Hunter from NY mistakes a llama for an elk
TheGreatwhitehunter
1/15/09 9:08pm
That was no ellk ...
By BRETT FRENCH
Of The Gazette Staff
A New York hunter may be feeling a bit sheepish after mistaking a feral llama in Paradise Valley for a Rocky Mountain elk, but he apparently did not violate any laws.
Rusty Saunders, of Fort Edward, N.Y., called a Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden in Livingston in November to turn himself in after shooting the llama, according to Mel Frost, FWP information officer in Bozeman.
Since FWP does not deal with livestock shootings, they immediately turned the investigation over to the Montana Department of Livestock.
After investigating, the DOL turned the matter over to Park County authorities without issuing any citations. "We don't have any statute to prevent that kind of thing," said Steve Merritt, information officer for the DOL in Helena.
A telephone call to the Park County sheriff was not immediately returned.
Photos that the DOL took during its investigation showed the dark brown and black llama gutted and lying in the back of a red pickup truck. The photos included a shot of Saunders' notched 2008 elk tag, dated Nov. 18. Somehow, the photos ended up circulating through e-mails, trekking across the nation and even north of the border into Canada.
Under a subject heading of "hunting llamas in Big Sky Country," the e-mail parodied MasterCard's "priceless" advertising campaign.
".30-06 rifle with Leupold Scope - $650.
"Out of state license - $600.
"Gas to drive from New York - $700.
"Taking a trophy Montana llama - priceless."
The photos have ended up on blogs across the country, as well, generating derisive remarks from hunters.
It's not clear how Saunders realized his error, and it's not known what happened to the wild llama.
Messages left for Saunders on his home answering machine were not immediately returned.
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By BRETT FRENCH
Of The Gazette Staff
A New York hunter may be feeling a bit sheepish after mistaking a feral llama in Paradise Valley for a Rocky Mountain elk, but he apparently did not violate any laws.
Rusty Saunders, of Fort Edward, N.Y., called a Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden in Livingston in November to turn himself in after shooting the llama, according to Mel Frost, FWP information officer in Bozeman.
Since FWP does not deal with livestock shootings, they immediately turned the investigation over to the Montana Department of Livestock.
After investigating, the DOL turned the matter over to Park County authorities without issuing any citations. "We don't have any statute to prevent that kind of thing," said Steve Merritt, information officer for the DOL in Helena.
A telephone call to the Park County sheriff was not immediately returned.
Photos that the DOL took during its investigation showed the dark brown and black llama gutted and lying in the back of a red pickup truck. The photos included a shot of Saunders' notched 2008 elk tag, dated Nov. 18. Somehow, the photos ended up circulating through e-mails, trekking across the nation and even north of the border into Canada.
Under a subject heading of "hunting llamas in Big Sky Country," the e-mail parodied MasterCard's "priceless" advertising campaign.
".30-06 rifle with Leupold Scope - $650.
"Out of state license - $600.
"Gas to drive from New York - $700.
"Taking a trophy Montana llama - priceless."
The photos have ended up on blogs across the country, as well, generating derisive remarks from hunters.
It's not clear how Saunders realized his error, and it's not known what happened to the wild llama.
Messages left for Saunders on his home answering machine were not immediately returned.
3,383
Oh how humiliating.. It doesn’t even come close in resembling an elk..
Wonder how long it took him to realize it wasn’t..
People like that give the rest of us a bad rep.
Thanks for the early morning humor!
lol
Glad someone finally posted these photos, I've received them at least 3 different times and haven't had the time to get them up.
Antlers, from what it looks like, the fella didn't seem to realize it until the Game Department stopped him.
I agree 100%, these sorts of folks have NO BUSINESS hunting. He certainly needs to find himself a new past-time!
Several years ago, my family and I were outside of West Yellowstone. We came upon a tour bus loaded with, well lets just say non American tourists. They were all outside the bus taking pictures of some ranchers horses. It is up there on the funniest things I have ever seen. :thumb
GPWDeer
Mark