The Second Recorded Walleye Inspection
Prior to the consultation with the attorney, I wanted to document the condition of the walleye and more specifically, the location of the hole in the mouth. I wanted all my evidence recorded so it could be reviewed. I again took the walleye out of the freezer and began to thaw it in the bathtub. The time was 2:20pm.
When my wife walked into the bathroom, there was a huge, frozen fish wrapped in towels floating in the bathtub for a second time. I thought my wife was going to be upset. Instead, she asked, "What can I do to help?" She understood what I was going through and was just as upset as I was about the investigation. You have to remember, she was a witness to everything and didn't have any concerns. She was in just as much disbelief as I was about the investigation and potential for criminal charges.
My wife expressed anger about how Game and Fish had the walleye in their possession for nearly two hours and could have inspected it themselves.
Together, my wife and I unwrapped the walleye and started recording a video: https://youtu.be/MLUKjBundxw. Along with the video, my wife took photos of the hole in the mouth of the fish and the string burn on the cheek. Below are a few of those images:
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| Picture taken by my wife showing a hole in the upper jaw of my record walleye. There is also a piece of skin hanging from the upper jaw. |
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| Image taken of string burn on the cheek of the walleye with lines pointing to the exact location of the hole in the mouth of the fish. |
The string burn on the cheek of my walleye also appeared in multiple photos taken by Game and Fish. See the images below taken during the verification process.
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| Image provided by Game and Fish of my walleye on the digital scale at Cashwise as it was being verified. The string burn on the cheek is evident. |
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| Closeup of the string burn on the cheek of my walleye. The burn lines point right to where the hook was located in the mouth of the walleye. |
The hole in the mouth of the walleye was clearly visible. The string burn on the cheek was clearly visible and appeared in multiple photos. The lines caused by the string pointed right to where the hole was in the mouth of the walleye.
Blood
When I inspected the images taken by Game and Fish during the verification process, it also appears there was blood on the lower jaw of the walleye. The blood appears to be exactly where it should be considering the hole is on the same side just above that location.
My evidence along with the evidence collected by Game and Fish support my walleye was hooked in the mouth.
If Game and Fish had a process or procedure in place for verifying record fish, they could have had pictures and video documenting any signs of physical damage.
Why didn't Game and Fish release these images to the public? Why didn't they include these images in their investigation report?
Changes
I am NOT trying to get you or anyone else on my side about how my walleye was caught. I am just attempting to show you how there was physical evidence on the walleye which indicated it was hooked in the mouth.
There was a fresh tear/hole in the mouth of the walleye and what appears to be string burn on the cheek pointing directly to where the hole was located in the mouth. This suggested the walleye was hooked in the mouth.
Game and Fish could have and should have inspected the walleye for signs of physical damage during the verification process. They should have inspected the fish for signs of where it was hooked. This should have been done when they were with the fish for two hours, and Game and Fish should have been the ones to release this information to the public - not me.
Inspecting and documenting the physical condition of a potential record fish is something Game and Fish needs to do as part of the verification process.
If Game and Fish would have done this, they could have made a conclusion based on actual evidence such as an image of the hole in the mouth of a fish. They could have created a report and posted it for the public to see. This all would provide some confidence and transparency to the public to dispel rumors and conspiracy theories. They need to start doing this.
Is this blog making sense now?
I am not asking you to side with me as to how my walleye was caught, I am asking for changes so this doesn't happen again.
#northdakotaslargestwalleye #volkswalleye #justiceforthelargestwalleye
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