my view even further. 

I think he should have his hunting rights revoked for life myself.  I also think the people that helped him should be charged and prosecuted as well.  They assisted him for some cash which is pretty disgusting. There is not even a small chance that the locals didn't know this was out of the legal hunting unit.

Clowns like this make us all look bad...

[Magnum_Willys]

He paid big bucks for the "Any Bull" tag.  I would assume that means ANY bull as long as you are following the hunting times and other regulations for that area. If its open for Elk you can shoot Any Bull.    Not defending the guy just wondering did the tag say only good in branch antlered units?

[MADMAX]

Definitely something for him to be proud of

[kiticaashunter]

I guess no more speculation on this one.  I can't grasp it being called a trophy due to the way it was harvested, to each his own I suppose.  That fact that it was likely illegal compounds my view even further. 

I think he should have his hunting rights revoked for life myself.  I also think the people that helped him should be charged and prosecuted as well.  They assisted him for some cash which is pretty disgusting. There is not even a small chance that the locals didn't know this was out of the legal hunting unit.

Clowns like this make us all look bad...

Let the court system do its job before you make judgements like that. That article had very little research put into it. Looks like the guy just read the thread that was put on here. No wonder at all legal action is going to be used. A few guys on here, and one in particular have spread information that is not accurate.

[BUTTER]

Seems unlikely someone with a tag like that would risk a chance of getting in trouble at least you'd hope not

[andrew_in_idaho]

He paid big bucks for the "Any Bull" tag.  I would assume that means ANY bull as long as you are following the hunting times and other regulations for that area. If its open for Elk you can shoot Any Bull.    Not defending the guy just wondering did the tag say only good in branch antlered units?

The tag specified any bull elk in east side GMUs open to branch antlered bull hunting. The ellensburg GMU doesn't have any branch antlered bull opportunities

[JDHasty]

He paid big bucks for the "Any Bull" tag.  I would assume that means ANY bull as long as you are following the hunting times and other regulations for that area. If its open for Elk you can shoot Any Bull.    Not defending the guy just wondering did the tag say only good in branch antlered units?

Absolutely 100%, unequivocally, the tag is not valid in GMU's closed to branched antler elk hunting. 

[Elkaholic daWg]

Interesting side note here....

"Bullwinkle often fed at the home of Mark and Frances Chmelewski, the couple who gave him that name.

“He would come into our yard and eat apples off our tree, and we’d sit and watch, just meters from him,” Mark Chmelewski said.

“Every year we’d say a little prayer that Bullwinkle would survive the hunting season because he was just such a beautiful, majestic animal.”"

 and then after google

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/news/frances-chmelewski-is-new-kittitas-county-superior-court-judge/article_61b61d0a-162c-11e1-8f9d-001cc4c03286.html


Karma??

[JDHasty]

I guess no more speculation on this one.  I can't grasp it being called a trophy due to the way it was harvested, to each his own I suppose.  That fact that it was likely illegal compounds my view even further. 

I think he should have his hunting rights revoked for life myself.  I also think the people that helped him should be charged and prosecuted as well.  They assisted him for some cash which is pretty disgusting. There is not even a small chance that the locals didn't know this was out of the legal hunting unit.

Clowns like this make us all look bad...

Let the court system do its job before you make judgements like that. That article had very little research put into it. Looks like the guy just read the thread that was put on here. No wonder at all legal action is going to be used. A few guys on here, and one in particular have spread information that is not accurate.

There is nothing in the article that supports your claims.  In fact it looks like the author did his own research.   

[Magnum_Willys]

Uh yea not much wiggle room here....

[kiticaashunter]

Seems unlikely someone with a tag link that would risk a chance of getting in trouble at least you'd hope not

I'm not going to comment on any details while this case is open  or before the person on this forum gets served. I will tell you great steps were taken to do the right thing.