Properly identifying legal moose can be a challenge, and no one is perfect. In this case, a hunter shot what he thought was a legal moose only to realize he made a mistake. After realizing the moose was sublegal, he called it in. [Music] >> Good. How are you guys doing? >> You know that already? >> I know that already. >> So, you coming to me first? I'm coming to you. >> I appreciate that. Just so you know, >> we called in and uh left a message. >> Okay. At the office just recently or? >> Yeah, just on the way down when we got to the flats back there. >> Okay. So, let's take a look at what you got or what do you think that you had going on or walk me through this like when you were up at the top of the thing? >> When I I identified it, I thought I was looking at three rounds. >> Okay. Um, >> did you already measure it or >> Well, I did my best and I thought and then after I shot then I could clearly see that I'd made a mistake and it was >> so then uh weather was a little shitty and we loaded the boat and filled out my tag and all that. >> Yeah, if you had your you had your hunt license on you and then your harvest tag and and then let's see cuz this thing right here. So, this probably wouldn't be considered three anyway. Just to let you know that there's this main kind of break right here that's definitely separating it cuz this would be part of the brow tines right here and then this would be that separation. >> Beautiful moose. >> I mean the moose itself is beautiful but the antler configuration's not so much. Um, but let me get um and then so so you colored out the dates. Okay, hold on. So now I'm confused. >> The 12th of this year of this month. >> Okay. Okay. Just so you know. So this is You don't need to do both of these cuz this is got confusing. So this already tells you this is for year 2024. So you just do October. >> Yeah. October 12th. I got you. >> Okay. But I understand what you did that way. I'm like, "Oh, did you shoot it on the 24th or >> I feel depressed today." >> Okay, >> there's that. And then hunting license McKinley. Perfect. Okay, so I'm going to take a couple photos of it. Um I'm glad you you called it in. Makes things definitely a lot easier. >> Um but what's going to happen is do you guys know you you guys are still able to corner it, correct? Uh, we have to go back up and make up camp. And I guess we're doing whatever you tell us we got to do. >> Okay. If you guys can quarter it. Um, are you guys trying to get back up to the river today? >> They are. >> Okay. You are. >> Well, my uncle went over to to gas boat. Yeah. >> Um, if you guys >> camp is still open cuz we had so much weight in the boat. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, I bet he's definitely going to take up a lot of the room. Um, >> he taking up all the room. Oh. God, this is sad. >> Yeah. I'm so excited. What a beautiful thing. >> Yeah. No, 100%. I mean, these animals are are are definitely gorgeous. Um, but if you can work on at least quartering it up, I can throw it in the back of my truck and then I can go hang it up at Chris Goombickler shop and then call a butcher uh to start working on butchering it up and then preserving it until um after your uh arraignment case is adjudicated. Um, and then so what that will mean is essentially you're going to have a court date. I'm going to try and set it for sooner rather than later. Um like maybe hopefully the 22nd or maybe I can even get you in Let me check with the courts. Um are you What when do you think you'll be back down? >> Uh well, we'll just go close up camp and probably be back down tomorrow, the next day depending on weather. >> Yeah. Yeah. Cuz I know it's supposed to maybe not be greatest. >> Yeah. >> We're trying to get up there and >> so how about this? Let me try and schedule you for the 22nd. So not this Tuesday, but next Tuesday. Um, essentially what it is, it's going to be arraignment where it says, "Hey, look for um, >> how do you plead?" >> Yeah. How do you plead? Guilty, no contest. Uh, or or guilty. Guilty, no guilty, not guilty, or no contest. Um, and since you since you're turning yourself in, it it makes the fines um like a lot lower. Um, and and I can talk to you about that um like before court, I I'll pull you aside and and let you know what the state's offering because you did turn yourself in. You did do the right thing. Um, you're actually the first self like official self turn in in wrinkle. Um, so so I mean I appreciate that and and and the state's willing to work with you on that side of things. But if we can work on getting this at least quartered up. >> Yeah. It'll make me throw it in the back of phone so I can call you when we got it ready or I do have a phone right here. Trash cans or >> Yes, I got I got trash cans. Um, and what I'll do is I'll I'll work on uh there's my phone or not my phone but my card. It's got my phone number right here. That cell. >> Okay. And then so here's this back for you. Um I am going to take some photos of the antlers just real quick. >> No, I didn't. I left my phone. [Music] It's been nice to not have the phone and just sit in that blind and listen. So, you saw two of them there with you? >> Yeah. And a cow. >> Okay. >> These two were fighting kind of back where I couldn't see him. And then one went one way and I identified him and the other guy came the other way. And oh, that looks like a legal moose. Look, look, look. And he's coming across. And that's what I shot. >> How long about did you observe? >> Oh, it was I sat there and watched them for 20 minutes. >> Okay. >> I just couldn't couldn't get a real >> I thought I had a good idea on them. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then what what kind of rifle and scope were you using? >> I was using a 300 wind mag. And the scope's uh I don't know, Simmons or something like that. >> Okay. Um is it like a 3x9? Is like a >> It's probably like a whatever highowered >> is like a something by 20 >> something. I don't know. I can look at it for all that. >> And then were were you on the ground or were you up in a tree? >> I was on the ground. >> Okay. >> I got to ask cuz I know some people hang out in the trees and I'm like no >> they sometimes they get a little better elevation. So, and then about how far away from him was he from >> Oh, 150 yards. >> Okay. >> All right. Well, I think I got enough photos. Um, but if we can, like I said, just have you work on quartering it up. Yeah, that would be great. And then if we The quicker you can quarter it up, the quicker we can get you back up the river. Um, and then, um, >> 22nd, you're thinking you'll be in contact and let >> And so, I'll go write it up real quick cuz I think the because I've got a couple other arrangements or pre-trial hearings the same day. So, I think the 22nd should work. Um, we'll get you in at 8:30 in the morning. Um, while you're working on that, I'm going to head back to my office. Just type up the citation that says, "Hey, look, you took a sublegal moose um with a with a corner date." And then I'll be back. Uh, but what is a good phone number for you? Perfect. And then you guys will probably be down here for just a little bit. So, it shouldn't take me much long to or much time at all. Just run back to the office, type it up real quick, and then I can meet you back down here. So, >> all right. Thank you very much. And then yeah, I appreciate you guys calling in and telling me about it before. >> Wonderful. Thank you for your help. >> Yeah, I mean I know it's an honest mistake, especially when you guys calling in. They're hard. Um but you know, it makes it easier when you guys come to us instead of me trying to like track track down people. So that's one thing I appreciate it. So >> we got rules. >> Yeah. Thanks for following them. Um and then still one other thing is make sure you still get a hold of Aaron Pal. >> Okay. >> Um otherwise, actually, hold on. I can probably just when I when I come back down just to make it easy that way you guys can get up there. So you shot it on the 12th. >> Yep. >> Where'd you shoot it at? >> Uh was Cotton Slooh. Cottonwood Slooh. >> Yeah. >> Cottonwood Slooh. >> It's lower river. >> And then about how many days were you hunting? >> Uh probably five I think cuz I think I started on this uh eighth. >> Five days. And then you took it with a rifle. >> 12th. Yep. 300 wind mag >> rifle and then you guys use the boat. >> Yep. >> To get up there and back. >> And then did you see any other moose while you were up there? If so, how many bulls? Cows and >> two cow and two bull. >> Two bulls and then two cows. Okay. And then I think that is all the other information that they need for the report cuz shake. Nope. Cottonwood slew 5 days hunting. Two bulls, two cows, used a rifle. you brought it out with a boat. I think that's it. So, I'll make sure he gets your report and then uh when I come back down with his court, I'll take the antlers and I'll bring the antlers to him as well. So, that way um I'll take care of your reporting for you. >> Thank you so much. >> Yeah, you're awesome. >> So, I'm trying to make it as easy on you guys as I can. So, um yeah, I'll be back down in like maybe 30 minutes. So, all right. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. >> All righty. So, this is what we talked about before. charges for taking a sublegal moose. So, this is what you're getting charged with it right now. It's just a minor offense. Um, so I since like I said, you did turn yourself in. Your court date will be on the 22nd. >> Um, it'll be at There it is. It's 8:30 in the morning. And then here's the court's phone number. Are you heading back to Catch Can? >> Uh, I'll try to stick her out. I'm going to try to We got a service from my grandma coming, so I'm going to >> Oh, I'm sorry about that. >> Do I get a sign anywhere? >> Nope. You don't need to sign anywhere, but if you do end up going back to Catch Can, no worries. Um, call call in this number. That's just to get to the courthouse. Uh, like I said, if you do go back, call that number and then they'll give you a call-in number for the courts. Okay. Um, if you're here, you can just show up in person. Okay. So, >> we'll probably be here, but >> Okay. >> We'll make sure you make it up there. >> Thank you for getting the in hurry for me. >> Yeah, of course. >> What are we doing? Once we get cornered up, I'm going to go grab a tarp to put it on. >> I've got a tarp in the back of my truck that you guys can use as well. >> Okay. It's only gonna take one tarp to set it on, but where do you need it to? >> Yeah. So, we're gonna take it to Chris Goombickler shop. Um, we'll go there. will hang it and then I will call a butcher who will come and he'll start butchering it up and he'll preserve it until after corner ament is done and then once that's done and said it'll go to um charities in the community. >> Yeah, that's a good it's a good thing. It's going to be good use. >> Exactly. It's not going to go to waste and it goes to people in need. So um >> he saw too many antlers been looking at ours in the blow down. So that's three broad that's >> No, that's 4x4. >> Yeah. So together so I couldn't say no for them. So >> yeah. So, yeah. Let me go grab uh that tarp real quick. That way you can lay it that way you guys can lay in the back of your truck. >> It's in the back of your truck. >> Yeah. And it'll be on the passenger side. >> You want to load it in your truck or do you want to load it in? >> You guys are totally fine loading it in that one. Um >> deliver it. Just give me a call. >> Yeah, give me a call when it's done. How long do you guys think it'll take you guys to corner it up? >> Yeah. Should be pretty quick, though. >> Okay. Um, I'll be back in about 30 minutes and then um I'll take you guys over to Chris's shop since um where's Chris shop at now? >> Bay right over by his house. >> Yeah, on on on burger. >> Okay. >> So, but I I'll swing you back by that way I can let you guys in. We'll hang it up and then like I was telling him, I'll call Chris Stewart to uh get him ready to process it and butcher it up. So, um but yeah, I'll swing back by in just a little bit and check on you guys. Turn this way. Turn this way. And so he's got some uh some anchor points up here that we can um put some rope through and then hang it up. Like a lot of times through these hawks, those will be good to put the line up, winch it up, and they'll tie it to the cleats. And so I've done this where we can hang one straight through the cleat. We'll put another one through the little eyelet right there that's like hanging on. Uh we'll lift it up and then we'll tie it off again to the cle pieces. Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. I already said a couple more pieces of rope. So >> Chris need to set it up by >> I know people are like he needs pulley in HERE TO MAKE IT MORE EASIER. >> We're not that strong. >> You're strong. You can by yourself. want to pull over to this next one. >> Yeah. Pull. Have you just kind of pull out and angle it back that way? We got a better >> better angle on it for you. That way you aren't struggling to have >> me. I have compensated. This would be five. And then there's one more in wrangle that was compensated. So six total here. [Music] Try again. [Music] Went around the island at 125. >> All right. And then we'll give you another piece of line for Will this one be big enough? >> Yeah. Okay. here. That way then right off you those nasty tenderloins. >> Well, THEY'RE NOT FOR ME. I'M JUST PUTTING THEM ON. THAT WAY THEY weren't touching the thing. >> I just want >> All right. And then I'll take this. I'll throw this in the back of my truck. Um and then I'll get this all cleaned. >> Thank you. Sorry, that's the way I think it works sometimes. >> You know, that's how it works out. And you know, you guys aren't criminals by any means. You guys just made an honest mistake. So >> um so I appreciate you guys calling and He's more educated now. >> Hey, that's a good thing though. Sometimes, you know, I hate to say it, but sometimes it takes shooting a wrong one to to kind of realize what it takes to >> Some people do it every year for four or five years. Come on, you got to learn. >> Yeah. Well, hopefully hopefully learning occurs. >> Um, but >> No, thank you guys. I appreciate it. So, you guys take care >> and I'll make sure your truck starts before I take off, but I got to come lock this anyway. So, for >> all right. >> All right. Well, have a good one, guys. >> In the end, he received a noncriminal violation for the sublegal moose. He plead guilty to the charge and was ordered to pay a total of $320. However, the court factored in his cooperation and waved $300, meaning he only had to pay 20. For comparison, moose finds in our other videos have typically been well in excess of $1,000 with one interaction reaching $4,600. We have included a link in the description to Alaska's video showing how to properly identify illegal moose. 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