Hazing Elk off of Public Land

[Tkaldahl2000]

Yesterday I went up to Ryegate to buy a jeep, and in the course of the conversation I mentioned that I had been hunting near there two weeks ago. The rancher I was buying the jeep from asked if I had seen anything. I told him I had seen where a lot of them were, but found no new sign in the area. He then told me that it was because some certain land-owners who own half of the mountain side go in about a week before season with quads and helicopters and haze the elk onto their land. Now I know that these landowners have shown themselves to be jackasses in other situations, but could this really be a realistic possibility? How could one do that without being noticed by a duly constituted authority? If it is happening, what can the rest of us do to provide evidence that it is happening? If this is really happening, I am willing to camp out over there and videotape the event next year. On the other hand, Is this just sour grapes because people aren't finding any elk on the public land? I was blaming the 500 head of cattle in the valley myself.

 

[katqanna]

If it is the landowners I think you are referring to, I know a number of others that have witnessed elk hazing/roundups- public hunters and nearby landowners. I suggested to them to get videographic evidence and file it formally. So if you are willing to camp out to tape, your efforts would be greatly appreciated by quite a number I am sure.

 

[zachthebowhunter]

A friend of mine watched a big landowner do this this year. Flying around in his helicopter, hovered for a minute over a certain spot, then 7 bulls came running out and over the fence onto the landowners place.... infuriating to say the least

 

[MTGomer]

A friend of mine's family are fairly large ranchers in another part of the state. They have their ranch enrolled in BMA and welcome the public to hunt. Their neighbor is a Texas (imagine that) transplant dipshit and for the last 4 years prior to last year would get all his friends and helpers on opening day, shoot a few bulls, and spend the rest of the day on ATVs hazing the elk to keep them from coming onto my pal's family's place, where people are usually waiting - often with their kids to get a cow.

Last year my buddy went hunting there on opening day and took a newly aquainted 'friend', who was actually an FWP warden with him. On the tripod was a camera instead of a spotting scope. They recorded the whole thing, and then drove into his place and started writing tickets.

Perhaps worth a chat with FWP to see if this may be done in this circumstance in the future?

 

[mtmander]

Does anybody contact FWP ? it would be interesting to get their input on this , is there a shoulder season there ?

 

[HighDesertSage]

Alot of smart phones out there these days. Get it on video!

 

[duckhunt]

I would love to see aholes like that get tickets.

 

[TimeOnTarget]

I would love to see aholes like that get tickets.

Problem with that is, These guys are usually beyond rich, they could pay those tickets for the rest of their lives and never bat an eye at it. Monetary fines wont stop these guys.

 

[Rob Allen]

any landowner caught stealing public resources like that should have their land taken from them and given to the Forest Service or BLM.

 

[Sawtooth]

Problem with that is, These guys are usually beyond rich, they could pay those tickets for the rest of their lives and never bat an eye at it. Monetary fines wont stop these guys.

It would be nice if they could take away their hunting privileges for a few years. That would get their attention.

 

[Elkmagnet]

If caught take away landowners tags and it would stop most.

 

[Elkmagnet]

A recent story I read with pics of a crew posed behind a 360 class bull-


I wanted to share this post with all of you, and i apolagize for the long read but i want to put this out in the open. This is a bull killed in southern Idaho earlier this year that was outfitted by $_&-+ Spear Outfitters. As you can see in the post the people that helped take this bull were ##&$_ $$$$$, $##__&@ #$_&-, (#+$-_-_ )#$_&, and one other they did not mention @&#$$ $$$$$. I do not know who the hunter was because they never mentioned his name, probably because of the very unethical way that they guided/hunted this bull. This bull was being pursued by multiple hunters this year and for most it was difficult because the bull spent half his time on private land owned by $$$$$ @#$$$. A few day before they got him the bull came off the private land with his cows and bedded in some trees down on public land. There were a few hunters moving in on the bull when the @#$_& Spear Outfitter crew showd up. Which is fine everyone with a tag has the right to pursue the animal right? Well they had no intentions of hunting him at this point. Four of them walked around the area the bull was bedded and spread out below the bull. They then proceeded to push the trees the bull was in while screaming, hooping, and hollering. Its obvious what happened. All the time they were doing this there was another hunter within a couple hundred yards but they had no regard for him. The next day the bull was working his way off the private land again but he never made it because one of the guides was waiting for him at the fence. Not to hunt but yet again to scream at the bull and scare him farther back into private land. It did not end there. Over the next few days they had people on the fence waiting, one guy was walking around on the public close to the border of private not even hunting just there to make sure that bull would not come off of the private. There was also a point where $$$$ was driving his pickup up and down the road quickly that borders the private fence to push the bull back. The way i see it they should get in trouble for two reasons. Its illegal to harass game if you are not hunting, and it is also illegal to interfere with anothers hunt. The sad part is that $$$$ @##_&t has a friendly relationship with the local Fish and Game enforcment, and he can do no wrong in their eyes. Now from what i understand the hunter paid alot of money for the tag but i dont think that makes it right for them to completely screw other hunters out of a chance on any elk let alone this bull.
Now i know alot of you just think Im just whinning. But this is not the first time this has happened. Just thought people should know.

 

[James Riley]

any landowner caught stealing public resources like that should have their land taken from them and given to the Forest Service or BLM.

Maybe like they do with drugs: take all the property associated with the crime, starting with the helicopter. I'm sure F&G could use another one.

 

[James Riley]

A recent story I read with pics of a crew posed behind a 360 class bull-


I wanted to share this post with all of you, and i apolagize for the long read but i want to put this out in the open. This is a bull killed in southern Idaho earlier this year that was outfitted by $_&-+ Spear Outfitters. As you can see in the post the people that helped take this bull were ##&$_ $$$$$, $##__&@ #$_&-, (#+$-_-_ )#$_&, and one other they did not mention @&#$$ $$$$$. I do not know who the hunter was because they never mentioned his name, probably because of the very unethical way that they guided/hunted this bull. This bull was being pursued by multiple hunters this year and for most it was difficult because the bull spent half his time on private land owned by $$$$$ @#$$$. A few day before they got him the bull came off the private land with his cows and bedded in some trees down on public land. There were a few hunters moving in on the bull when the @#$_& Spear Outfitter crew showd up. Which is fine everyone with a tag has the right to pursue the animal right? Well they had no intentions of hunting him at this point. Four of them walked around the area the bull was bedded and spread out below the bull. They then proceeded to push the trees the bull was in while screaming, hooping, and hollering. Its obvious what happened. All the time they were doing this there was another hunter within a couple hundred yards but they had no regard for him. The next day the bull was working his way off the private land again but he never made it because one of the guides was waiting for him at the fence. Not to hunt but yet again to scream at the bull and scare him farther back into private land. It did not end there. Over the next few days they had people on the fence waiting, one guy was walking around on the public close to the border of private not even hunting just there to make sure that bull would not come off of the private. There was also a point where $$$$ was driving his pickup up and down the road quickly that borders the private fence to push the bull back. The way i see it they should get in trouble for two reasons. Its illegal to harass game if you are not hunting, and it is also illegal to interfere with anothers hunt. The sad part is that $$$$ @##_&t has a friendly relationship with the local Fish and Game enforcment, and he can do no wrong in their eyes. Now from what i understand the hunter paid alot of money for the tag but i dont think that makes it right for them to completely screw other hunters out of a chance on any elk let alone this bull.
Now i know alot of you just think Im just whinning. But this is not the first time this has happened. Just thought people should know.

There is a lot of hate for the 1%ers who lock up the land but these working class ranch hands need some hate too. I would not work for an outfit that did this.

 

[Rob Allen]

I just think it's important to call it what it is. It is stealing public property it is exactly the same as breaking into Fort Knox and stealing gold.

 

[tim629]

Maybe like they do with drugs: take all the property associated with the crime, starting with the helicopter. I'm sure F&G could use another one.

that was my thoughts exactly, money wont hurt them, the land really isn't a realistic option, but taking their helicopter, 4 wheelers, and trucks that were used in the operation then slapping some fines at them, and some hunting restrictions as well as if they have the opportunity for landowner tags they lose that privilege.

knowing the big money guys can plea deal anything down, the plea deal in my opinion would be open up 50% of your land to public hunting/fishing access and that 50% is at the FWP discretion for a certain duration of time

 

[Straight Arrow]

...but taking their helicopter, 4 wheelers, and trucks that were used in the operation then slapping some fines at them, and some hunting restrictions as well as if they have the opportunity for landowner tags they lose that privilege.

Now there's an idea to pose to your district legislators for consideration during the upcoming 2017 legislative session.

It would be great to force those despicable landowners to "shoulder" some of the blame for the elk distribution issues.

 

[Madman]

They can seize property utilized breaking laws here in Colorado, and losing all the vehicles and equipment plus stripping hunting rights for 5-10 years may have a nice impact on those folks with low ethics. Might be a good thing to put on a ballot.

 

[katqanna]

Something I didn't realize until I got the Game Warden citation information request - saw how many were simply dismissed, and like that Lake County debacle of routine dismissals, as well as the recent news of the Billings State Senator Webb caught convicted of poaching - Webbs citation was for $635 and $8000 restitution, he paid $500? WTF

It is not just what our wardens write/issue, but part of the problem is our judicial system that is the next step in the process.

 

[Southern Elk]

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