Crazy Story

[Mirage]

I got a call today from a friend he says he went hunting here in florida he tells me its on a 19,000 acre ranch. He goes out saturday and has a great time. He was a guest on this ranch of a hunt club member. His budy calls him the next day sunday and tells him he just shot an ELK!! In florida. On a free rome land ranch. He was deer hunting shot a huge elk. It must have escaped froma close by presserve and wandered into the hunt clubs ranch. he is trying to get it all legal but i dont see how. I would think he would be in trouble but there trying to work it out. He is going to bring me some pics next week becuase i said no way. He didnt believe it either until he drove out there and saw first hand and took some pics. The hunt club is called the saw mill hunt club. I would think this would hit the papers or something. When he shows me the pics then I will believe. But he swears its true. A florida elk I justy cant imagine. He claims it must weigh 600 pounds feild dressed. Unreal

[toddyboman]

crazy is correct. If ya get some pics please post. Would be very interesting to see

[Xen]

i didn't know florida had elk... that's interesting

[wtnhunt]

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i didn't know florida had elk... that's interesting

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They dont.

Uhh yeah, pretty crazy. Shooting an animal you do not have a tag for is POACHING plain and simple.

If the elk was on a preserve and he shot it, he may have to pay restitution to the owner after the state gets done with him. The Florida wildlife officials do not play around, if he really did kill an elk, I know there is no season for elk there, they will hang him which in my opinion will serve him right. Good chance he will lose everything related to poaching the animal including his truck and and weapon. Hope he gets what he deserves.

Tennessee does have elk now, but there is no season for them here yet, might not ever be in my lifetime, but if I ever was to see one, hopefully I would have a camera with me.

[QDMAworks4me]

[ QUOTE ]
Shooting an animal you do not have a tag for is POACHING plain and simple.

I know there is no season for elk there



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Gotta agree with ya on this one, if there is no season you just don't shoot an animal

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

[ QUOTE ]
Uhh yeah, pretty crazy. Shooting an animal you do not have a tag for is POACHING plain and simple.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not always the case. Depends on local and state regs. For example, there are no native free ranging elk in Texas, but it's not illegal to shoot one if you see it. In fact, there was a large bull elk killed last year in the Texas Panhandle. It is believed to have wondered in from New Mexico or Colorado. Some large ranches in south and west Texas have also imported elk along with several species of African and Asian game animals in the past and released them. Those have now established self sustaining, free ranging populations, and they can be legally hunted at any time with any weapon of choice. No seasons, so bag limits, no tags. All that is needed is a valid Texas hunting license.

[wtnhunt]

I can see what you are saying Texan, but think that is different.

I might be wrong, but am pretty sure there is no season for elk in Florida, and it may be like here in TN. Coyotes here are open year round, they are varmints and no tag is needed, there is NOT a season for them and like you say, you can kill them with any weapon and they do not have to be checked in. Elk there is NOT a season for either, but shoot an elk here whether it be an escaped animal from a game farm or one of the re-introduced elk, and you better believe the TWRA will bury you.

[MUDRUNNER]

[ QUOTE ]
Shooting an animal you do not have a tag for is POACHING plain and simple.


[/ QUOTE ]

Not the case here in Illinois.If it is not a regulated species,there is no season,and there are no regulations protecting the animal,then it's fair game, and no need for a tag.I believe a year or two ago a teenage boy shot a red stag or something during our shotgun season that was believed to be from a game farm that closed a few years ago.

[texastrophies]

There is no "season" for elk here in Texas either. Since they are not a native (to Texas) animal, all you would need is a hunting license. Furthermore, the ranch/farm or whatever that it got out of would not be able to do or say anything to you about taking it.

It happens a lot with the exotic animals here in Texas.

I would imagine each state would have their own rules and regulations, tho. But to come out and call it poaching may not be correct.

[wtnhunt]

OK, I may be wrong in how I worded what I said, but I would think that the Florida regs would not allow for shooting an elk, much the same as here in TN.

I guess I should have said that you should know the states regs and what is legal and what is not.

[wtnhunt]

Will be interesting to say the least to hear what happens with this. I knew a boy back when I lived in Florida back in 1990 who shot a deer on Disney's property in season. He had to pay I think it was like $7000 to Disney after losing his truck, his rifle, and his hunting privileges.

[gabuckbuster03]

that is an extrmely crazy story

[bucknutt]

it happened in oklahoma a couple years ago, the hs basketball coach was hunting in nw oklahoma when he spotted a big bull elk coming down the river. he shot it and killed it, kept it under wraps for about a year and then it got out. he was fined a large amount of money, can't remember exactly how much but thinking it was in the thousands, and had to do community service along with losing his license for a year i believe.

[hoythunterbn]

That is crazy to think that the elk would even be able to survive down there. That is a cool story please post some pics if you can.

[Mirage]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Uhh yeah, pretty crazy. Shooting an animal you do not have a tag for is POACHING plain and simple.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not always the case. Depends on local and state regs. For example, there are no native free ranging elk in Texas, but it's not illegal to shoot one if you see it. In fact, there was a large bull elk killed last year in the Texas Panhandle. It is believed to have wondered in from New Mexico or Colorado. Some large ranches in south and west Texas have also imported elk along with several species of African and Asian game animals in the past and released them. Those have now established self sustaining, free ranging populations, and they can be legally hunted at any time with any weapon of choice. No seasons, so bag limits, no tags. All that is needed is a valid Texas hunting license.

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I am not sure this is the case but when I hear I will let you guys know. I dont think this is poaching when the elk is not established. And they dont have a season as for paying restituion I think that is crazy. Maybe the preserve should pay the hunt club restituion for letting an animal escape from there presserve"cage" and getting onto the hunt clubs land