josh in globe

[GRONG]

When they leave it up to the "discretion of the officer in the field" that's a bunch of horse manure. One guy says he could care less and the other says NO WAY. Leaves room for a whole lot of grey area I'd say.

[billrquimby]

When they leave it up to the "discretion of the officer in the field" that's a bunch of horse manure.  One guy says he could care less and the other says NO WAY.  Leaves room for a whole lot of grey area I'd say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I would like to see the law that says we can't possess skulls with antlers or horns that we've found in the field. If there is such a law or regulation we need to change it!

 

BillQ

[.270]

sounds like the azgfd wants to be able to keep anything of any size for themselves. Lark.

[BASS]

I can see it going both ways though. I'm sure there are guys out there who stick a huge bull, then lets it run off. Then later, he happens to walk up on this dead bull, and takes the rack. That's poaching in my book.

[Kevin]

Bass, I'm not sure I see your logic! Just what do you mean by let it run off? Why wouldn't someone that "sticks" a big bull not take the horns? As long as he doesn't pursue another elk I don't see the problem. Unless your talking about wasting the carcass on purpose then I think your way off base calling an archer that wounds and loses, then later finds the animal and tags it a poacher!

 

Kevin

[GRONG]

I just wish it was cut and dried, no discretionary BS.

 

Here is a partial quote from an email from a strait up game warden to me.

 

"....my personal feeling on the matter is that at least there is a chance that I can keep something that I find. I am an antler nut and have been for some time. I think finding a big coues skull or other dead head is the Holly Grail. To not have any chance at keeping them scares me. I get excited when I see a 10 year old kid on "cloud nine" because he just found a rag horn elk. On the other hand, I get frustrated when I hear that a known poacher somehow found five 350 class bulls in a year. I have accepted the rule and have turned in some nice racks over the years, but I have also been able to keep a few that fell into the directive.

 

There is no solution that I can come up with. As long as AZ keeps producing great big trophy animals, this issue will not go away. After all, there never seems to be any controversy with little pick-ups."

 

That was his $.02 on the deal and I see what he's saying. Law or no law, if I find a spike Coues up to a 150"er, I'm picking the thing up and taking plenty of pictures just in case.

 

Josh

[daryl_s]

Kevin- I think what BASS is referring to is someone who shoots a bull out of season or without a tag and comes back later and acts like they just stumbled across a dead bull and then they want to claim the antlers. There have been people caught doing that.

[BASS]

daryl, that is what I was trying to say. I just re-read my above post, and it was very clear how I wasn't making my point. I was just saying, that those who would shoot a large bull (or deer, or anything) then coming back a day later or so to follow the blood and then taking the antlers of this now dead animal. That is how it was described to me by Officer Phoenix of the AZGFD up near Flag. He also told me that if a car has hit the animal, and it has lived for a while after it was hit. Meaning it ran off deeper in the woods, then died later, the office has said that it then becomes natural causes. For me, I would rather call in, then get in trouble and not be able hunt for a while for an animal I didn't take in the first place. Although I do not completly agree with the rule, I can see how it might be needed. But like some of you said, if I find a nice coues head out there with no meat on it and just bone. I would pack that out and would find it hard to feel any guilt on my part.