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Old December 6, 2009, 09:30 PM   #1
shortwave
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Man hunting deer bags bull elk instead.

Thats the headlines of the news article by Holly Zachariah in Saturday`s, 12/05/09 Cols.,Ohio Dispatch.

May not be alarming to some but this happened in Ohio. Bull Elk aren`t native to Ohio. Seems as though a fellow named Tod Tomlin was shotgun deer hunting Friday morning(12/04/09) in Southwestern Union Co. Watched three does go behind a thicket. He shot and watched what he said a massive buck walk off. When all was said and done, the 9 point elk dressed at 350-400lbs.

He checked elk in at Marysville Ohio, at Scotts Sporting Goods. According to ODNR Mr. Tomlin will be able to keep meat. ODNR took head for some testing but will return to Tomlin.

Also Tomlin didn`t have to use purchased deer tag. Guess thats a win-win situation for him.
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Old December 6, 2009, 10:27 PM   #2
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but will return to Tomlin.
I think they said they will 'endeavor to return the head' after completing their testing. I bet it ends up in ODNR HQ.

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Also Tomlin didn`t have to use purchased deer tag. Guess thats a win-win situation for him.
Not an Ohio game animal.

Talk of deer camp!!!!
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Old December 6, 2009, 10:33 PM   #3
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Wow, Didn't have a clear recognition of his target. Killed an animal which was not in season, nor had a license for, and gets nothing out of the deal. All I can say is..AMAZING!
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Old December 6, 2009, 10:38 PM   #4
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+1 to what elkman06 said.
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Old December 6, 2009, 10:40 PM   #5
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e-man, Why charge the guy? If it isn't an ohio game animal then there is no closed season... Same as florida. Electronic calls are illegal for game animals but since bobcat and coyote are not listed as "game animals" so we can use them on those critters all year long...
NO BAG LIMIT!
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Old December 6, 2009, 10:48 PM   #6
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isn't an ohio game animal
Hmm, tell that to the Feds when I go shooting wolves.......
Quote:
behind a thicket
At minimum this should be addressed.
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Old December 6, 2009, 10:55 PM   #7
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Not knowing a buck deer from a bull elk is slightly amusing to me , but, I guess if he had never seen an elk before, it is possible.

The part I have the most trouble with is the shot into the ticket when the hunter didn't have a clear picutre of what was there. Shooting at sound or movement has always seemed pretty stupid to me.
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:00 PM   #8
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Hmm, tell that to the Feds when I go shooting wolves.......
Elk are not listed on the federal protected animal list (any level) like the wolves are so I wouldn't throw the ohio elk story in the face of an agent bustin' yer hide for the wolf kill

If elk show up in florida, they, too, will be wide open year around fair game on all private lands.
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:21 PM   #9
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I heard about another odd deer for Ohio last week. A guy shot a deer that looked like a cross between a white tail and an elk, at least that is how the antlers and coloration was described. Anyone ever heard of anything like this?
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:25 PM   #10
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Quote: "Not knowing a buck deer from a bull elk is slightly amusing to me , but, I guess if he had never seen an elk before, it is possible. "

Two ladies walked up to me in Yellowstone NP couple of years back and asked me if the animals I was watching were Pronghorn Antelope. The animals were cow elk about 100 yds away. The ladies said they were school teachers. I refrained from asking them where and what they taught.
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:27 PM   #11
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LHB,
Possibly a red stag?
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:35 PM   #12
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hmm a big yellow whitetail with elk horns? you know beacause deer and elk look so alike i dont care how brushy it might have been or if they guy didny know what an elk looked like he shuld have known what he was shooting at
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:35 PM   #13
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The elk came from somewhere... I wonder if there is an elk farmer up their that is missing his bull?
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:38 PM   #14
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Quote: "LHB, Possibly a red stag? "

No. Cow elk at 100 yds using 10X Leica binoculars. I haven't seen any red stag in Yellowstone NP but have seen some in Texas on exotic game ranch in Hill Country.
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Old December 6, 2009, 11:39 PM   #15
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There are private reserves advertising elk hunts here in Ohio.I would bet one got away!

There are reports of cougar here too that are "not here" in Ohio according to the ODNR.
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Old December 7, 2009, 12:04 AM   #16
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Also, I believe the state of Kentucky is re-establishing an Elk herd. Was the guy in Southern, Ohio? Elk have been known to move around from time to time...

Last edited by Fat White Boy; December 7, 2009 at 08:57 PM.
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Old December 7, 2009, 12:16 AM   #17
Tom Matiska
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It is a modest size by Elk standards. It should pass as a mistake and not a crime.
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Old December 7, 2009, 12:24 AM   #18
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Also, I believe the state of Kentucky is re-establishing a deer herd. Was the guy in Southern, Ohio? Elk have been known to move around from time to time...
Yeah, we've got some back in Virginia again since Kentucky release them.

Our state has them listed as game, but you have to report it special if you bag one.

Not 100% sure on the laws since I don't have the book with me, but basically the season is the same as whitetail, and the rules of the hunt are the same as well.

It also counts as a Whitetail and uses one of your tags (Either Antlered or Non-Antlered depending on the status or your elk)
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Old December 7, 2009, 01:12 AM   #19
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A few years ago, I got dispatched to a truck vs deer accident which is fairly commen at this time of the year. When I showed up, the whole front end of this truck was smashed halfway up to the windshield. Both airbag are deployed and the truck is totalled. I asked the guy if he was sure he didn't hit a cow and he told me it was definetly a deer but it was the biggest deer he had ever seen. I walked up the road to check out this deer which turned out to be a 6X6 bull elk. Definetly no elk in my neck of the woods. Turns out the ranch hand on the game ranch across the highway left the front gate open.
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Old December 7, 2009, 01:42 AM   #20
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elk news

There is an article about it in the Columbus Dispatch. They believe this one came from a nearby game farm across the county line. Elk and bison are both native to Ohio, but extirpated, meaning extinct to this area, besides other furry things.
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Old December 7, 2009, 11:14 AM   #21
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I also believe the guy knew it was not a normal deer when he shot it. He was aware it was very dark and a very strange rack. He just did not know it was an Elk. He may very well have shot the thing then decided he was sticking with the "I thought it was a big dark deer" story when he checked it.

I am starting to think the Ohio hunting environment is totally different from the rest of the US as you guys seemed to be amazed that someone out hunting wouldn't know the difference. I am not surprised at all. He was probably out with family members who knew what they were doing and he had no idea.
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Old December 7, 2009, 12:23 PM   #22
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There are reports of cougar here too that are "not here" in Ohio according to the ODNR.
A question I have always asked is how the law can enforce the protection of an animal that does not exist. But here in North Carolina to the best of my knowledge the cougar is protected with a possible fine of $5,000 even though biologist say cougar do not exist in NC.

Apparently incompetent Wildlife biologists are a nationwide problem. NC has a population of cougar and possibly still existing remnants of the thought to be extinct Carolina panther (a dark grey version). But the state biologist will not admit to it. Several are killed every year but go undocumented for fear of getting in trouble. When photos are brought forward the biologist pass them off as large house cats or if they cannot justify that then they just say the photo is not of good enough quality to determine the size.

Some people have had dogs go missing or dogs show up with massive claw and bight wounds in sighted areas that veterinarians even say they look like those caused from a large cat. But yet the biologist will not give in to even the possibility of there being a breeding population here.

In a conversation with a game warden he told of a little known release about 20+ years ago buy the NC Division of Wildlife of cougar in the Sandhills Game Lands of which he witnessed. Other wardens also told of watching the cougars for years after and even seeing cubs. Biologist now deny this and continue to insult the intelligence of those that have seen them.
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Old December 7, 2009, 12:27 PM   #23
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You blast an elk in Pennsylvania and you are in a WORLD of hurt.
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Old December 7, 2009, 12:55 PM   #24
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treefarmernc,
I have always wondered the same thing. I have seen them myself many times over the years in Madison county. They weren't the grey ones tho, they were tan. I have seen a Black one only once, here in McDowell. That one has been spotted many times by customers of our store tho. It doesn't exist, but if I kill this non-existent creature its a $5,000. fine like you said. We had one hit by a car on I-40 here bout three or four years ago, I know the trooper that responded to it. He saw it, call NC Wild life, they came loaded it up in a Jeep left. Not a word about it since.
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Old December 7, 2009, 01:19 PM   #25
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I wouldn't throw the ohio elk story in the face of an agent bustin' yer hide for the wolf kill
Nah, I learned the old "Tommy made me do it" thing didn't work a couple of eons ago.
Beyond that, the wolf has been delisted in Idaho, Montana, and eastern Washington. Was briefly here in Wyo also until they figured out that we don't play nice and "Friends for Furry things" talked a sympathetic judge in Montana into reining in our wolf killing parade. I suspect they will threaten to pull some highway funding from Wyo and get us to play nice at some point and it will become a trophy animal like other states.
The point was made that our mentality out here about hunting ethics is probably different than yours back east as was pointed out in some of the hog hunting methodology that you do back there. Not everyone plays by the same rules, etc. Thats okay, I just don't see the point at shooting something behind a thicket, not sure of the target, etc that was presented here. If there are no rules about it then oh well. I just happen to have a lot of respect for the Wapiti and don't like the idea of someone just being able to blast one. My bad I guess. On the other hand, I don't think much about shooting prairie dogs or coyotes for that matter. Rabbits and squirrels either, but I recognize that they are valued differently elsewhere.
To each his own I guess.
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