nalioth 405 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 That was no elk ... By BRETT FRENCH Of The Gazette Staff A New York hunter may be feeling a bit sheepish after mistaking a feral llama in Paradise Valley for a Rocky Mountain elk, but he apparently did not violate any laws. Rusty Saunders, of Fort Edward, N.Y., called a Fish, Wildlife and Parks warden in Livingston in November to turn himself in after shooting the llama, according to Mel Frost, FWP information officer in Bozeman. Since FWP does not deal with livestock shootings, they immediately turned the investigation over to the Montana Department of Livestock. After investigating, the DOL turned the matter over to Park County authorities without issuing any citations. "We don't have any statute to prevent that kind of thing," said Steve Merritt, information officer for the DOL in Helena. A telephone call to the Park County sheriff was not immediately returned. Photos that the DOL took during its investigation showed the dark brown and black llama gutted and lying in the back of a red pickup truck. The photos included a shot of Saunders' notched 2008 elk tag, dated Nov. 18. Somehow, the photos ended up circulating through e-mails, trekking across the nation and even north of the border into Canada. Under a subject heading of "hunting llamas in Big Sky Country," the e-mail parodied MasterCard's "priceless" advertising campaign. ".30-06 rifle with Leupold Scope - $650. "Out of state license - $600. "Gas to drive from New York - $700. "Taking a trophy Montana llama - priceless." The photos have ended up on blogs across the country, as well, generating derisive remarks from hunters. It's not clear how Saunders realized his error, and it's not known what happened to the wild llama. Messages left for Saunders on his home answering machine were not immediately returned. Original article I'll bet that Yankee feels 7 kinds of stupid after that incident. . . . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ruffian72 548 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 What to say? Varify what you are shooting sums it all up. Don't know to many escaped/wild llamas. Herd animal, used in the west to protect sheep flocks from preditors. Almost bet a sheep flock was in the local, and a rancher needs paid. Out here, a cow gets shot now and then. If hunter admits, just pays market value and is considered an idiot. If, not and is caught. Can lose vehicle, weapon, liscense, fines and jail time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Well. at least he didn't shoot a Holstein cow. I didn't know elk had black and white spots + a big, distended udder on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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