We got screwed

[wazz]

My 17 year old son shot a cow 2 times before it went into the tree's. 5 minutes later a truck comes driving down the road, that is closed to vehicles, and drove into the trees where the Elk went. I could hear the Elk walking in the tree's about 50 yard away. So we started going up the hill to find them. In the meantime, without my knowledge, the guys in the truck had went around the back side of the hill and started walking up. I was almost to the top of the hill when the Cow and Calf ran out from behind a tree but it was too thick to get a shot. I could see the Cow had blood on it's side. I knew there was a clearing at the top of the hill and there was only one tree between me and the clearing. Just as I was about to go around the tree I heard a shot and saw the bullet whiz by me. Then another shot right next to me that went along the ground. I told my son to get down and behind a tree. One more shot and then I could hear people talking. I slowly peeked around the tree and saw the Cow on the ground. I asked if it was a Cow and a Calf and the lady said it was. I told her we had wounded the Cow and we were tracking it though the tree's but couldn't get a shot. She said Oh no these Elk were just sitting in the clearing and weren't wounded. She said her husband had missed the first two shots because he couldn't hold the gun steady and she kneeled down so he could rest the gun on her shoulder. The Elk had a shot in the neck that entered from the right side, one shot in the hind quarter on the left and one shot in the shoulder on the left side. My son was shooting at it from the left side. I didn't argue with them because it isn't worth getting into a gun fight over but my son was pretty pissed that they stole his first Elk.

 

[NMHUNTNUTT1]

You did the right thing not getting onto a confritation , with those kind of people your better off to just press on . I'm real sorry for your son , I can imagine his sadness , but that guy knows he's as counterfit as they come , and probly is accustomed to living a life of lies . People like that disgust me too , but they are out there , and we don't have any control over em , but we do have control over our own actions , and I believe you did the right thing . Hate to hear it happen , but you handled it right . I hope your boy gets another crack at the hunt.....NMHUNTNUTT

 

[elkantlers]

sounds like you made out to me. they take the elk that is shot in the butt, and you get to go hunting again. this time settle him down and make the first shot count.

 

[MEANTTOBBUCK]

Unfortunately there are people like that you call themselves hunters. Ethics is not their character and they can be just plain idiots.
You did the right thing. I just hope your son has more season left to fill his tag. Good luck if so if not I hope you and your son are drawn next year.

 

[WapitiBob]

the way you described it, i would say it was their elk.

 

[wazz]

They were driving down the road and heard us shooting so they drove on a closed road to see if they could get in on what we had worked for. We parked at the road before light and walked in, after I spotted them we stalked them up to 200 yards. So yeah they put it down, but illegally.