The violations have started rolling in

[bigskyguy]

I've been checking up on the trooper reports lately as one of my firefighter friends mentioned that the wildlife violations will be stacking up here in the next few weeks. When my wife took her ram in to get sealed the F&G guy said they'd had some "full curl" squeakers come through that they had to take. I can sympathize, even after multiple days looking my wife's ram over through the spotter I was still nervous as we walked up to it. There are some violations however that I have no sympathy for and their blatant disregard for the ethics of fair chase deserve the gavel.

Busy day.
http://dps.alaska.gov/pio/dispatch/T...4.20140820.txt

[FL2AK-Old Town]

I don't sheep hunt muyself, but I have to ask, if it's getting to be like that, why bother to have your ram inspected and sealed at all? Why not butcher it, freeze it, and report that you were unsuccessful at the end of the year? Seriously, other than complying with the law, what is the advantage (or even the reason) to get your horn sealed?

I've been checking up on the trooper reports lately as one of my firefighter friends mentioned that the wildlife violations will be stacking up here in the next few weeks. When my wife took her ram in to get sealed the F&G guy said they'd had some "full curl" squeakers come through that they had to take. I can sympathize, even after multiple days looking my wife's ram over through the spotter I was still nervous as we walked up to it. There are some violations however that I have no sympathy for and their blatant disregard for the ethics of fair chase deserve the gavel.

Busy day.
http://dps.alaska.gov/pio/dispatch/T...4.20140820.txt

[bigskyguy]

The advantage to having the horns sealed is so that you don't go to jail. I'm not about to put my Taxedermist in a position to "bite his tongue". He wouldn't anyways and I respect him for that. I would suspect that when the pilot picks up my pack and it weighs 100lbs more than when he dropped me off suspicions would be raised and hopefully reports made. I also like to show friends and family photos from hunts and would hate to have to be all shady about it.

Aside from being illegal it's just downright unethical, immoral, and I'm not an ********* (at least not in that way).

If the taking of sub-legal animals was protected in the constitution I'd likely sing a different tune. However the "free man of free will" argument didn't work in Montana and I for one am not willing to spend the time or money to try it here in AK.

To each their own and that's cool by me as long as they face the music when the time comes to reflect.

[Brian M]

I don't sheep hunt muyself, but I have to ask, if it's getting to be like that, why bother to have your ram inspected and sealed at all? Why not butcher it, freeze it, and report that you were unsuccessful at the end of the year? Seriously, other than complying with the law, what is the advantage (or even the reason) to get your horn sealed?

In addition to what bigskyguy mentioned above, the other reason is that accurate data allows F&G to better manage our game populations. If no or few harvests are reported and then F&G notices a scarcity of full curl rams in a certain range, they may curtail hunting due to a resource concern. If they know that x number of rams were taken legally (along with those sublegals that were taken), they will be better able to make an informed decision on seasons, size restrictions, etc because they know that rams are reaching maturity. It also informs Board of Game decisions. Harvest data such as the age and size of rams is a huge part of the discussion when deciding whether open areas should go to draw, etc.

The answer isn't to skip the sealing process, the answer is to be absolutely certain a ram (or moose, or any other animal) is legal before pulling the trigger.

[JuliW]

If a hunter illegally shoots an animal when no one is watching, is it still illegal?
I, as a taxidermist, would NEVER knowingly take in a sheep, or any animal that had been illegally harvested. Furthermore, if you bring me an animal and you tell me it was illegally harvested or if I feel the situation is suspect, I WILL report you.

That is how I feel about poaching.
Take a chance on a 51" bull or a 15/16" dall sheep...Or give those animals another year to grow and go after them next yr. It isn't a call I would want to make...And I have passed up plenty of 'probably legal, but not gonna take the chance' moose.

[FL2AK-Old Town]

So you can't get a trophy mounted without it being sealed by F&G. See, I didn't know that. (I'm not real interested in trophies myself-I figure I'm pretty lucky to see anything at all.)

[JuliW]

So you can't get a trophy mounted without it being sealed by F&G. See, I didn't know that. (I'm not real interested in trophies myself-I figure I'm pretty lucky to see anything at all.)

some animals...not all...

[wags]

I read through the trooper reports. The one that has me the most curious is the forth up from the bottom. Some guy from Iowa killed a sheep with out having a tag. A couple of questions: Was he guided? If so, how did the guide let that little detail slip by. If he wasn't guided, wouldn't there be another serious violation; non-resident hunting sheep without a guide?

[Bear]

I don't sheep hunt muyself, but I have to ask, if it's getting to be like that, why bother to have your ram inspected and sealed at all? Why not butcher it, freeze it, and report that you were unsuccessful at the end of the year? Seriously, other than complying with the law, what is the advantage (or even the reason) to get your horn sealed?

Wow!! That there says a lot

[Bushwhack Jack]

Why not butcher it, freeze it, and report that you were unsuccessful at the end of the year?

Because it's against the law and because he has integrity.

[Daniel7723]

What exactly is the penalty for shooting a sub-legal ram?

[AK Bearcat]

If this person has a popular show and lots of money, he will just get a slap on the wrist!

I read through the trooper reports. The one that has me the most curious is the forth up from the bottom. Some guy from Iowa killed a sheep with out having a tag. A couple of questions: Was he guided? If so, how did the guide let that little detail slip by. If he wasn't guided, wouldn't there be another serious violation; non-resident hunting sheep without a guide?

[Bushwhack Jack]

What exactly is the penalty for shooting a sub-legal ram?

Never done it, so I can't say for sure, but from what I have heard you lose the animal, you lose your hunting priveleges for at least a year, and I am going to guess that there is a pretty hefty fine (like in the 1,000s of dollars). It's possible their is jail time too, but probably depends on the judge and the situation.

[outdsman]

Seems like the state values animals more than its people. Its all perspective but when abortions are ok and a sheep that sub legal sends a hunter through the ringer something is wrong.

Probably never going to change, it is just a sad state of our legal system we are handing down to our kids.

[GD Yankee]

I don't sheep hunt muyself, but I have to ask, if it's getting to be like that, why bother to have your ram inspected and sealed at all? Why not butcher it, freeze it, and report that you were unsuccessful at the end of the year? Seriously, other than complying with the law, what is the advantage (or even the reason) to get your horn sealed?

Ayeeee! Man, have you been hitting the sauce tonight?

I enjoy reading your posts normally, but hell, it's the law and to knowingly violate it would be, uh, poaching.