Giving Hunters a bad name?!?

[Colorado T]

Thought I would post another article I just read in our local news. The moose hunt was deemed legal but it leads me to wonder, is it good for hunters in the long run? Granted this took place near Boulder, the worst possible place for hunters, but there are numerous other places along the front range here that these encounters happen. There has since been an outcry for this area to be shut down to hunting. Apparently the moose ran into an area where numerous people were camping/hiking and expired where everyone witnessed it.

http://www.denverpost.com/News/Local/ci_26494291/Moose-shot-with-bow-at-Brainard-Lake-was-legal-kill

 

[Kodiak32]

Only near freaking Boulder!! Sounds like it was a good clean kill. I hope the guy got a big bull and this BS didn't take too much away from the experience!!

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Well it was the Denver Post. I know they have an outdoor writer and do some good stuff occasionally, but not every reporter supports hunting as this shows.

 

[Topgun 30-06]

I wonder how big an area the unit is where the guy shot the bull. I think if I had a OIL tag that I would be looking to have a little bit more of a hunt and experience than shooting one where a bunch of kids were playing by a lake! I'm actually surprised they don't have some kind of a buffer zone in that area for safety and I'll bet now the huggers will be clammering for one so they and their kids don't have to witness another animal dying!

 

[Hilltop]

I wonder how big an area the unit is where the guy shot the bull. I think if I had a OIL tag that I would be looking to have a little bit more of a hunt and experience than shooting one where a bunch of kids were playing by a lake! I'm actually surprised they don't have some kind of a buffer zone in that area for safety and I'll bet now the huggers will be clammering for one so they and their kids don't have to witness another animal dying!

I am betting that this article isn't telling the entire story... I don't think it is fair for us to judge his situation without all the details. As for the kids being upset I think their parents could use this as a great teaching moment. Heck of a lot more humane than the beef they get at the drive through on the way home.

 

[Timberstalker]

The comment about hunter dollars are the reason the moose are there is the best part in the artical. The the photographer didn't have to pay to take pictures now did he? Would he be willing to? I don't like to hunt near other people but that's me, if the area is open and the hunter had a tag, there's nothing to complain about. I think more people non hunters to be exposed to hunting maybe, just maybe, some of them will learn a little about how important hunting is for wildlife management. If any non-hunter eats meat, then they have nothing to comlain about, meat comes from a dead animal poeple!

 

[packmule]

Apparently the photographer hasn't seen what a moose that hasn't been shot will do to someone.

 

[gypsumreaper]

Hey if I had 1 of 260 tags out of 19000 people I would take the first legal opportunity I had as well, where I live we have one unit with moose an they like hanging around the lodge at the high mountain lake, there's 1 tag a year there I believe and as long as I wasn't shooting towards people, camps, or the lodge I would take the shot as well. If the Dow said it was legal then no one can say what was and what wasn't right. Plus if the moose was "tame" as the camp host said how long til that bull finall got aggregated an gores someone then what euthanize it. At least this way a hunter got to harvest an animal an feed himself, as well as his family and friends for a long while. I wouldn't say it was a canned hunt he was on public land and in the forest somewhat. Congrats to the hunter how many years did he put in for that tag before finally drawing a once in a lifetime hunt


If you get meat from the store then dont criticize me for having the courage to go out and kill my own meat

 

[In God We Trust]

I don't see what this guy did as wrong. I understand that we don't want to portray a bad image to the general public but there is a fine line between being careful and cowering down to the anti crowd. He shot it on Forest Service land where hunting is permitted and it was a legal kill. I say congrats to the gentleman and I hope it tastes good. If people don't want to be exposed to hunting Colorado wastes plenty of money on Open Space Parks where public land isn't open to hunting so they can go hike and nature watch there.

 

[shootbrownelk]

Generally speaking, anti-hunters don't need a reason to dislike hunters. This situation sure gave them some more (pardon the pun) ammo to use against us. Anyone want to bet on how long it is before the Forest service knuckles under to the antis, and creates a "No Hunting " buffer zone around the lake/campground? They've done it before.They'll do it again.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

It is a little difficult to really get the whole story, but from what I know I probably would have done the same thing. The anti's are going to blow everything out of proportion and do everything they can to make hunters and hunting look barbaric. The Denver Post story at least didn't put a total negative spin on the situation pointing out how hunter's dollars have helped the Moose situation here in Colorado.

 

[buckbull]

This is a complex scenario that will probably happen again. On one hand, the fact that these moose may not have feared humans may have made them easy prey for the hunter. On the other hand, the permits were issued by the DOW because they determined the herd would be healthier if these moose were taken. Hunters are the tools for herd management and in this respect, taking the animal from its existing location makes sense. I certainly don't dream about hunting in a congested area like this one sounds, but if I have a once in a lifetime moose permit; I'm going to hunt where the moose are at.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I don't love hunting around other people, be they hunters or not. But experience has taught me to hunt where the animals are. That's what this guy was doing, and he's a good hunter for doing it.