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Michigan Hunter Facing Huge Fines After Mistaking Elk for Whitetail

- By: OutdoorHub Reporters Posted: December 2, 2016 -

Michigan Hunter Makes Costly Mistake

Last month in November, a Michigan hunter mistakenly shot an elk thinking it was a really big whitetail deer. Now, he’s facing some pretty hefty fines.

We spoke with Michigan DNR officer Lt. Gorno, who confirmed the incident, saying, “it happens every year, it’s foggy and hunters just get confused somehow, but it happens every year.” Lt. Gorno also confirmed the charges for such a mistake would be a $5000 fine plus a fee of $500 for every point on the elks rack. Talk about an expensive mistaken identity! The hunter brought the elk to the Atlanta, Michigan check station, where DNR officers told the hunter he had made a mistake.

“It’s one of those things we deal with case by case, but these things just happen unfortunately,” Lt. Gorno said.

Elk in Michigan have an amazing history, and the terrain in the area this mix-up occurred is especially prime for elk to range in. The bottom line however, whether this was an honest mistake or not, hunters should always be 100% sure of their target before pulling the trigger.

If he had shot a hunter and said he thought it was a deer he'd be home drinking hot cocoa now and there'd be no fine.

Hey, DOW's need funding guys!!
This is a prime way they obtain it.

OR blacking out their trucks with mud and park on the back roads n hide in the bushes waiting for someone to come driving up the trail nearly ramming their truck. Wish I could do that again I'd sure as hell whack it as unseen!
George

quote:

Originally posted by Norton:
If he had shot a hunter and said he thought it was a deer he'd be home drinking hot cocoa now and there'd be no fine.

This^^^
Zeke

quote:

The hunter brought the elk to the Atlanta, Michigan check station, where DNR officers told the hunter he had made a mistake.

The "hunter" was oblivious to the difference in a whitetail and an elk -- didn't know he had an elk until someone told him. This is gross negligence. He deserves the fine (and is also just the type to take a shot at another hunter "mistaking it for a deer".) This is not the kind of person we want to be afield with the rest of us.

at least an Elk has antlers.
we lose at least 3 cows every deer season.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

The hunter brought the elk to the Atlanta, Michigan check station, where DNR officers told the hunter he had made a mistake.

The "hunter" was oblivious to the difference in a whitetail and an elk -- didn't know he had an elk until someone told him. This is gross negligence. He deserves the fine (and is also just the type to take a shot at another hunter "mistaking it for a deer".) This is not the kind of person we want to be afield with the rest of us.

+1, Stupid should be painful.

quote:

Originally posted by Norton:
If he had shot a hunter and said he thought it was a deer he'd be home drinking hot cocoa now and there'd be no fine.

He could probably get away with field dressing him and still be at home drinking cocoa.