Wapiti Talk | Elk Hunting Forum | Elk Hunting Tips
 

What Would You Do?

Moderators: Swede, Tigger, Lefty, Indian Summer, WapitiTalk1

What Would You Do?

Postby Swede » 03 27, 2018 •  [Post 1]

It is the first morning of rifle elk season. You hear a gunshot and look from of an old logging road in the directions of the shot. Then you hear another shot. You see a hunter along the fire line across the draw on the opposite hillside. He shoots again and starts heading in the direction to where he was shooting at something. You hustle to an nearby landing overlooking the area and you see some elk cows heading into the timber. You watch for a few minutes and see the shooter go over to one bull then over to another. You watch and observe that there are no other hunters in the area. Only one elk can be legally harvested in this season. What would you do?
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 03 27, 2018 •  [Post 2]

My first thought as I absorb this scenario is hoping that the shooter thought he'd missed a bull and continued shooting till one fell down, unfortunately, resulting in two bulls on the ground. Yikes, if that is indeed the case, I would hope he'd call himself in and report what had happened. If I physically saw him shoot one, then another bull, I would have a hard time not reporting the information I had to the appropriate officials. Another twist could be that the individual is a member of a tribe that is allowed to shoot several elk per year for subsistence (I believe the Yakima's on the E side of the WA Cascades can shoot 4 per year?).. Several things could have played out here. This is a tough one Swede.
User avatar
WapitiTalk1
 
Posts: 8732
Joined: 06 10, 2012
Location: WA State
First Name: RJ

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Tigger » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 3]

I abhor poachers and unethical behavior. I would report it. If it is a subsistence case, no harm, no foul and the game warden will sort it out. If it wasn't subsistence, then he is a thief who stole that second bull from you and me and every other public land hunter. Grrrrrrr.
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby saddlesore » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 4]

Ditto what Tigger said.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby >>>---WW----> » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 5]

Report him ASAP! The game warden will figure it out as others have stated. Chances are, if he has a good story, the warden will convescate one of the bulls and issue the hunter a citation for accidental shooting of the other one.
User avatar
>>>---WW---->
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2351
Joined: 05 27, 2012

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Swede » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 6]

Lets add, my story here was to have you question the shooter's intent. Did he just poach an extra elk, or did he shoot again thinking his bull was still going and needed another bullet? I would say both scenarios happen every year in every elk State. Though the description is purposely somewhat vague, many of you have stood on an old logging road overlooking a somewhat grown over clear-cut logging unit. The road or log landing are good places to observe from. They were designed that way for ease of dragging logs, with a cable, into a centralized location overlooking the setting. Does this information cause you to change your mind or help you decide?

Edit: I see WW just posted here on this. What he said is what I would suggest everyone do. Don't litigate the matter in your mind, let the game warden figure it out. If that is not sufficient, the hunter will get his day in court. We cannot determine intend from several hundred yards away.
Swede
Wapiti Hunting - Tree Stand Tactics
 
Posts: 10215
Joined: 06 16, 2012

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Roosiebull » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 7]

Pretty common practice here on the coast "party hunting" 4 people with tags, if someone gets a chance, they shoot as many as they can.

The problem is, you would have to pretty much witness it as you describe.

That stuff irritates the heck out of me, it's cheating and unfair, but totally acceptable practice to many hunting groups.

If I witnessed it as described, in my position, I would call the local osp officer in our area, via his cell phone.
User avatar
Roosiebull
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1125
Joined: 02 27, 2017

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby saddlesore » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 8]

I know strange things happen, but when I drop he hammer on an elk , I can tell pretty darn good if the shot was good. I'd sure not keep shooting at every elk I see until I checked out the initial one I shot at. I won't second guess any hunter, but I would think the hunter had been too quick on the trigger. He either took a questionable shoot being in a hurry and figure he missed, or was intent in shooting one for his buddy if he was hunting with a partner . I have had hunters in camp that say if I see an extra elk,shoot it for them which I won't do. I have also seen hunters mistakenly shoot a 2nd elk or an illegal one and let it lay.
User avatar
saddlesore
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 2162
Joined: 11 07, 2015
Location: Colorado Springs,CO

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby cohunter » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 9]

Call it in... Hopefully something will come of it. :(

I shot at a cow once and missed (hit a branch) and she immediately fell down. Apparently just slipped. I saw her get back up but she was in the middle of milling cows. I didn't shoot again. Later found the clipped branch and discovered it was a clean miss. Did it cost me an elk? Yes. But it was the ethical thing to do. Would I do the same thing again? In a heartbeat. Party hunting and poachers give us all a bad name.
User avatar
cohunter
Rank: Rag Horn
 
Posts: 230
Joined: 11 08, 2015

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Lefty » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 10]

Things happen and sometimes what you didnt want to happen does.
I think I would listen to his side of the story first

I dont shoot other people game and dont want anyone shooting mine. No party hunting with me.

Years back I had a 8th grade student who accidentally killed a cow elk.He got excited and pulled the trigger on a cow with a spike tag 200 hours of community service.

There are other things worse than mistakes. Some fellows beat me into a small deep and steep canyon where a 29" 5x5 was hanging out. Mid morning a single shot rang out. Early after noon I ran into the guys packing the head and backstraps and part of one rear ham. We visited on the way up to the truck, they explained the meat was all shot up. I got out my camera , took a pic of their truck plate them and the head as they walked to the truck.
the one fellow asked what the picture was for. I stated there was one shot, and a whole lot of good deer meat down in the thicket. And our local CO lived on the road on the way out. they had no intention of making an effort to retrieve the meat ,..but they did
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Roosiebull » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 11]

cohunter wrote:Call it in... Hopefully something will come of it. :(

I shot at a cow once and missed (hit a branch) and she immediately fell down. Apparently just slipped. I saw her get back up but she was in the middle of milling cows. I didn't shoot again. Later found the clipped branch and discovered it was a clean miss. Did it cost me an elk? Yes. But it was the ethical thing to do. Would I do the same thing again? In a heartbeat. Party hunting and poachers give us all a bad name.

I did a similar thing this past season. Hit a branch I didn't see in the timber, no sign of a hit, looked like a clean miss, heard my arrow hit a tree. I knew I missed, it was point blank, so how could I?

I knew I missed but I treated it like I didn't, about a half hour later the elk came sneaking back around me, I just had to watch, had a very easy shot at the big bull I ended up killing, the last elk was the rag I missed... oh well.

I still went and tracked, and found my clean arrow, but until I prove I missed, I'm not shooting again for darn sure. Seems like a pretty common sense practice. A game warden, in my opinion, should have no sympathy for someone blasting 2 because they weren't sure they hit the first one.
User avatar
Roosiebull
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1125
Joined: 02 27, 2017

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby wawhitey » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 12]

I would call it in and let the law sort it out. So many unethical dirtbags in the woods, i just have no patience for it. Guess im a squealybob
Real eyes realize real lies
User avatar
wawhitey
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 3572
Joined: 02 21, 2013
Location: Stevens co, WA

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Roosiebull » 03 28, 2018 •  [Post 13]

Lefty wrote:Things happen and sometimes what you didnt want to happen does.
I think I would listen to his side of the story first

I dont shoot other people game and dont want anyone shooting mine. No party hunting with me.


There is still the problem of an extra elk and no tag, law enforcement needs notified so it doesn't waste.

If it were legal, I could see bailing the hunter out by using my tag, but it isn't, and I don't want a ticket for lending my tag.

These things are great things to discuss this time of year, it can provoke thought, and potentially save another hunter from getting in that situation.
User avatar
Roosiebull
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1125
Joined: 02 27, 2017

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Indian Summer » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 14]

I’m calling Fish and Game immediately regardless of whether or not it was an accident. Then I’m walking over to see what he has to say. If he seems honest about the incident I’ll tell him I feel bad but the law is on their way. If he has an attitude and tells me to mind my own business I’m asking to see his license and staying to make sure he doesn’t abandon the bulls and flee the scene.
User avatar
Indian Summer
Wapiti Hunting Consultant
 
Posts: 5247
Joined: 06 14, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
First Name: Joe
Last Name: Ferraro

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Elkhntr08 » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Call it in. I had a guy come from Virginia to hunt whitetail. He shot a wounded buck that a guy was tracking to “help him out”. He was not invited back. IDNR takes a dim view of this.
Elkhntr08
Rank: Herd Bull
 
Posts: 416
Joined: 12 19, 2015

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Tigger » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 16]

elkhntr08,
I don't quite understand. If there is a wounded buck and it comes by me, for sure I am going to shoot it (I assume he had a tag for a buck). Then if the tracker comes along, we can decide who gets the buck, which would be totally legal either way. So I don't understand what was wrong with what he did? Need more details.
User avatar
Tigger
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 2420
Joined: 01 12, 2015
Location: Minnesota

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby ishy » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 17]

There are some great cheap camera out now that don't cost much. There are a couple 60 power optical zoom 4k video cameras under $400. Great way to remember a great hunt and hopefully not needed to gather evidence.
User avatar
ishy
Rank: An Elk Nut
 
Posts: 1062
Joined: 08 18, 2013
First Name: Bryan
Last Name: L

Re: What Would You Do?

Postby Lefty » 03 29, 2018 •  [Post 18]

Tigger wrote: Need more details.

My point also


This year I finished up on a limit of 4 geese I only fired 4 shots each bird was dead close to the pit. Wallin back to the truck I found a 5th goose.

My goose?
Nope!
I was surprised a coyote hadn't eaten it the previous night
In this case likely a trespasser shot the goose and was
Not willing to walk into the field.
User avatar
Lefty
Wapiti Hunting - Strategy and Tactics
 
Posts: 6926
Joined: 06 25, 2012
Location: Pocatello Idaho
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: H