While bow hunting I shot an elk which I could not find. After searching for 3 days I felt that the ethical thing to do was to punch my tag as I believed the animal to be mortally wounded or already dead. While archery hunting for deer in the same area several days later I found the animal still alive, not knowing what to do I let him walk. If I happen to see him again as he doesn't seem interested in leaving the area would I be able to legally harvest the animal as I have already filled my tag for him specifically or am I just out of luck this year? Also If I do find that he dies am I able to retain any salvageable part of him or must I let the carcass lie?
Answer:
It is possible to recover this animal if you contact Idaho Fish and Game and get with the local Conservation Officer. You did the right thing by not shooting the bull when you located it several days later; since you validated your tag. If the animal is wondering, recovery is highly unlikely. The Conservation Officer likely cannot commit enough time to this effort. It is the busy season. We cannot authorize you to hunt the animal without a valid tag in your possession. If you are in an area that still has tags available you could purchase a non-resident elk tag and have a valid tag in possession if you run into the elk again. Please contact the closest Idaho Department of Fish and Game Regional Officer if you have more information or want to discuss it.
Answered on:
Tuesday, September 9, 2014 - 9:13 AM MDT