The Wilderness Sportsman has spoken with Mike Korn Deputy Chief of Law Enforcement for Montana FWP, and he was appalled by this story.
Quotes from that phone conversation after I provided Mr. Korn with the link to the story, while he was reading it:
“He emptied two boxes??? Not exactly a candidate for the the Aldo Leopold ethics award, is it?”.
“this is not the face we want on this issue”
“you have to be kidding me….”
When the conversation was over I was informed that if there was not an investigation already underway from the folks in Bozeman, there would be immediately. I was told that sometimes they get “idiots who make it very easy for us”.
“There was nothing easy about it,” Stenberg said. Many of his friends also took shots at wolves on opening day, with no success. “It took a lot of shells for me to even get one of them.”
I think it would be prudent to let the investigation run its course before proclaiming this as an illegal chase…it is not illegal to follow any big game animal using an ATV, it is illegal to shoot from a motor vehicle..
It’s illegal in Idaho to be off road with one of those things. This is one piece of equipment I do not appreciate due to how easy it is to cheat and go off road with it. Sounds like some Montana “hunters” never heard of floating their factory rifle barrels, loading their own ammo, and target practice, with a little ballistic technology, including practicing shooting up hill and down. I’m sure they learned to walk at some point in life, to bad they chose a motorized wheel chair.
That verifies “fair chase” both in spirit and the legal definition of the term. This guy needs to lose his hunting license, gun, and ATV and get stuck with a heavy restitution plus a fine.
I have no love-lost for ATVs on public land, either…they are a bane and you can’t believe the justification people give for wanting to have the ability (or “right” as they like to say) to run trails or cross-country on public land. They’re great tools for hauling firewood, etc. on PRIVATE land, but on public land they’re an abomination.
That should’ve read: “That defeats “fair chase” both in spirit…”
My apologies, I need to proof-read.
Herb – I agree ATV’s are fine tools for some applications and many even get better MPG than casrs, which makes them a good tool for ranches and even forest roads. The problem is when people hunt from them, and of course chew up wildlands by going off established roads.
Mike — Agreed on all counts.
I remember one time when I was duck hunting an idiot on an ATV ruined my shot. I wished then I could have exchanged my 12 gauge for for my thirty odd six and do a little target practicing. I don’t like motorized vehicles in the woods. Any person who has to use a motorized vehicle for hunting purposes is a wuss. Kyle Stenberg shot (after firing several times)the wolf in the rear. Which makes him not only a lousy shot, but an unsportsmanlike wuss.
lol, Jim K.
NO doubt that Kyle S. is a lousy shot and a poor sportsman.
I used to live up in Northern Michigan and I enjoyed small game and deer hunting after school and on the weekends. I began hunting at a young age but only after I had completed mandatory NRA training on the safe and proper use of shotguns, rifles, and semi-automatic weapons. We were also taught gun laws and safe hunting methods. What disillusioned me was the actions and attitudes of those people who took more than their bag limits (which ruined the next season’s hunting when there weren’t many rabbits or partridge because of overhunting), poached anything they could shoot (sometimes just for the fur or fun of killing), drove their ATVs, dirtbikes, and snowmobiles off established trails (I am an avid snowmobiler) and in general were rude and disrepectful to others who were also trying to enjoy the outdoors. My fondest memories aren’t the animals that I killed and ate (I believe if you kill it you eat it) but seeing the odd elk, bear, and bobcat in their natural settings. I used to trap and tan furs and my boyhood dream was to move to Alaska and have a sled team (as a kid I raised huskys and had my own team of sled dogs).
Nonetheless, my life took a different turn as my interests changed but I still enjoy the great outdoors and teaching my children the same values. I get angry with those people who selfishly disrepect our natural resources, wildlife, and the laws that we have that are supposed to protect these for future generations. I do believe it’s time that we stop letting the government, special interest groups, and SOB trophy hunters ruining what little pristine environment we have left.
Great post, Jim K. I used to spend a bunch of time myself up in the “U.P.” fishing and enjoying the landscape. I had friends and saw strangers do as you describe – shoot things just to see them die, not even using the meat. I’ve seen the poaching and complete disrespect. I honestly hoped it would be just a bunch of young dumb guys growing up, but I saw adults doing it as well.
I can’t count how many times I saw plastic shopping bags stuffed full with brookies. That combined with the massive clear cutting in headwaters explains why the trout fishing has crashed there.