scottb Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 My son went out hunting saturday with a family friend and pulled off a bonehead mistake. He was uphill from two whitetail deer, the first one was a decent 3x3 buck and the other was a big doe. The shot was about 80 yards down hill, and the rifle was zeroed for 300. Well, the kid just over shoots the buck, and drills the doe in the neck, drops her like a bad habit. This year, in the districts that we hunt, fish & game closed the taking of does to anyone over the age of 15. My son just turned 17. Anyway, he dresses it out and brings it home, we call the warden and he stops by. The kid explained what happened and the warden understood it was a mistake. He issued my son a warning, confiscated the deer, and took his deer tag. The kid is kinda bummed about that, but i told him it was better then getting a huge fine, and losing hunting privleges for 2 years, besides it was just his deer tag, he got to keep his elk tag and can still hunt them. I talked to him after the warden left, and he said he was more affraid about comeing home and telling me then he was about the warden. Yes, the warden could issue him a ticket, but he has to live with me.......lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92xj Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Kuddos for actaully stepping up as men and calling the warden to have him come out. I know some people would have just cleaned it, processed it, hid the remains and not said a word but live with a guilty conscious for a long time. It sucks that it happen, but lessons are learned everyday! It could always have been worse. Good luck with the Elk season. Hope all is well over there Scott. I will be PMing you to discuss tags and what nots soon. Take care buddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 I think you did the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Mistakes happen, no doubt you handled it the best way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Tough lesson to learn, but a lesson none the less. It comes down to the knowing your target and beyond rule we all hear of. It is easy to make a mistake in the heat of the moment. You did the right thing by bringing the warden. No need to blemish your integrity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb Posted November 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 I agree with all of you, it was absolutely the right thing to do, but...............the bright side is, that it gives me something to rib him about for quite some time !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Hey stuff happens man! You guys did the right thing by calling the warden. Better to be honest about things like that than trying to hide it and feel guilty for a long time like Ben said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted November 2, 2010 Report Share Posted November 2, 2010 Very good call. Last year in late muzzleloader I shot a buck that was hurt bad and once I shot him he took off running and went head of heels in front of me. When I walked up he knocked both his horns off when he fell. I called the DNR and explained what happened and asked how to tag him. I used the buck tag as I was directed to do. You did the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisSeb53 Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Kuddos for actaully stepping up as men and calling the warden to have him come out. I know some people would have just cleaned it, processed it, hid the remains and not said a word but live with a guilty conscious for a long time. It sucks that it happen, but lessons are learned everyday! It could always have been worse. Good luck with the Elk season. Hope all is well over there Scott. I will be PMing you to discuss tags and what nots soon. Take care buddy! I agree you did the right thing, but when you hand the deer over to the warden, where does it go? Is it put to good use and fills an empty stomach or is it a waste? I have mixed feelings for that reason and that reason alone. Maybe I am uneducated about this, but I do know that it would have been used and eaten if I cleaned it and consumed it instead of giving it to the warden. I know then, that the deer would not have been harvested for nothing. Accident or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abear491 Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Thats the way my feelings are too. If he was going to waste the deer I wouldn't have bothered to call him and just cut it up myself. Not that I don't check in most of my deer but I think it could have been just a warning while getting to keep the doe at the same time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92xj Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 I agree you did the right thing, but when you hand the deer over to the warden, where does it go? Is it put to good use and fills an empty stomach or is it a waste? I have mixed feelings for that reason and that reason alone. Maybe I am uneducated about this, but I do know that it would have been used and eaten if I cleaned it and consumed it instead of giving it to the warden. I know then, that the deer would not have been harvested for nothing. Accident or not. Did you mean to quote me on this? Are you asking me what the warden in Montana is going to do with the deer? I have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Did the right thing. Stinks to loose the deer and your tag but atleast he can get after some elk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisSeb53 Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 I was just saying I agree with you when you said they did the right thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkoholic Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 Let me clear up the issue of what happens to a confiscated game animal here in northwest Montana (at the Kalispell office). Said animals are put in a walk-in freezer and sold at auction. I am aware of one hunter who had his elk confiscated (notched his tag for the next day and had it taken at the check station) and bought it at the auction a couple of months later. In the case of a buck or bull they usually sell the rack and carcass separately. I am not sure what happens to the money from the auction, but a phone call would probably answer that question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallone Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 You did the right thing and teachng your son the same, good job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunter109 Posted November 4, 2010 Report Share Posted November 4, 2010 you did the right thing man well gess you all ant got the does like we do in ohio we have alot of deer here but does are legal here to kill they give us extra tags to kill more of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUNTINGMAN Posted November 5, 2010 Report Share Posted November 5, 2010 You done the right thing,good to here your tea hing him to be an ethical hunter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb Posted November 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2010 I agree you did the right thing, but when you hand the deer over to the warden, where does it go? Is it put to good use and fills an empty stomach or is it a waste? I have mixed feelings for that reason and that reason alone. Maybe I am uneducated about this, but I do know that it would have been used and eaten if I cleaned it and consumed it instead of giving it to the warden. I know then, that the deer would not have been harvested for nothing. Accident or not. Well in the case of not just my kids deer, but of most of the game our warden up here takes when there have been mistakes, the entire animal is taken into the local butcher shop and processed, then it is taken down to either the food bank or the senior citizens center, or both places. No animal is wasted and we are very lucky that we have a warden that not only does a magnificent job, but truely cares about people that live in the community that he works in. We could have easily kept quite about the deer as we already had it at home, but, and here is the kicker, i am trying to raise my kids that it is paramount to the future of our hunting heritage that we ALWAYS do the right thing. I really don't know how i could have faced my boy had i told him to just get the deer into the house and we'll keep it, not after explaining to him for years before he ever fired his first shot and in the last 5 years of his hunting about being responsible when it comes to hunting. Plus, at least here, he got to see the better side of taking responsibility for his actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointing_dogs_rule Posted November 7, 2010 Report Share Posted November 7, 2010 You did the right thing and teachng your son the same, good job DITTO good luck to all the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunt or be Hunted Posted November 7, 2010 Report Share Posted November 7, 2010 Scott, You did the right thing. Some "hunters" would not do that. They'd just keep it and not say nothing and go on with their life's. Teaching your kid at the same time! Good Job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntnfish Posted November 7, 2010 Report Share Posted November 7, 2010 I agree you did the right thing and set a great example for your kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackranny Posted November 10, 2010 Report Share Posted November 10, 2010 Good Job In this day and age where a lot of kids don't get the parental supervision they need or have parents that don't care - it is GREAT to see how you are teaching your child and raising him right. You both did the right thing by telling the entire truth and you both seemed like you were willing to accept whatever the warden handed to you. That is being a MAN and a responsible hunter. Hey, we all make mistakes - but how we handle them and what we learn from them are what counts. I applaud you for the way you handled the situation, and how you are teaching your child!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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