after the shot

[archery bum]

thinking about hunting 62 along divide rd. I would be hunting archery otc, lets say I shoot one in 62 but after the shot it runs into 61 which is draw only. Should I call dnr and ask them what I should do or if I could prove I shot the elk in 62 by tracking the blood trail that I would be ok to track and then butcher the elk in 61. what would happen if a dnr officer stopped me in 61 when I was butchering, is it a personal call on his part or no matter what I'm in for it?

[Olydog09]

Absolutely call the Game Dept. That is not something you want to leave up to the judgement of a field officer AFTER the fact.

[JJ Overkill]

Absolutely call the Game Dept. That is not something you want to leave up to the judgement of a field officer AFTER the fact.

absolutely agree with this

[zpd307]

yep, each officer has their own way of thinking.... on our first trip ever, to a ranch in Utah, I was walking and saw a leg caught in a fence. the body was completely covered up by snow. I went over to see what it was and was surprised to see that the calf elk was still barely alive. it hadn't snowed the couple days I had been there so that calf had been there for awhile. I untangled its leg, but the leg was stiff as a board. it didn't have enough energy to move. I tried for awhile to get this elk going again, but it wasn't happening. that night when I was picked up. I advised the ranch owners of the elk and they were going to call the warden. the next morning I asked about it and was advised the warden would get there when he got there and not to put it down. the elk was still there in the morning and still alive. finally after yet another day without the warden coming out, I had to put it down. I couldn't stand seeing it suffer any longer. I advised the ranch owner of what I did and told them to give the warden my info if he had a problem with it. a couple months later I got a letter from the Utah game and fish. my butt puckered... but it was just a questionnaire in regards to my hunt.

[NirvanaFan]

Does being 4 or 5 miles back in with no cell service change things at all?

[patdel]

I called and asked Colorado Parks and Wildlife this question a few years ago. I was told it's okay, but you should be prepared to show a blood trail or evidence of where your animal was shot. The odds of this actually happening are pretty slim. I don't see people at all once I get in off the beaten path. So you'd have to shoot a bull, have it cross into another unit, and have a CO stumble across you while you were taking care of it. I was in an otc unit last year, and a group of guys was crossing into a draw unit and hunting. They got 3 bulls in there, somehow they had convinced themselves it was okay.. They weren't afraid to tell you about it. Another guy camped in the area called and turned them in. I'm sure they had some explaining to do when the co arrived. I was leaving that day, so not sure how it turned out.

I wouldn't sweat it if you are on the up and up and have nothing to hide. If it happens and you are worried, make the call yourself.