Hunter Shoots Funny-Looking ‘Deer’

A young deer hunter from Sun Prairie opened the 1999 Montana big-game season Sunday by mistakenly shooting a 300-pound llama on the Cascade Hutterite Colony near Fort Shaw.

The 21-year-old man didn’t realize what the hornless, long-necked, woolly animal was until he took it to a Great Falls meat processor, said state game warden Steve Vinnedge. The processor turned the hunter away.

The llama was similar in color to deer, and had even been hanging out with a group of does. Vinnedge said he was told it was with deer when it was shot.

But even Vinnedge was hard-pressed to explain why the hunter apparently still failed to realize what he had shot when he got up close. The man tagged the animal as the law requires, then he and his partner field dressed it before taking it to the game processor, Vinnedge said.

After they were turned down by the meat processor, the hunter and his partner took the animal to the state-run game check station just east of Great Falls. Vinnedge took it back to the colony, where it was disposed of in an animal pit.

The colony decided against pressing criminal charges.

Vinnedge declined to cite the hunter or release his name.

“There are no charges, and this guy is absolutely humiliated,” Vinnedge said.

Washington state fish records set

State records have been set for several fish species, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.

Channel catfish: 36.20 pounds, caught Sept. 6 in Interstate 82 Pond 6 in Yakima County by Ross Kincaid of Buena. The previous record was 32 pounds, 8 ounces.

Kelp greenling: 4.42 pounds, caught Sept. 19 off Sucia Island in San Juan County by Danita Rixen of Bellingham. The previous record was 3 pounds, 8 ounces.

Atlantic salmon: 14.38 pounds caught Sept. 22 in King County’s Green River by Ron Howard of Auburn. The previous record was 13 pounds 11 ounces.

Dolly Varden: 10 pounds, 15 ounces, caught Aug. 5 in Snohomish County’s Whitechuck River by Leroy Thompson of Darrington. The previous record was a 10-pound fish.

Great sculpin: 4 pounds, 9.5 ounces, caught July 29 in Port Angeles Harbor by Mark Reynolds of Port Angeles. The previous record was a 4-pound, 6-ounce fish.

Comments sought on protection listings

Final public comments are being collected through Nov. 30 on proposed state protection listings for three species: the northern leopard frog, a butterfly known as the mardon skipper and the Olympic mudminnow.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is recommending that the leopard frog and the mardon skipper be designated state endangered species and the Olympic mudminnow a sensitive species.

Copies of final reports on status of the three species will be available after Nov. 1 at public libraries, WDFW headquarters and regional offices in Mill Creek, Montesano, Vancouver, Ephrata, Yakima and Spokane, and on the WDFW website at www.wa.gov/wdfw.

Written comments on the status reports should be mailed by Nov. 30 to Harriet Allen, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091.