Federal charges are pending against a 29 year-old California man

[Elkhunter]

Federal charges are pending against a 29 year-old California man who illegally shot a cow moose in Grand Teton National Park last month. Ryan Weber, could face prosecution charges and fines of up to $8,000 in
connection with the incident. Weber was a first-time elk hunter in the park, and mistook a cow moose and her calf for an elk cow and calf in the Kelly
Hayfields area, east of Blacktail Butte. After killing the adult moose, Weber approached the carcass and discovered his mistake. He immediately left the area without contacting park rangers. Two other hunters saw the shooting, and reported the incident to Park rangers. Thanks to information from the witnesses, rangers were able to track Weber to his home in California.
Grand Teton rangers, working with a National Park Service special agent
from Joshua Tree National Park, contacted Weber, who confessed to the shooting. He is facing charges that could include illegal taking of the wrong species, wanton waste of wildlife, failure to report, and wildlife restitution penalties. The restitution value for any moose is listed at $7,500. Park officials remind hunters that they are absolutely responsible to positively identify the animal they are about to shoot, and when in doubt,
they should not take the shot. If an animal is mistakenly shot, hunters should immediately contact a park ranger and report their error. Charges and penalties may be reduced if a hunter promptly and honestly reports this type of mistake.

 

[MarvB]

Moron!

I remember my first out of state hunt in 1981. We stopped in Jackson Hole to meet another buddy before heading to Bounderant and happened to go into the hardware store there in town. I was amazed at these GIANT freakin' posters inside the store....THIS IS AN ANTELOPE...THIS IS AN ELK....THIS IS A DEER....THIS IS A MOOSE....I asked the clerk if he was fuggin kidding and he said that Game & Fish asks them to put them up each year |oo

...I jsut find it strage that you'd make all the arrangements to hunt out of state (or anywhere for that matter) and not know what the species you're hunting looks like

 

[Sako7STW]

I remember when this happend. There was a statewide alert for the mans vehicle and everything. I wonderd if they ever caught the bugger. Glad they did! I told my girlfriend I bet it was a case of mistaken identity and the guy got scared. Dang I hate it when I am right LOL. Seams to me too that on one of the forums I go to, maybe even this one, I remember someone talking about this.

You should know your game before you hunt period, but I can stomache this alot better than I can somone just going out and killing animals for no reason. To me thats right there with murder. I can also handle someone hunting out of an area and stuff like that to a point to. Mistakes do happen, even to the best of the best at times. Still should be punished though, no doubt about it. The best lessons learned are those learned the hard way!

 

[A-con]

Fugging Californians ! Bunch of blind queens. I think the answer to the NR fee problem is to just charge all Califorians $20, 000 to hunt anything anywhere, and everybody else pays resident fees.

 

[danr55]

Hey, Texans aren't much better.. Ask AZGF about the white doe shot in Kaibab a few years back.. The one that had a serial number tatoo'd on it's lip. Ever seen a 2200lbs. doe Muledeer??

"Well, it doesn't have antlers.. " Sure was a pretty blue ElCamino though..