Packmansion
Lil-Rokslider
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2022
- Messages
- 240
Was out hunting pronghorn in southern Colorado on public land. Saw a Male and Female Pronghorn and I also saw a hunter. The bastard took a real long shot. He botched it pretty bad. He just walked straight to his car an left. I watch the whole thing unfold. The pronghorn had blood all over his left hind quarter and there was so stuff hanging out of his gut. We tried to catch up with the guy who took the shot but he really booked it out of there. Really soured the hunt. Wife was with me. She was pretty upset by it all. Unfortunately I had a Doe tag so legally I could not finish the job. Otherwise I would have... When something like this goes down is there something I should do? He may have committed a felony.
Below is what I found after talking with the warden:
I talked to the Warden. He said best thing is if you can get a license plate or accurate vehicle description that helps. Also to call the warden if you have their number. Otherwise call operation game thief.
If you want to be the hero just know that if you do shoot and animal and leave it to die that is a felony:
Say good bye to hunting and your 2A rights, maybe even your job... Maybe your spouse too. Might be better for the kids to have a parent who can support them. The warden was specific in saying that it was good that I did not shoot the animal. The warden has to enforce the law. If you are caught with an animal and have the wrong tag that is poaching. If you shoot and abandon an animal to put it out of its misery that is a felony. You can tell them your story but they don't have to believe it even if they want to, they have to enforce the law. By them letting you off the hook they themselves have failed to do their job that they have sworn to do. Don't make them risk their job cause you love pronghorns so much. If they let everyone with a story off the hook then poachers will never be prosecuted. In the big picture animals die from a lot worse all the time. From my conversation with the Warden I will simply never break the law and I will report anything I see immediately. I will also make sure I do not make mistakes. If I do I will immediately self report. It is a good idea to call the warden of the GMU you will be hunting in and make contact. In the event you have to self report it is best that you have a relationship with the Warden. It doesn't guarantee anything but it might help. Just don't be the guy who shoots an animal and walks off.
All that being said it is unfortunate for the pronghorn but its "the way she goes" and what is most unsettling isn't the suffering of the animal but the fact that we live in a society where people do shitty things like this. Its every other hunters responsibility to assist the wardens and create a culture which supports the system that allows us all to hunt sustainably.
Below is what I found after talking with the warden:
I talked to the Warden. He said best thing is if you can get a license plate or accurate vehicle description that helps. Also to call the warden if you have their number. Otherwise call operation game thief.
If you want to be the hero just know that if you do shoot and animal and leave it to die that is a felony:
Say good bye to hunting and your 2A rights, maybe even your job... Maybe your spouse too. Might be better for the kids to have a parent who can support them. The warden was specific in saying that it was good that I did not shoot the animal. The warden has to enforce the law. If you are caught with an animal and have the wrong tag that is poaching. If you shoot and abandon an animal to put it out of its misery that is a felony. You can tell them your story but they don't have to believe it even if they want to, they have to enforce the law. By them letting you off the hook they themselves have failed to do their job that they have sworn to do. Don't make them risk their job cause you love pronghorns so much. If they let everyone with a story off the hook then poachers will never be prosecuted. In the big picture animals die from a lot worse all the time. From my conversation with the Warden I will simply never break the law and I will report anything I see immediately. I will also make sure I do not make mistakes. If I do I will immediately self report. It is a good idea to call the warden of the GMU you will be hunting in and make contact. In the event you have to self report it is best that you have a relationship with the Warden. It doesn't guarantee anything but it might help. Just don't be the guy who shoots an animal and walks off.
All that being said it is unfortunate for the pronghorn but its "the way she goes" and what is most unsettling isn't the suffering of the animal but the fact that we live in a society where people do shitty things like this. Its every other hunters responsibility to assist the wardens and create a culture which supports the system that allows us all to hunt sustainably.
Last edited:
