Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
My brother and his friend had filled their elk tags opening morning of this years hunt for the 3rd season in CO. I filled mine two days later in the morning. We still had two more tags in camp and as my brother and his friend hauled my elk back to camp and my dad and I were delayed helping a fellow hunter get unstuck, the friendly local game warden came into camp shortly after my elk was delivered to camp.
We had run into this game warden a couple times already as he checked tags and what not and he seemed to realize we were ethical hunters and we tended to hunt hard for our animals. Anyways, he has a small forkhorn buck in the back of his truck that he asked if we would like, if we had a tag for it. My sister-in-law was done hunting and he said it would be okay to hang her tag on it after signing the appropriate paper work.
He then said there was an elk down not to far from camp shot that morning by someone who just drove off and if we had a tag for it we could have it, providing we drug it out. We still had two tags for elk from my dad and sister-in-law and the same deal was arranged.
As we were trying to find the elk, the game warden drove up and pointed right to it. We headed down to the elk only to find another elk down and three blood trails. Appears these "hunters" had stopped on the highway, not a forest road but paved highway mind you, got out and opened up on a herd of elk. Luckily, a concerned citizen stopped and got there license plate number down along with the number of shooters (2) and a discritption of the truck.
We hollered back up to the game warden as he was collecting brass and let him know what we had found. He said if we had two tags we could take both elk. My dad is 77 and was more than happy to give up his tag and as my sister-in-law was done it seemed to be a no brainer.
Follow my logic here, please. Instead of two elk that would go to waste, along with the buck, they will be put to use filling the bellies of a few folks for the coming years. Everyone went home with elk meat this year and will be eating it for the coming months. I may have been a bit leery to give up my tag but as things worked out everyone was happy with the outcome.
As a side note or two, the two "hunters" confessed to their misdeed but I'm not a 100% on what happened to them. We left our email addresses with the game warden and hopefully he'll email us to let us know. One of the three blood trails we had found trailing off, thankfully, turned into a harvested animal from another group camping near by.
The way I see it, we helped the state by hauling out two elk (both over a half mile but thankfully a somewhat easy drag) that were illegally shot and killed and another one was harvested by another hunter. This prevented the waste of this valuable resource, provided meat to those will use it, and actually save the state the money in the time it would have required to remove the animals.
All in all, I think it was a win-win situation for those involved in a very bad situation, except for the aforementioned "hunters". I can only hope they got their due.
Just wondering what you all think and may have done in our situation?
We had run into this game warden a couple times already as he checked tags and what not and he seemed to realize we were ethical hunters and we tended to hunt hard for our animals. Anyways, he has a small forkhorn buck in the back of his truck that he asked if we would like, if we had a tag for it. My sister-in-law was done hunting and he said it would be okay to hang her tag on it after signing the appropriate paper work.
He then said there was an elk down not to far from camp shot that morning by someone who just drove off and if we had a tag for it we could have it, providing we drug it out. We still had two tags for elk from my dad and sister-in-law and the same deal was arranged.
As we were trying to find the elk, the game warden drove up and pointed right to it. We headed down to the elk only to find another elk down and three blood trails. Appears these "hunters" had stopped on the highway, not a forest road but paved highway mind you, got out and opened up on a herd of elk. Luckily, a concerned citizen stopped and got there license plate number down along with the number of shooters (2) and a discritption of the truck.
We hollered back up to the game warden as he was collecting brass and let him know what we had found. He said if we had two tags we could take both elk. My dad is 77 and was more than happy to give up his tag and as my sister-in-law was done it seemed to be a no brainer.
Follow my logic here, please. Instead of two elk that would go to waste, along with the buck, they will be put to use filling the bellies of a few folks for the coming years. Everyone went home with elk meat this year and will be eating it for the coming months. I may have been a bit leery to give up my tag but as things worked out everyone was happy with the outcome.
As a side note or two, the two "hunters" confessed to their misdeed but I'm not a 100% on what happened to them. We left our email addresses with the game warden and hopefully he'll email us to let us know. One of the three blood trails we had found trailing off, thankfully, turned into a harvested animal from another group camping near by.
The way I see it, we helped the state by hauling out two elk (both over a half mile but thankfully a somewhat easy drag) that were illegally shot and killed and another one was harvested by another hunter. This prevented the waste of this valuable resource, provided meat to those will use it, and actually save the state the money in the time it would have required to remove the animals.
All in all, I think it was a win-win situation for those involved in a very bad situation, except for the aforementioned "hunters". I can only hope they got their due.
Just wondering what you all think and may have done in our situation?
It ain't the size of the gun but the placement of the bullet.
Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
i think you absolutly did the right thing. if i was out hunting for meat for the freezer, i wouldn'e hesitate 1 second. it's the right thing to do. great job on your families part! 
BUT i honstly dont know what i would do if it was a different setting. lets say this was a trophy buck hunt, it took me yrs to draw my tag, game warden stops to tell me about a forked horn someone shot ??
it would be the most ethical thing to do, but i dont know what i'd do there, hopefully that never happens..
BUT i honstly dont know what i would do if it was a different setting. lets say this was a trophy buck hunt, it took me yrs to draw my tag, game warden stops to tell me about a forked horn someone shot ??
it would be the most ethical thing to do, but i dont know what i'd do there, hopefully that never happens..Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
That is odd but cool he let you tag them. Hope they hammer the dudes that shot them.
Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
This wasn't an LE unit but I have taken the best buck of my life out of here. My brother did tell the game warden that if he couldn't hang his wife's tag on the buck then he would have to pass. Needless to say, it was the only deer we brought home 
As far as the elk, we all had cow tags and were just looking to fill the freezers.
As far as the elk, we all had cow tags and were just looking to fill the freezers.
It ain't the size of the gun but the placement of the bullet.
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BIGANTLERGETTER
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Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
i do believe you also did the right thing cause from what im told those animals would just be taken to the dump so at least you are gettin good use out of them
Hunt til there is nothing to hunt, then go farther and hunt harder the big one will turn up
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TheGreatwhitehunter
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Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
I think you absolutly did the right thing. if i was out hunting for meat for the freezer, i wouldn'e hesitate 1 second. it's the right thing to do. great job on your families part!
+1THE LORD IS MY ROCK
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MuleyMadness
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Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
Excellent choice, admire your decision.
Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
along with my brother ,i also feel we made the right decision . but it was interesting to see how the dow offical used a metal detector to find the shell casings in the snow and bullets in the elk . as a hunter that is one sight that i would not care to see again . it just left me with a sick feeling that this happens way to much .
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Archeryguru
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Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
Wow, not exactly the way you plan on tagging out. I think that was very nice of the warden to take the time to find someone instead of just letting them rot.
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Re: Kind of an odd way of filling a couple of elk tags
Kudos to your family AND the game warden. Would that more were as noble and ethical.
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