I saw several comments on a couple of threads about Game Wardens/Small Fines for violations of game laws.

But here is a story where the punishment was quite a bit more substantial.

This is the kind of fine that would seem to be a deterrent. Your thoughts ?

Illegal moose kill fine

If this is his first offense then it seems about right.

What I don't get is these multiple offenders that keep getting a hunting license.

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We offer everyone this advice; if you accidentally kill the wrong species, you should call us right away and field dress the animal immediately so that it does not spoil.

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Behncke suggested that hunters who follow the regulations for killing the wrong species in Colorado may be subject to fines of only $70.50, rather than $20,000.

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If you report it and dress it, what happens to it? does it go to a food bank?

TexasAggie_02 said:

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We offer everyone this advice; if you accidentally kill the wrong species, you should call us right away and field dress the animal immediately so that it does not spoil.

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Behncke suggested that hunters who follow the regulations for killing the wrong species in Colorado may be subject to fines of only $70.50, rather than $20,000.

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If you report it and dress it, what happens to it? does it go to a food bank?

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Yes

GWs also look at the situation much more favorably than if you abandon the animal completely without an attempt to recover. especially a moose - in Alaska you have to harvest the entire animal or face the potential of fines.

kind of a situation where a kid got scared and didnt know what to do, but if youre gonna be out in the bush you should know these things.

19 years old is not a kid in my book.

Colorado is very particular about their moose herd (most states are, many are not doing real well right now). You have to be pretty stupid to shoot a trophy bull moose and not an elk.

One of the VERY FIRST things that was DRILLED into my head about hunting as a youngster, and one that I emphasize to whoever I am with when out in the field....is that you MUST totally identify your target AND be VERY aware of anything behind/downrange of it !

This hunter made several mistakes in judgement in how he conducted himself....but target ID was his first and biggest.

"The man admitted to shooting the moose while out hunting elk, though he said the animal was too far away to positively be identified."

Just a reminder to us all to remember the basic safety fundamentals when around firearms.

This was my first hunting season as a CO resident, and I saw my first moose in the wild in the summer of 2018.

Even looking at a cow moose with the naked eye 1/2 a mile away, I knew it was a moose and not an elk. They are not at all similar.

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but if youre gonna be out in the bush you should know these things

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Exactly! Or have planned accordingly. I went on an elk hunt with some friends near Hayden, CO back in October. Saturday evening a young guy and his girlfriend come hiking past camp with just the head of the bull he shot on his back. He wanted to barter for one of the 3 horses we had in camp to get his elk out, to which we did not oblige. Said he was coming back the next day for it, but it was about 5.5 miles to the trailhead from our camp, and no telling how far past camp he killed the elk.

The next day we hike out and spend the night in Steamboat. Monday midday on our way back to Denver I see this guy in the restroom of the Kum & Go in Kremmling (80 miles from Hayden) and I ask him if he had retrieved his elk and he still hadn't. Had some story of some guys with horses who were supposed to help and then they cancelled. I could kick myself for not inconspicuously getting his name or license plate and calling CP&W. I had a bad feeling that elk was never retrieved but hopefully I'm wrong.

not defending the kid but he may have watched too much randy newberg or cameron haynes or whatever and then walked up on 900lbs of unwieldy fur-wrapped meat and realized he was in way over his head
next time he goes elk hunting I bet he is better prepared, and coyotes and ravens gotta eat

they oughta string him up if he didn't have the tenderloins in his pack though

NRH ag 10 said:

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Even looking at a cow moose with the naked eye 1/2 a mile away, I knew it was a moose and not an elk. They are not at all similar.

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Sure. That's easy for you and I to say. The reality is a cow moose and a cow elk look pretty similar to the average person. Especially as a person gets older and the eyes deteriorate. Out on a mountain is very different than IDing them in a magazine.

The first thing any decent outfitter will ask is if you know the difference between a elk and a moose.

I passed on a 60 yard shot last elk season because the three bulls were feeding in THICK cover. Every time I could identify a legal bull, he'd put his head back down and mix in with the other small bulls. Never did get a shot before they winded me after 15 minutes and hauled ass. They were probably all legal, but I couldn't force myself to take the chance and be wrong.

There's no defending killing a bull moose. Those palmated antlers the size of satellite dishes on a trophy bull are impossible to miss.

NRH ag 10 said:

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This was my first hunting season as a CO resident, and I saw my first moose in the wild in the summer of 2018.

Even looking at a cow moose with the naked eye 1/2 a mile away, I knew it was a moose and not an elk. They are not at all similar.

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Where ya located?

Colorado, duh.

In 15 minutes of watching three bull elk at 60 yards you couldn't pick out one with a single 5" brow tine?

AggielandPoultry said:

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NRH ag 10 said:

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This was my first hunting season as a CO resident, and I saw my first moose in the wild in the summer of 2018.

Even looking at a cow moose with the naked eye 1/2 a mile away, I knew it was a moose and not an elk. They are not at all similar.

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Where ya located?

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I'm in Denver pretending I don't have a ****load of 30rd mags for my AR.

NRH ag 10 said:

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AggielandPoultry said:

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NRH ag 10 said:

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This was my first hunting season as a CO resident, and I saw my first moose in the wild in the summer of 2018.

Even looking at a cow moose with the naked eye 1/2 a mile away, I knew it was a moose and not an elk. They are not at all similar.

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Where ya located?

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I'm in Denver pretending I don't have a ****load of 30rd mags for my AR.

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Amen to that.

sunchaser said:

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In 15 minutes of watching three bull elk at 60 yards you couldn't pick out one with a single 5" brow tine?

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Sure I could. I did multiple times when they would pick their head up to look around.

But when the brush is above their shoulders it doesn't do any good if you can't get an immediate shot. They were feeding in a tight herd and would immediately intermingle feeding with their heads down where you could only see the tops of their backs.

My option was to wait it out or take a shot like we're bagging on the kid in the story where I couldn't be sure of identifying the correct animal. It didn't work out. I got on a bigger bull than anything in that herd 2 days later. I'd do the same again.