Yeah, the bunny cops made a big deal of a 'mistaken identity' shoot. The rack is so similar to a whitetail rack that a big percentage of hunters would at least have taken a long look. Moving through timber/brush, the animal could easily have been mistaken for a large bodied buck. The shooter was fined $10K and two companions were also fined for helping conceal the mis-deed. Guess MDC wanted to make it known that their 'pets' are closely monitored.
Missouri elk 'poaching'
- Thread starter Mobuck
- Start date
jgt
Buckeye
I knew a guy that mistook a cow elk for a mule deer doe and shot it with a 243. Dead right there. When he found out his mistake he loaded up and left with it in the bed of his 4x4 under a tarp. About half way home he lost the u-joint on the pickup. He put the drive shaft in the bed and came on home on the front axle. He never made that mistake again. He was also a city PD detective. Had he been caught, he had a whole lot to loose.
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
Not sure what they law say's where this happened ,
but in Arizona , you are supposed to know what you are shooting at , and what is behind it.
There is no excuse.
but in Arizona , you are supposed to know what you are shooting at , and what is behind it.
There is no excuse.
Killer Bee
Advanced Level Novice
again? wasn't it about 5 years ago a mo teenage girl mistook an elk bull for a whitetail buck?
taking risky shots that weren't clear, suffering from buck fever, or combination of both?
unaware of elk in their area since they've only been reintroduced to mo in recent years?
either way hunters have responsibility to be sure of their target before squeezing the trigger.
looking at articles about the current event, they shot and left the elk and were caught in possession of an unregistered deer. doesn't sound like they made an innocent mistake and they plead guilty
Three men connected to 2023 Shannon County elk poaching sentenced on wildlife charges
taking risky shots that weren't clear, suffering from buck fever, or combination of both?
unaware of elk in their area since they've only been reintroduced to mo in recent years?
either way hunters have responsibility to be sure of their target before squeezing the trigger.
looking at articles about the current event, they shot and left the elk and were caught in possession of an unregistered deer. doesn't sound like they made an innocent mistake and they plead guilty
Three men connected to 2023 Shannon County elk poaching sentenced on wildlife charges
I once hunted with a police detective who shot a deer just as he stepped out of the cabin five of us were sharing. He ran immediately back inside to proclaim he had just shot a doe in a bucks only state. We all went out to see it and it was a spike buck. He had lucked out but I made sure I never went back to the cabin if he was present. I expect better of all hunters and especially of those in law enforcement.
As a former ‘bunny cop’ I take offense to that term, and also for trying to justify ‘mistaken identity’ for a deer, instead of the elk they shot. If you're a hunter, you need to identify your prey before pulling the trigger. Trying to hide their error just compounded their crime. In VA, if you mistakenly shoot the wrong animal, you're supposed to call the Game Warden to report it. You will still probably get a ticket, but not replacement costs.
And elk are not ‘pets.’
Paul B
Hunter
I haven't hunted in a while thanks to a bad car wreck but there are a few places in Arizona where one can shoot Whitetail or Mule deer depending on your tag. You'd best know how to ID the deer before you shoot. Making a mistake and getting caught will cost you. When teaching Hunter Ed the subject always came up and based on what the Game and Fish smokey said, check the deer's tail and not the horns. They're quite different. Wonder what they'd do if the deer was a hybrid? I've seen a couple when hunting that area One had a Mule Deer rack and the fluffy tail of the Whitetail. Another had the ropey tail of a Mule Deer and a spindly rack like a Whitetail. When I asked the game smokey about that he said, "When it doubt, don't shoot". Sounded like a cop out to me.
Paul B.
Paul B.
Busterswoodshop
Hunter
Years ago a guy from San Manuel shot a Mule Deer during a Whitetail hunt in unit 33.
He was sure it was a world record.
He went around showing everyone in town his world record Whitetail.
When he found out what he did , he called Game and Fish and reported it.
He got a ticket and the deer was confiscated.
He was sure it was a world record.
He went around showing everyone in town his world record Whitetail.
When he found out what he did , he called Game and Fish and reported it.
He got a ticket and the deer was confiscated.
OP
And elk are not 'pets.'
They are in MO. MDC invested a LOT of money to import/reintroduce elk back into southern MO and I'm not sure it was well accepted by farmers. Elk don't understand property boundaries so they don't stay on state land. When I worked for USDA, I heard a lot of talk about just how PO'd the agriculture community was about the imported critters. Very similar to the comments about the re-introduced river otters in north MO.
Undoubtably, the hunter didn't properly identify his target BUT the rack looked much more like a whitetail than an elk. I'm not holding up for the hunter, I'm saying that MDC made a serious effort to make an example of the shooter.
They are in MO. MDC invested a LOT of money to import/reintroduce elk back into southern MO and I'm not sure it was well accepted by farmers. Elk don't understand property boundaries so they don't stay on state land. When I worked for USDA, I heard a lot of talk about just how PO'd the agriculture community was about the imported critters. Very similar to the comments about the re-introduced river otters in north MO.
Undoubtably, the hunter didn't properly identify his target BUT the rack looked much more like a whitetail than an elk. I'm not holding up for the hunter, I'm saying that MDC made a serious effort to make an example of the shooter.
jgt
Buckeye
I have never intentionally "poached" anything, but I used to have a Ruger 77/22 magnum I referred to as my poaching gun. I only did that in groups of guys talking about hunting and hunting rifles. I got some "looks that could kill" reactions from some of those guys. For some devious reason, I loved doing that.
trebor44
Blackhawk
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2012
- Messages
- 912
- City & State/Province
- Idaho, East of Boisemento, or is it Boisangelos
Incredible that ANYONE could mistake an Elk for a Deer! Perhaps a Moose but the rack is a sure giveaway! Only a neophyte or a trigger happy hunter would make that mistake. Only a raghorn Elk would be close to a deer's rack profile!
OP
OK, tell me this doesn't look similar to a whitetail rack moving through the brush shown in the background.
Hertervillian
Saluki
It’s a hell of a thing, but calling the squirrel sheriff yourself is the best policy. They cannot help but write a ticket, it’s in their DNA. Lawyer up and present your case to the judge.
I’ve only had one interaction with conservation officer and that was during deer season. As I was approaching my Jeep I was just able to make out a human shape in the near dark at about 40 yards. I stopped abruptly out of caution. At that same moment he turned on his flashlight and identified himself.
As I made it to my Jeep he asked if my weapon was unloaded, I just held it toward him so he could see the bolt on my shotgun was open. He asked if he could check the weapon, I said sure, handed it to him and stared to put my backpack away. When I had stowed my gear he handed me back my shotgun and asked why I had the bolt open. I told him I never walk in the woods disarmed as we have bears and occasional moose in addition to deer who are in the rut and can be aggressive. The open bolt would allow me to drop a shell in the chamber in an instant if necessary. He asked when I had unloaded the weapon, I told him exactly at dusk, the end of our legal shooting time. He asked why I was just arriving at my vehicle at 45 minutes after the close of legal shooting time and I told him that’s how long it takes me to walk from my stand back to my Jeep.
He was pleasant enough but the whole time I felt he was sure he would find something unlawful.
As I made it to my Jeep he asked if my weapon was unloaded, I just held it toward him so he could see the bolt on my shotgun was open. He asked if he could check the weapon, I said sure, handed it to him and stared to put my backpack away. When I had stowed my gear he handed me back my shotgun and asked why I had the bolt open. I told him I never walk in the woods disarmed as we have bears and occasional moose in addition to deer who are in the rut and can be aggressive. The open bolt would allow me to drop a shell in the chamber in an instant if necessary. He asked when I had unloaded the weapon, I told him exactly at dusk, the end of our legal shooting time. He asked why I was just arriving at my vehicle at 45 minutes after the close of legal shooting time and I told him that’s how long it takes me to walk from my stand back to my Jeep.
He was pleasant enough but the whole time I felt he was sure he would find something unlawful.
contender
Ruger Guru
Actually Jim,, that was just the way an officer asks questions to try & figure out if a person is legal & honest,, or not. Being open, direct, and honest is the best policy. Sounds like you did just that.
As for the killing of that elk thinking it was a whitetail.
Yes,, the horns do appear to be quite small, and could be possibly mistaken for a whitetail rack.
BUT,, as a former Hunter Safety Instructor I can say that "Game identification is part of the class & considered to very important. Any hunter should KNOW what their target is,, AND what is beyond it before pulling a trigger. About a dozen or so years ago,, we had a 19 year old "hunter" shoot & kill a man who was bent over & wearing a brown jacket. Poor identification of the intended target.
Sounds like what happened here.
As for the killing of that elk thinking it was a whitetail.
Yes,, the horns do appear to be quite small, and could be possibly mistaken for a whitetail rack.
BUT,, as a former Hunter Safety Instructor I can say that "Game identification is part of the class & considered to very important. Any hunter should KNOW what their target is,, AND what is beyond it before pulling a trigger. About a dozen or so years ago,, we had a 19 year old "hunter" shoot & kill a man who was bent over & wearing a brown jacket. Poor identification of the intended target.
Sounds like what happened here.
