Stolen Opportunities....a very sad elk tale. We must do better!

[Addicting]

We found one…

View attachment 250601

Nice bull, we’re you able to salvage anything?

 

[seeth07]

The shooter most definitely broke the law. You are required to make every reasonable effort to follow up your shot and retrieve a wounded animal. The OP noted that where the elk was originally shot, there were no footprints around. That means that the hunter did not make a reasonable effort to follow up every shot they made. The shooter only has one story here that I can see as plausible to prevent a fine from being issued: he truly felt that he was shooting all at the same bull and didn't trace previous shots because he saw the one he shot fall over.

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

That's a damn shame there.....

Sorry to hear that, pretty disappointing.

I will second this ! Makes me very sad to see this

 

[rjthehunter]

People just have no self-awareness. If you shoot something in a herd, make damn sure there isn't anything behind it. Is that not one of the things they teach you in gun safety?

People think they're long range shooters, but don't actually have any experience shooting game beyond 200 yards. You have to pay such careful attention at anything 300 yard or further. You have to know where the animal is standing when you shoot it, then know where it runs after the shot. People get too excited in the moment and don't think of these things.

It has to be punishable by law to just shoot 2 elk then go find 1. There's a fine line between the guy who shoots 2 then goes and tags one, and the guy who shoots one, tracks and searches and can't find the animal presuming it's alive. Then shooting another. The lines are blurry though.

 

[Sagebrush1]

It is very telling that the shooter’s first concern on hearing that he killed a bull he didn’t know about was what was going to happen to the antlers. What a loser.

 

[WYelker]

The shooter most definitely broke the law. You are required to make every reasonable effort to follow up your shot and retrieve a wounded animal. The OP noted that where the elk was originally shot, there were no footprints around. That means that the hunter did not make a reasonable effort to follow up every shot they made. The shooter only has one story here that I can see as plausible to prevent a fine from being issued: he truly felt that he was shooting all at the same bull and didn't trace previous shots because he saw the one he shot fall over.

Yeah I would say there is a ticketable offense there as well. They failed to make any attempt to recover and animal they had hit.

I have seen this happen in Colorado on several occasions with late season cow hunts and at the very least the guys got an improper use of tag ticket which is like an $80 fine…

 

[Mtnhunter1]

I don’t see how there isn’t something illegal here, similar to the story below I recalled from a few years back. They reduced the fines on this which makes sense as he self reported but the original charges seem like they would apply to this situation.

Did this guy call the warden once they discovered what happened?

Hunter gets reduced fines for accidentally killing 3 sheep

Last fall, Jeff Fleming was facing nearly $33,000 in fines and a 30-month loss of hunting privileges — the penalties for accidentally shooting two bighorn sheep in the Knowles Creek area near Plains.

bigforkeagle.com

I know both of the hunters that were involved in the multiple sheep situation. Both are hardcore hunters and immediately self reported their mistake. They could of easily tagged the bigger ram and no one would have been the wiser. Mistakes do happen. Even the experienced make them.

Regarding the elk, this year has been tough. Snow cover makes the elk STAND OUT and seem closer than they really are. Snow cover also gives the hunter a false sense of security thinking that the hit will show up and they will have the blood to follow. Just have to put lead in them scenario. Gaining permission to hunt private land also puts added pressure on the hunter as they may only have that particular day to hunt, on that property, the entire season. The ever growing trend in LONG RANGE shooting hasn't helped with the hunter's decision making. We, as hunters, just need to do better....period!

 

[shrapnel]

Nice bull, we’re you able to salvage anything?

We did share it…

 

[Addicting]

We did share it…

View attachment 250631View attachment 250632

I didn’t realize it was the same elk. Any plans on getting the dead head later?

 

[Jwill]

That really sucks @Mtnhunter1 Impressive detective work though.

 

[samuel_284Win]

It seems like the more I hunt during rifle season, the more poor hunter behavior I see. I don't like seeing stuff like this but it should be addressed. Integrity goes a long way, which in this case, you can't regulate with game laws, even though baseline quality ethics should result in many of these wasted animals still running around the hills.

 

[peterk1234]

I really hate these threads. Reading too many of these this year.

 

[David58]

First off, WE didn’t do this and shouldn’t be lumped into the same camp as those yahoos.

And B, I shot and wounded a bull this year, tracked that sucker for hours, hands and knees, probably close to a half mile. I disagree that I should have had to fill my tag, although I definitely thought about it. I haven’t looked super hard in the regs this morning, but if memory serves, the law states that a reasonable attempt be made to follow up and retrieve wounded game. I certainly feel I did this. Group shooting elk at long ranges and wounding/killing more than one is way more egregious than a “sh*t happens” situation, but I imagine it depends who you ask. I am fairly certain as well I read somewhere that game and fish commissions take into account lost game when setting season structures, though I could be mistaken.

I understand that you didn't do this, and did not intend to lump you in to the same camp.

However, if you arrow or put a bullet into a critter, and don't find it, what is the likelihood that it will be coyote food? Or that it will be "fine"? I know that regs don't address it this way, but if I shoot something and can't recover it, I think I should call it a season.

 

[CountingCoo]

Not shocked at all. We have a hunting industry profiting off the latest craze of “long range hunting”, as though such a thing is even possible. The whole idea of actually stalking an animal and getting as close as possible for an ethical shot has been all but abandoned. When I started seeing people proudly posting videos of 800 yard plus shots at deer and elk I knew this sport was bottoming out. I’m rapidly reaching a point where I want nothing to do with the vast majority of “hunters” I encounter. I’m embarrassed to be associated with them. Until we start publicly shaming people who pull this crap, nothing is going to change. I personally will not hunt with anyone who doesn’t understand the moral and ethical requirement of getting as close as possible to game. If a person can’t get closer than 500 yards to a deer or elk then they aren’t trying very hard. In 45 years of big game hunting I’ve never taken a shot over 400 yards. It’s simply not necessary if you have even the most basic hunting skills. And yes, you may have to let a few animals walk. God forbid.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

The hunting shooting industry has clearly progressed with better products that has helped extend our ability to shoot more effectively. The problem is the benefit STILL REQUIRES understanding ballistics, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and PRACTICE which is NEVER discussed by the shooting industry. Joe Schmo believes from commercials sight in at 100 yards and good to go for whatever distance they see an animal.

As we all know shooting well off bench for couple shots is not remotely representative of shooting in the field. Prob never practice field condition shooting at all.

There just doesn't seem to be a moral compass that we as hunters have the supreme responsibility to understand our own limitations whether its 300, 400, 500 or more and STAY in them. The killing of an animal is cannot be lightly taken but I truly believe this concept is just not considered. The excitement and pure adrenalin rush can erase all rational thought in the moment which can result in decisions to shoot that maybe afterwards in the calm becomes WTH was I thinking.

 

[PorterHouse]

I wish I could say that this surprised me but after this season nothing will surprise me. Found these two cows and half a bull left in the field to rot during first rifle in Colorado this year. The three were shot at the same time over 24 hours before we found them. Cows were bloated and starting to stink. Was able to track them down and get enough information to the warden to prosecute. Still haven’t heard on the final situation as the hunters were from out of state and left before the wardens could get up there. The bull is less than 50 yards from the cows.View attachment 250596View attachment 250597View attachment 250598

What a freaking shame!!

 

[BuzzH]

First off, WE didn’t do this and shouldn’t be lumped into the same camp as those yahoos.

And B, I shot and wounded a bull this year, tracked that sucker for hours, hands and knees, probably close to a half mile. I disagree that I should have had to fill my tag, although I definitely thought about it. I haven’t looked super hard in the regs this morning, but if memory serves, the law states that a reasonable attempt be made to follow up and retrieve wounded game. I certainly feel I did this. Group shooting elk at long ranges and wounding/killing more than one is way more egregious than a “sh*t happens” situation, but I imagine it depends who you ask. I am fairly certain as well I read somewhere that game and fish commissions take into account lost game when setting season structures, though I could be mistaken.

How does the GF set season structures in say....Montana to account for these types of loses and crap ethics? Resident elk/deer tags are over the counter/ dirt cheap and the season structure hasn't changed for 60 years (other than adding a youth deer season, an additional Saturday, and a late muzzleloader season).

I think if we actually knew how much of this type of deal went on, we'd be shocked. It's no wonder public land hunting is so hard.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I think if we actually knew how much of this type of deal went on, we'd be shocked.

Not sure if the federal warden is Deb for the CMR. She told us one time when she was checking our tags that they find on average 200 plus wounded or dead elk ever year after archery season.....

We found 4 bulls that week.

 

[xcskier_hunter]

The hunting shooting industry has clearly progressed with better products that has helped extend our ability to shoot more effectively. The problem is the benefit STILL REQUIRES understanding ballistics, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and PRACTICE which is NEVER discussed by the shooting industry. Joe Schmo believes from commercials sight in at 100 yards and good to go for whatever distance they see an animal.

As we all know shooting well off bench for couple shots is not remotely representative of shooting in the field. Prob never practice field condition shooting at all.

There just doesn't seem to be a moral compass that we as hunters have the supreme responsibility to understand our own limitations whether its 300, 400, 500 or more and STAY in them. The killing of an animal is cannot be lightly taken but I truly believe this concept is just not considered. The excitement and pure adrenalin rush can erase all rational thought in the moment which can result in decisions to shoot that maybe afterwards in the calm becomes WTH was I thinking.

Those hunters probably would use the fact that they killed a bull as evidence they were within their limitations. When I hear a shot fired and later run into the hunter that took it, I find that most hunters have missed (or think they missed) what they shot at regardless of weapon (bow, muzzleloader, rifle). And technological advancements are almost irrelevant in this conversation because most hunters just increase their maximum range relative to the technological advancement. That's why I never understand people that argue more technology makes us more ethical as pretty much every legal weapon used today is ethical within a certain distance.

What I find just as bad though is how often tv and Youtube hunters take poor shots and wound game. When you consider it's these people's jobs to hunt and they are constantly wounding and missing animals the poor behavior from the general hunting public is not that surprising.

 

[Mtnhunter1]

The hunting shooting industry has clearly progressed with better products that has helped extend our ability to shoot more effectively. The problem is the benefit STILL REQUIRES understanding ballistics, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and PRACTICE which is NEVER discussed by the shooting industry. Joe Schmo believes from commercials sight in at 100 yards and good to go for whatever distance they see an animal.

As we all know shooting well off bench for couple shots is not remotely representative of shooting in the field. Prob never practice field condition shooting at all.

There just doesn't seem to be a moral compass that we as hunters have the supreme responsibility to understand our own limitations whether its 300, 400, 500 or more and STAY in them. The killing of an animal is cannot be lightly taken but I truly believe this concept is just not considered. The excitement and pure adrenalin rush can erase all rational thought in the moment which can result in decisions to shoot that maybe afterwards in the calm becomes WTH was I thinking.

So your a long range shooter?