12BW: My Oops Hunt with a Great Buck

[AZBIG10]

1 hour ago, AZBIG10 said:

you Should set up a go fund me to raise money to buy the buck. I’m not sure how much they go for. I would pitch in for the cause. Too bad you couldn’t keep the cape too.

I’m being literal. Try finding a kaibab cape. I would rather have that than the meat. Only because I like coues best for table fair.

[Mathews]

2 hours ago, AZBIG10 said:

I’m being literal. Try finding a kaibab cape. I would rather have that than the meat. Only because I like coues best for table fair.

You’re gonna set up a gofundme to help a guy pay for a deer he illegally shot? Lol

[IA Born]

20 minutes ago, Mathews said:

You’re gonna set up a gofundme to help a guy pay for a deer he illegally shot? Lol

There will be no GoFundMe page for any of my endeavors.  I appreciate the support, but, no, I will not accept or set up a GoFundMe to help with my mistakes.  I own those outright.  I do, however, prefer how the WM worded it.  After discussing the illegal deer, he corrected himself to say the "deer that exceeded your bag limit" and his point was to avoid pouring salt in an open wound and make me feel worse than I did at that point.  I told him I appreciated his choice of words. Although it was an illegally taken deer, there was definitely no ill intent.

[az300wby]

Dude you made a mistake it happens. You didn’t lie like some people would have and tagged the bigger buck .  Lots of respect for doing the right thing! 
second mistake was posting your story on here.  You will get support but the wolf’s on here are going to eat you up.  Hope you got thick skin. 

[CatfishKev]

Congrats on your buck. It's a bit humbling to here your post,  Reminds me we are all human.  

I'm skeptical though on some self reporting scenarios. Kudos to you for doing the right thing though.  

 

[muledeerarea33?]

You did the right thing for sure. Do you think the outcome would of been different had you not had the ties to the hunting community that you do?

[AZBIG10]

Given the magnitude of that tag I can only imagine the gut wrenching feeling you had as the events unfolded of the mishap.I know a handful of  very respectable hunters that have self reported from mistakes in the field. I am happy this mishap didn’t poison the experience and I hope you can look back it this hunt and only have fond memories of time spent in the field. Hats off to you and congrats on a successful hunt.

 

[IA Born]

 

47 minutes ago, az300wby said:

Dude you made a mistake it happens. You didn’t lie like some people would have and tagged the bigger buck .  Lots of respect for doing the right thing! 
second mistake was posting your story on here.  You will get support but the wolf’s on here are going to eat you up.  Hope you got thick skin. 

Thank you!  I was raised by a combat vet with severe PTSD.  I have very thick skin.  Besides, wolves have to eat, too.  Somebody has to feed them!

 

15 minutes ago, muledeerarea33? said:

You did the right thing for sure. Do you think the outcome would of been different had you not had the ties to the hunting community that you do?

Thanks!  I've worked with our Federal LEOs and AGFD WMs enough to know that the outcome would have been the same regardless of who I am.  I've been interviewed when a hunter camped next to me did the same thing and told me his story.  I've also been there when turkey hunters shot hens by mistake or shot at one bird, but hit three.  All self-reports. The outcome was exactly the same.  I was honestly expecting the worst because I've had multiple Federal LEOs and AGFD WMs tell me I'm supposed to be held to a higher standard because of my job and status as a Hunter Ed instructor.  I told the WM if he needed to cite me or cuff me because of my status, I completely understood.  He laughed at me.

 

8 minutes ago, AZBIG10 said:

Given the magnitude of that tag I can only imagine the gut wrenching feeling you had as the events unfolded of the mishap.I know a handful of  very respectable hunters that have self reported from mistakes in the field. I am happy this mishap didn’t poison the experience and I hope you can look back it this hunt and only have fond memories of time spent in the field. Hats off to you and congrats on a successful hunt.

 

In the middle of talking to the WM, I walked to the side of the road and puked.  He looked at me strange and I explained to him that my nerves finally caught up to me.  After we got the 1st deer tagged, field dressed, and back to the truck, the three of us sat back and talked about the whole ordeal.  We all concluded that we can hold our heads high, be proud of ourselves, and have nothing but fond memories because we did it right.  It really helped that our morning Devotional was about overcoming adversity through integrity!

[Flatlander]

Man, took some balls to post this here and own up to your mistake. I have been in similar situations and that is a really bad feeling. I’ve self reported a couple things and they weren’t as easy on me, and I don’t blame them but also don’t know what going to court and paying minimal fines really accomplished. I am glad to hear some WM’s have common sense.

[bigorange]

Nice job doing the right thing...especially with your son along for the hunt. 

[BOHNTR]

Kudos to you on self reporting and  setting an example.....no matter the consequence.  It Obviously made a bad mistake a bit more bearable.  Hopefully all of us can learn from this.    

[jim]

There are some wardens that start their conversation with you being guilty and you have to prove you did it all right. You were lucky and got a good one. I have dealt with both types in the past and don't know what crawled up the bad ones butt the day I talked to them. But all my encounters with the good ones were a blessing when my grandkids even point out that the game officers were real nice. You are around the fifth person I know that was issued a warning after similar violations and the only Government employee the rest were just normal folks without any connections to the industry. 

[DCS]

You did exactly what was needed to be done especially with your friend, and son present.I am happy that things worked out good for you,but no matter if it went the other way you owned up that it was a mistake.My father was chief of law enforcement for AG&F from 1947-1972,and it seems like they didn't throw the book at you as much as they do now,but in the end we are all people, right or wrong.I have stories where dads guys would write themselves tickets for mistakes,and have heard horror stories of people self reporting.God bless you, for all that you did,and know that the wolves on here have always have something negative to say.

[jdown]

I have to be honest, I'm a little disappointed in our G&F on this one  with the fact there is not a harsher consequence for these actions.  I get the whole self reporting and accidents happen etc, and no offense to the poster here as you were prepared to suffer whatever was thrown at you,  but if after waiting XX amount of years for a trophy tag and dumping two bucks and the only consequence is that I only get to keep one and I probably can't get away with it twice.... that seems like our G&F is setting up a 1X poachers playbook exemption.  I don't know what the right consequence is for this but feels like there needs to be some deterrent.        

[Mocha1545]

Well done Sir! You set a great example for your son. Glad you read that devotional earlier. I a,m glad the outcome wasn't worse since you did the right thing and the meat will be used for people in need. This happens often and not with the same results. Some people will not self report. Sorry this happened to you!