Rant: Illegal elk harvest Region 8

[Stretch]

I find it unbelievable that educated (able to read and understand the hunting synopsis), supposedly observant ( able to count 1...2...3...4...5...6... legal points on at least one antler), and ethical ( harvest only legal elk) hunters continue to make mistaken kills. IMO there is NO excuse for any of this! When will each hunter take full responsibility for their actions and be accountable for these unnecessary actions? This is the quickest way for the public to continue to react negatively to hunting activity. There are on going investigations in Region 8 for a number of these incidents that are unnecessary if each hunter acted legally. Enough of my rant!

[eastkoot]

I think your rant is not totally right. All educated poeple can count to 6, however, mistakes happen. It's not whether you can count to six, it's how they counted in the heat of the moment and the decision they made to pull the trigger. Don't tell me that everyone here hasn't counted six, shot, then walked up and counted and touched all 6 points, I know I do. Also, I think stupidity is walking away from your mistake(s)..and not owning up to making if it was honest. And there are people who shoot just to watch it fall and never counted at all, they are pigs, not necessarily uneducated. That's my rant..But we're on the same page.

[Sleep Robber]

It's a dam shame that's for sure, but I think a lot of those you talk about aren't so "educated, observant and ethical".

IMHO there is still the abundance of so-called hunters that will bang-flop dam near anything in their sights, and then there's the ones who see horns and get the "fever" and can't help themselves. Either way their all poachers to me, I mean if you can't count properly, don't shoot, pretty simple in my books.

It makes me puke when I hear of grown men/women making these "mistakes" when they have an animal in their sights.

Sometimes I think a little buckshot in their ass might smarten them up, but I'm no vigilante :twisted: :wink:

[Jelvis]

Optical ee loo shunz, I tot I saw a Putty tat. POW! I did I did.

[3kills]

when u make a mistake u gotta fess up to it plain and simple why let it go to waste in the bush? and yes when i count points i walk up and recount to double check. even when i shot my calf moose a couple years ago i made sure it was a calf and when i walked up to it i was still nervous that i wasnt and i knew 100% sure that it was when i pulled the trigger

[jeff]

Optical ee loo shunz, I tot I saw a Putty tat. POW! I did I did.

what herbs u smokeing. i want some

[Elkaholic2010]

If the BC Gov managed and protected ALL big game species like the precious Sheep......it would happen far far less often. No excuse to not make a positive verification on whether or not the bull is legal. I looked at a couple of the 5 point mistakes from region 8 this year already, and they were very SMALL, CLEAN, TYPICAL 5 points.

[snareman1234]

Saw a 5pt this weekend in reg 8, had him in the spotter for a good 5 mins, couldve shot him at any time, counted five, then id count six, was hard to call, I know it was a 5pt b/c it was a dinky bull, but I keep seeing overlay from the antler behind that made it a 6, I could see how a person could mistake a 5 for a 6, but doesnt mean the trigger then gets pulled, you have to know with 100% certainty imo

[Jonas111]

Where are you hearing about these elk. I live in region 8 and I have heard of one.

[OutWest]

I've heard of only one as well. It's still one too many. Saw two 5x5 bulls this weekend. One was beat up pretty bad. Called the first one in. There's a number of variables that can get in the way of counting 6 but it in no way should make the difference between pulling the trigger or not.

[yama49]

I think your rant is not totally right. All educated poeple can count to 6, however, mistakes happen. It's not whether you can count to six, it's how they counted in the heat of the moment and the decision they made to pull the trigger. Don't tell me that everyone here hasn't counted six, shot, then walked up and counted and touched all 6 points, I know I do. Also, I think stupidity is walking away from your mistake(s)..and not owning up to making if it was honest. And there are people who shoot just to watch it fall and never counted at all, they are pigs, not necessarily uneducated. That's my rant..But we're on the same page.

I agree, always count when i walk up , even though i was sure before i shot...

[snareman1234]

Heard there were 6 so far, someone said it was a CO talking on the TV about reg 8

[Allen50]

if you not sure about the count to 6 then there should be no shooting, if you shoot then your not a hunter, your a pocher cause you will shoot anything, not knowing what it is or even if its ligeal, just shoot till its dead and find out opps and walk away, found moose one bull and two cows that had been shot and left, big waist, some years back, not a real hunter if you can not turn your self in and suffer the conequnices,, from a co,, to hunt you must learn to count to 6 or any other 3)4 curle from a full curl, its all about training and when to shoot or walk away,

[Singleshotneeded]

Had a nice 6 point elk bull running ahead of my Blazer on the Christian Valley Road a few years ago in the pre-dawn,
we just had deer tags, but he was impressive... I agree with all of you, if you can't positively
identify the animal as legal, you don't pull the trigger...

[eastkoot]

if you not sure about the count to 6 then there should be no shooting

Ever been sure about something and later found out you are or may be wrong, oh quess not. Not defending shooting illegal animals, but it sometimes happens honestly..


found moose one bull and two cows that had been shot and left, big waist, some years back, not a real hunter if you can not turn your self in and suffer the conequnices,, from a co,, to hunt you must learn to count to 6 or any other 3)4 curle from a full curl, its all about training and when to shoot or walk away,

That's not a counting mistake, a cow has no horns!! And, fifty people and 200 posts later cannot determine legallity of some of the rams posted on this site alone..

[3kills]

i heard of a bull and cow elk that was shot this year and the people that shot it waited to long to get it to the meat cutter in the heat so the meat cutter wouldnt take it cuz it was rank so they just ditched it some where

[Ruger4]

Where are you hearing about these elk. I live in region 8 and I have heard of one.

last week it was all over the local radio station....
CO's from Vernon were talking about illegal kills in the Nothern parts of the valley as well as mentioning a couple in the park recently.