I don’t know how y’all are able to get inside this guy’s head and “know” he intentionally hunted the wrong area. In the absence of evidence to prove intent, the truth may only ever be between him and his Maker.
2 years ago I headed off to a popular public area to hunt fall turkey, which I “knew” was in the district my tag was valid for. I knew the district boundaries by heart. I had parked, and was a couple hundred yards from my truck walking in the dark when it dawned on me that I never crossed the road which was the boundary into the district. My heart sank, but on the way back to my truck I was very grateful I had that sudden revelation. I just checked OnX, and I was 7 miles from the boundary, but the distance is irrelevant if I had taken an animal illegally.
@Bambistew to your original question I would triple check the code you enter on your application before you submit it, and if successfully drawn, compare the electronic code and any hardcopy you receive or print on your tag with the the regs to ensure it matches. This is what I do - me, the game agencies issuing the tags, and the license vendors have never made an error in this regard, but these things do happen, which is why I check before and afterwards.
Assumptions of the intent of the poacher aside, his written statement is impressive in the sheer number of excuses he is able to cram into just a few paragraphs! Leaves a crap taste in my mouth after reading it.
If I were in the poacher’s shoes and had taken an animal in an area I didn’t have a permit for, here’s what I might say if I had IG:
“On [insert date] I illegally killed a bull elk in MT because I did not have a valid tag for that area. I did possess an elk tag valid for an adjacent unit. This issue was brought to my attention when I was contacted by a FWP agent several weeks after the incident. There was an error on the hunt codes somewhere in the application process, which I failed to adequately check for and catch prior to heading out on my hunt. While it was never my intention to break the law, which is always the case for me, there is no excuse for my actions, and I take full accountability. I have retained an attorney to represent me in upcoming legal proceedings, who will be presenting evidence on my behalf to show that I did not intentionally break the law. However, I do anticipate a sanction from the judge as intent alone does not prevent guilt in criminal actions. I want to set a good example for my children. There are a lot of strong statements being made on social media about me right now and that is understandable considering the situation. Please feel free to contact me via DM if you have concerns or questions and l’ll do my best to respond. Thanks”