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Sub-legal bull -- NO!
Posted by AK4Life on Nov 23 2005
I am only posting this after reading Foodog2’s story. I know this is a long story but it really opened my eyes.
I first want to state, “I do hold respect for the job that Wildlife Troopers have to do." There always seems to be an exception to most statements and here is mine.”
“My little spike bull”
It was the second to last day of moose season, Sept.19th 2005. It had been a wonderful hunt, although we had not made a harvest as of yet. We had seen several nice bulls. Two of which were probably over 50, but in the brush I was never able to get a brow tine count. The company at camp was great and all was well.
I am in a stand for the evening. Just after my third set of scrapping with a shoulder blade, out pops this moose. First instinct was, there is another cow. After a glance with the binoculars it was apparent that it was a little bull. (horn wise). I looked the bull over carefully. Nice long snout, long legs, wide across the forehead, 16-18 month old moose, NOT A CALF!!!! The horns were probably the smallest I had ever seen; About the size of thumbs. Longer than an inch, longer than they are wide, meat in the freezer.
The 21st, we were on our way home when a Trooper pulls me over for a taillight being out on the trailer. Granted BUT- the trooper had been going the other direction…!! And it was middle of the day I didn’t even have to have my lights on. He never asked for drivers license, registration or insurance. (Even after I told him I had a .44 on my side. I could have just stolen everything and he didn’t check an armed mans ID…????)
He wanted to take me straight back to the trailer to show me the light that was out. Before we got back there (crew cab truck- 24’ dovetail gooseneck trailer—all covered with mud) he wanted to know if we had been hunting and if so any moose? I told him that I had one with us and he wanted to see horns.
I showed him the horns. He sent me back to the truck and called in backup. The back up showed up then left. He called me back to his Expedition and told me he thought I had a “sub-legal” bull. I knew he was wrong and tried not to get upset. He asked if I had read the horn regulations. Which I took as a deep insult, which I responded, “have YOU.”
--This is getting to long I will try to shorten it.--
We went back and forth. He thought it was a calf and wanted to see the meat. So we un loaded one whole 4-wheeler trailer (he wanted to see a hind quarter- they were on the bottom) on the side of the road. (small town- lots of people know each other and here I am pulled over getting searched.) After looking at the meat he said “I am not quite convinced’. I couldn’t take it. I asked him if he had ever shot a moose before. He replied, “No. And I just transferred to the wildlife division so this is new to me”
He told me to hold on to the meat but not to process it yet, he wanted to talk to the area biologist. He took the horns.
Bright and early the next morning I was at Fish and wildlife with my pictures. The officer had my horns. The area biologist said he couldn’t tell about the horns from the pictures but he could definitely tell it wasn’t a calf. That helped ease my frustration but I still didn’t have my horns back.
4 days later I wanted to process my moose but still no reply from the officer. The trooper station couldn’t get a hold of him. He had went off duty, but I did get permission to process from another officer.
4 days after that, the officer finally calls me and tells me that he never got to talk to the area biologist but the guys at the station looked at them and I could come pick them up. I was there immediately and the officer had someone else bring the horns out to me.
SORRY for the story being so long. If you read it all I thank you.
Points of interest;
1. I feel I was pulled over because I looked a hunter (atv’s) not from a taillight out.
2. The officer didn’t understand the rules he was enforcing
3. If I had waited until the officer gave me permission to process, I would have lost some of the meat.
This experience really bothered me. I have always tried to do the right thing. I also understand that the officer doesn’t know that. Everyone has to understand that it doesn’t matter how good of a guy you are when a trooper thinks you have done wrong. Best bet: Know your hunting area, know the game you are hunting, know the law, know your target, and be respectful.
Best of the outdoors to all!
AK4Life
Next: quality 4whlr Nov 24 2005
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- Sub-legal bull -- NO! AK4Life Nov 23 2005
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