Suburban Elk Conflict

Suburban Elk Conflict (read the whole story)

Tyler Maxwell shot his six-point bull elk Monday morning on Bureau of Land Management property on Saddle Mountain near Montana City.
But the sound of Maxwell's early morning shot also resonated through the home of Tim Plaska, whose 18-month-old grandson was eating breakfast about 50 yards away from where Maxwell took his shot. Plaska, who believed it was illegal to fire a high-powered rifle within a quarter mile of a house, called game wardens. What Plaska found out surprised him. There is no restriction, and it was a legal kill, Plaska said. In fact, Maxwell followed all the basic safety procedures in taking down the elk on public property, according to game warden Mike Ottman with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Obviously, when a gun goes off in close proximity to houses, people will be startled, Ottman said. But I followed their footprints (in the new-fallen snow) and where he shot and the direction he shot wasn't an issue. I went up there to make sure everything was done properly, and it was. It's completely legal on BLM land, and that's it in a nutshell.

Still, as more homeowners move into outlying subdivisions touted as “bordering public land,” the residents are surprised sometimes when elk and deer hunters show up close to their homes during the five-week big game hunting season in the fall. . .

“… The larger issue here is when you get into situations of the historic range and development encroaches, what do you do?”

Don't get me wrong, I am NOT a hunting advocate, but if you want to live in the country you had better get ready for some wildlife, you had better get ready for guns. People, living in these subdivisions is DIFFERENT than living in the city. The roads are dusty, your neighbor's cows smell like shit, their ATVs are dusty, and when you live next to public land, there may be hunting. Working in Enforcement, I wished that I could have sent the Code of the West out to people like Mr. Plaska.

I do feel for the guy though, you have to live with the hope that hunters are responsible and safe. Then you read about things like this. This dude's horses and mule were shot and quartered - with what they think was a chainsaw. They suspect idiot hunters. Not ALL hunters are idiots, but there are a lot of idiots out there and some of them have high powered rifles, just ask E.C. about his good buddy George. What, an IQ test prior to buying bullets? Afterall, guns don't kill people, bullets do.