Sporting? Attempting a kill in a pasture?

[Jennie@ifish]

I was on my way home today when I came upon several cars just past the Kilchis bridge on Alderbrook Loop Road here in Tillamook.
I stopped to look and talk with some fellow passers by.
A big bull was in the pasture, alone, with two arrows in it's side, with no one apparently tracking it.
The rest of the herd left him.
I felt SO sorry for it! Obviously not feeling well, hobbling along.
Is this sporting? I feel bow hunting is not lethal enough.
I was told to call the OSP, so I did.
He checked into it, and the farmer had given permission and did not want to press charges.
I don't understand what charges, etc...
I don't know any hunting rules, in fact, but by the time he got there, there were 5 hunters in camo trying to find the hurt elk.
What to think of this? Is this normal?
Like I said, I don't hunt, so I don't know how it all works.
The OSP said that usually they find the elk a couple days later, and the meat has gone gangreen. This sounds awfully cruel to me.
Plus, what sport is there in hunting in an open farmers field?
Sorry, don't mean to stir things up, just wondering?
Jen

[RipDatLip]

It is all in how accurate you are and how much weight your bow is set to shoot. If a bull is shot twice there should be no reason for it to still be alive. Most people are lucky if they get a second shot. I don't know what they were doing, but this situation doesn't sound correct. Please don't go as far as to say that bow hunting is cruel and should be banned just because of this one situation. I'm sure that this is a rare occasion. Who knows, they might have shot the elk on the run. That sounds unusual.

Matt

[bigshark]

Jen
I'm sorry that you saw this, I can assure you this is not the work of an ethical hunter. If this were anything close to normal, bowhunting big game would not exist. Unfortunately there are those amoung our ranks, some well intended but ill equipted, others who are simply victums themselves of their own judgement and will never forget the awful thing that happened. Those who shoot a gun poorly, undergun themselves, or use unsportsmen like conduct or judgement can, and have had similiar outcomes. Know that you, by your enablement of allowing us
to talk about equiptment, methods, many other topics on your board, will help make these awful experience fewer and fewer. You and those who support you contribute more than you know to making us better at what we
do, in the field and on the water.

[Jennie@ifish]

It was awful.
As I said, I am very ignorant about hunting and the techniques.
I am glad to know that this happens, but not alot.
I guess it can be compared to releasing a very beautiful big wild nook accidently, with fatal injuries.
Jen

[Get Bit]

Jen,
Sorry you had to witness such a crude display
of what seems to be poor ethics by a hunter.
Even though no laws were broken someone obviously used poor judgement in attempting to harvest that animal. These things could include such things as inadequate equipment, taking an ill advised shot, or shot placement. Unfortunately most of these can be avoided by hunters if they are simply aware of their own limitations as well as that of their equipment's. There is also an outside chance that this bull was just one tough customer. So lets not be too quick to pass judgement.
Though not a bow hunter myself, the bowhunters I know are responsible, ethical people that would go to the ends of the earth pursuing game if injured as in this case and I do assure you that their equipment is very humane and lethal. Hopefully this helps. Just my take on your description of a tough situation.
Tight Lines,
Get Bit

[Bait O' Eggs]

It is a sad part of hunting. Sometimes an animal will escape with serious wounds. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

It doesnt sound like a crime was committed as defined on the books. Hunters (and I use that term loosely) got permission to hunt some land and did a poor job of placing an arrow in the animal. I dont see the sport in chasing these semi domesic animals around the field amongst the holsteins. Sort of like snagging in the hatchery pond. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

There are lots of levels of hunting, this is about as low as it gets. I am sure the farmer wanted the animals gone since the elk are eating feed which the farmer wants his cows to eat. There is always somebody out there who will part the barb wire fence and walk 100 feet from his car, shoot, and call it hunting.

I highly doubt the wardens will put the animal out of its misery. Hopefully a hunter will take care of the situation, as it reflects poorly on the rest of us hunters.

I have heard of several cases where rifle hunters kill an elk and find a broadhead in the animal and the animal seemed fine when they shot it. An elk is an extremely tough animal, they dont go down easy. I think that is why I enjoy hunting them so much. Sort of like a wild chinook/steelhead that pulls with all its might until there is no strength left in it to fight with.

I am saddened such a mighty animal is laying in pain, amongst the holsteins. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[Robert]

I think what happened was an exception not a rule. It was very sad. I think that less of this would happned if to hunt you have to have proof of a hunters education class. This type of thing would prevent so many injured animals as well as hunting accidents.
I also think that there should be a required fishing class prior to obtaining a fishing licence. Extreme yes, but there would be less snaggers, as well as fish being killed due to misidentification. It would also teach people how to release. I have seen lots fo people pick up a sal;mon or steelhead by puting their hands through there gills. I told them not to do it again. I would liked to kicked them in the river.

[bigshark]

We don't know what happened in this situation. Jen says TWO arrows were sticking in the animals side. Such a sight does't help
hunting and especially bowhunting. Such acts at the very least can bring changes in the regulations or an attempt to change them. I'm told that some states are requiring the hunters name and social security number must be placed on any arrow taken into the field.
I don't have any idea as to how effective this is in reducing problems of this kind. It would be interesting to hear board member
opinions. The cresting on my arrows is known
by several fellows that I've hunted with. How would you feel if one of yours was hanging out of a animal? If the SP have a name and number to identify you, how would you like to answer their questions? This can
and may very well happen if we have these kind of accidents(?) become publicized. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

[bait boy]

I used to live in New Hampshire and all bowhunters were required to have their name and address on their arrows. I think that it does a great deal for accountability when you have to be responsible with your gear and not just fling arrows at brown spots. I don't have any problem with identifying myself. I will not take an iffy shot because of my great love and respect for the animal. I try to present the most humane lethal wound for the shortest duration.

Rick

[Tilla]

Hold on Jen, remember birds can fly off, fish can sink out of sight (after awhile). We don't want, or like, or admit to it. It is not a situation endemic to bowhunters. That bull could still heal.

[Lured In]

Tilla, I think that is a solid point to make. As an avid hunter and fisherman, I wish I could say I don't see the same people making poor choices on the water, making the same poor choices in the field.

Another important note about bowhunting. Most people don't bowhunt because they think it is the easiest way to harvest an animal. They enjoy the extremely close encounters (often less than 5 yards) and the fact that they must practice their craft to be successful.

Something you may not know, but almost every state DFW provides bow hunters with some of the best times to hunt big game. This is primarily an admission of its difficulty. The bow season is generally longer and is not necessary limited to just one species. In some units, you can hunt either elk or deer if you have the tag. Rifles, although generally more effective at killing can still be misused and can result in what you saw.

My encouragement to you is to keep in mind that both fishing and hunting have equally "ugly" sides when not practiced in a manner that takes every effort to prevent loss of game.

[Dogfish]

It is a sad situation when you wound an animal. Unfortunately, a bow hunter is at a disadvantage when it comes to power, follow-up shots and maximum effective range. This is why I personally don't bow hunt. I have nothing against stickflickers, but I don't have the time to commit to become proficient enough with a bow for my satisfaction.

As to the taking of elk in a pasture, that is probably one of the hardest situations to hunt in. There is no cover, you have up to 500 eyes checking out your every move, and picking one single animal out of a group of 250 elk to safely take is quite a challenge. Flock shots are extremely unsportmanlike, and can wound many animals with one shot.

I have taken 2 elk in damage hunts (in 200 to 800 acre pastures) and I drew a tag for a third this year. Both elk were taken at 25 yards with a muzzle loader, and dropped at the shot. One took a few hours of stalking to get close enough to, the other was caught in 6 feet of barbed wire which had wrapped around both legs, completely cutting through the skin all the way around the lower leg. The wire had gone down to the bone. I took that small animal, a bull calf, to prevent any further suffering.

Hunting for the uninitiated looks pretty gruesome. I can be when it isn't done right. Sorry you had to witness this.

Andy

[Norm]

I'm an avid bowhunter and have killed quite a few elk with my bow. In proper hands It is just as effective as a gun. But with a bow you have to really know your limitations There is no excuse for shooting a elk and leaving it wounded. At the very least the hunter should have got permission from the land owner to enter the pasture and finish it off, even if it meant using a rifle. There is getting to be more and more slob hunters out there. Maybe it's time to require every hunter to take and pass a ethics,safety and a wepons proficiency test. I for one would have no problem with such a requirement.

[Dogfish]

In Sweden the primary big game is moose, and to hunt them, you need to take the moose test. It consists of a 10 shot course, including shots at a moving target. I would welcome such a test.

[HOGTIDE]

I am not a bow hunter, but truly admire those who do, for the most part. The amount of patience, stealth, thought and time invested to be successful at that sport is unbelievable.

However,whenever you attempt to kill a huge living creature, some ugly things can happen. After all, you are trying to 'kill' the animal. If you are not efficient or effective at that task, the results can be sadening. It simply is, although often denied, an ugly reality of the sport. Much akin to releasing a exhausted wild steelhead that you know is going to drown.

Sorry anyone has to look at it.

[ 09-22-2001: Message edited by: HOGTIDE ]