Curious on something. Hunting a unit bordering a draw unit

[Luked]

In Colorado, if we are hunting an area that borders a draw unit. What do we do if by chance we shoot an elk and it runs across the border into the draw unit?
I have been looking to find some kind of info on what we should do but am not having much luck.
Do we leave our weapon and then able to persue the elk? do we have to notify CPW?
Kind of curious as one of the areas we have looked at borders a draw unit.

 

[accountantsanonymous]

Great question. following.

 

[TSAMP]

You definitely leave it overnight, then sleep in and get after it once your well rested. #BOAL

 

[Hnthrdr]

I would mark gps locations, and take lots of pictures to make sure everything makes absolute sense to any outside eyes. If you think the animal is fatally wounded and will die soon maybe give it a bit longer than normal and go in for recovery. I think the best person to answer this would be a warden… but it may vary from warden to warden. Same question could be asked of spots that border RMNP or preserves in other parts of the state that you can’t hunt.

 

[Gerbdog]

When in doubt, call the warden/game and fish officer. Best case they just say "go get it" worst case they show up and make you show them the blood trail and maybe they'll help you pack it out. I think the advice above with lots of pictures and coordinates is a great plan , but you still have a dead animal in a unit you arent technically supposed to be hunting in.

Game and fish officers have always been super good to me in person when i run into them

edited to add: Game and fish also always appreciate people calling and being up front with them, i'd rather them know what im doing in the other unit then for some 1/10000 chance i get caught with an animal dead in a unit im not supposed to be in. Same goes if you accidently shoot the wrong animal, heaven forbid, just call and be honest with them. They'll probably make you clean and pack out the meat and then confiscate it from you, and you wont keep any trophies, but it beats a huge fine and them taking away your license for X amount of years

 

[Btaylor]

Running a track on gps prolly wouldnt hurt either in case of questioning.

 

[Bubblehide]

Look at it from a Warden's perspective to make sure you cover your bases. You want to be the first to call them and report that you have a legal obligation to locate the animal (Wanton waste law) and complete the harvest (you also have ethical and moral obligations). However, you want as much evidence as you can gather, that the animal was shot within the zone the tag is valid for. So film/take pictures of as much as you can, and use marking tape. For example, mark where you shot from and temporarily leave the ejected case where it landed (mark it). Find the blood trail and mark it so it can be easily located and followed in case a Warden does show-up; remember, you may not be the only person to call. Film as mush as you can, or take pictures as you go; all the way to the animal. If the blood trail is sparse, also mark any corresponding tracks of the animal.

I am unaware of any law that prohibits you from recovering your animal in a different zone (private property is a different story). And, I firmly believe there is no law prohibiting you from recovering your animal for a different zone. However, a warden will want to verify the animal was legally harvested; so make his or her job and determination as easy as you can make it for them.

Additionally, when I encounter a warden, the first thing I do once I see them is safely unload my weapon, so the warden feels more at ease; I almost always do this from a distance in a safe nonthreatening manner (the weapon pointed away from them). If they surprise me and are in close proximity, I ask them if they would like me to unload my weapon.

With that said, like others here have suggested, find out who the warden is for both zones and talk this over with both of them. Ask them both for their phone numbers so you can immediately call them if this were to happen. Lastly, do your best to not hunt so close to the boundary (I get that this can at times, be the best place to hunt).

 

[Wrench]

My local enforcement guys are super fair.....but also masters of bullchit deciphering. Check your state regs for any obscure codes....but typically the enforcement guys don't hunt down guys making good faith efforts to do the right thing.

 

[3forks]

I’d make a good faith effort to document what occurred, but wouldn’t call a warden.

First, cell service is variable at best in the places I hunt.

Two, (and granted it depends on where I am) but I don’t really expect a CPW officer to be be where I am hunting. Other than driving by on a road, or checking camps, I’ve never seen a CPW officer in the backcountry or even on a trail.

3rd, if you‘re legally hunting and where you’re supposed to be, no infraction is occurring - why invite scrutiny upon yourself or give a CPW officer a reason to think you’re doing anything wrong by calling them on something that is reality a non-issue.

I suppose that if you’re hunting right on the line of separate units, you could have an issue, but I‘d have to be in a heavily trafficked area to worry about this too much.

Maybe I’m naive, but I’d just be prepared to explain myself with documentation if by the remote chance a CPW comes across me while I was in the field.

 

[pcrossett]

Definitely contact a warden and notify them. I would think it is similar to if you were to shoot an elk on public land but then it dies on private land. You can't go get the elk without permission from the landowner, so if it dies in that unit technically you would need the tag for that unit?

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Best be sure you can prove that blood trail starts on legal ground and hope you don't have one of those hits that don't bleed at all.

 

[Jethro]

If it were me, I'm taking some pics, marking some waypoints, running a track, and going to break down the elk. Even if I had cell reception, don't think I'm calling first.

 

[ridgefire]

I would mark where I shot from, mark the blood trail and go break down the elk. Would you call the warden if you were driving thru a draw unit with a legally harvested elk from a different unit in your truck? Let them spend their time going after guys that are breaking the law.

 

[FLATHEAD]

If it were me, I'm taking some pics, marking some waypoints, running a track, and going to break down the elk. Even if I had cell reception, don't think I'm calling first.

This.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I would mark where I shot from, mark the blood trail and go break down the elk. Would you call the warden if you were driving thru a draw unit with a legally harvested elk from a different unit in your truck? Let them spend their time going after guys that are breaking the law.

Some of those guys straight up do anything they can to hang you as well. My days of calling first are over after seeing how some things are handled. I've had tons of highly positive experiences with wardens in several states, but it just takes one to ruin all that positive PR.

 

[3forks]

I would mark where I shot from, mark the blood trail and go break down the elk. Would you call the warden if you were driving thru a draw unit with a legally harvested elk from a different unit in your truck? Let them spend their time going after guys that are breaking the law.

Agreed.

Based on the OP’s question/concern - he may as well just call the CPW officer in advance and inform him he’s going to be hunting right on the unit boundary if he’s that concerned about it.

 

[Gerbdog]

Agreed.

Based on the OP’s question/concern - he may as well just call the CPW officer in advance and inform him he’s going to be hunting right on the unit boundary if he’s that concerned about it.

Well that aint a bad idea at all... at least he'll get it right from the horses mouth what he should do if the elk crosses borders to die

 

[svivian]

Wouldnt be the first time a bull was shot and ran across the divide road....

 

[ID_Matt]

To add another wrench... do you bring your weapon across the border? What if you get to the bull and he stands up?

 

[Hnthrdr]

Well decided to call a warden for the area around my cabin/ where I’m hunting this year and posed the question. He said, first off best to call them if you get in this situation, 2nd have solid evidence that you shot the bull in your unit ie pics, gps, blood trail, once you have that they will likely give you the go ahead to go after you bull. Now I wish I would have asked if the animal was still kicking… didn’t go down the rabbit hole that far. Hope that helps. I think it’s easy enough to get up high and call, vs trying to back track and explain your self in the way off chance that you are tagging something in the wrong unit, if it’s a 61/62 thing I’m sure the warden there has experience with it