Whose Deer Is sit ?

[Riflehunter1776]

I wonder how many hunters have taken a 190" whitetail in order to say "eh, it's just a deer"

 

[Pdvdh]

The value of a friendship is determined by the friend. Some aren't worth saving.

 

[Bravo 4]

The value of a friendship is determined by the friend. Some aren't worth saving.

A few months back I had a conversation with my best friend since peewee football that didn't end too well. All the flaking out he has done in recent years (and it's been a lot!) finally got to me and I told him that if he and I were to meet today, with the way he acts, that we wouldn't be friends. Haven't spoken since. I love the guy more than my brother, but I don't have to put up with that crap...from him or anyone.
Sucks, but interventions usually do. Bad behavior needs to be addressed or it continues.

 

[HARPERC]

We make mistakes choosing who to allow in our life along the way. Some are easy to cut loose, some like family and wives harder.

I'd let him know I'd thought it over, and it was a mistake to allow him to take the deer. I'd give him a chance of return it without threatening him. Failing that I would give him the choice of giving it back, or facing legal action. It would be a 2 pronged approach, 1) Hire an attorney to pursue civil options, and advise on the criminal aspects. 2) I'd report him to the Game Department.

He lost me when he tore the tag off without discussing it. The deer at this point became irrelevant to me, this was an overt screw you, not a heat of the moment act.

Be prepared for collateral damage to other relationships

 

[Rich Coyle]

tag

 

[ctw]

No one needs friends like that. Your better off with out him. ctw

 

[J E Custom]

This makes no sense (to me, anyway)- it's almost suggesting a participation trophy mentality for hunting. The kid's shot went through no vitals, only wounding the deer. The OP placed two shots behind the shoulder in the boiler room, writing in stone the fate of the animal and providing a clean, ethical end to the story. If it were my son, recognizing this very good teaching opportunity, I'd have said something like "This is why you don't rush your shot, and make sure it's a good shot before taking it" while showing him the small wounding result of his error. I'd then book some time at the range to build his confidence back up, and book another hunt to get him another chance at success. The OP should have received the harvest, as he's the reason it happened.

Either way, sad story- I can sit here and think I'd have been understanding and forgiving, but in all honesty, I would probably find a way to always be "busy" the next time the other father/son combo wanted to go hunting with me again.

This is a good question and an example of teaching the young hunter
the skill and ethics of taking game. Most of us that have sons, daughters and wife's that are just starting out, need to direct and supervise them before before hunting and then be prepared to make the difficult call if it becomes necessary. I can say that My son made several mistakes and was not rewarded for them (My father did the same to me and the lessons took).

He has become one of the safest and rule following young men I know and Is my favorite hunting partner, (Not because he is my son, but because I can always trust him to do the right thing) When we bow hunted, I often backed him up and he knew that If he did not make a good humane shot, He would not be rewarded with the game.

In real life you are sometimes rewarded for doing good, and should never be rewarded for doing bad, And hopefully learn from your/their mistakes.

I am not one to tell anyone how to teach new shooters/hunters because the father in me would want to give the deer to my son, BUT when faced with this dilemma so far I have remembered my fathers teachings and avoided my emotions And the results have been very rewarding.

It is not about the deer in my opinion, It is about the lessons and future hunting/shooting attitude. After all, Our children are what we teach them and they are the future sportsmen.

Just my opinion
J E CUSTOM

 

[HARPERC]

.....It is not about the deer in my opinion, It is about the lessons and future hunting/shooting attitude. After all, Our children are what we teach them and they are the future sportsmen....Just my opinion
J E CUSTOM

One never can tell which lesson's will appear when practice (range time) meets the field.

 

[deaner 20]

It's a deer yes but a big deer even for a grown man or a kid . It's a hard choice . Hope all works out

 

[Combatpreacher]

Our rule in the family camp (which includes friends) was "first blood" as long as the shot could result in the "kill" not eventual death of the deer. A liver, heart, or lung, etc. shot where the deer runs 25-100 yards and another hunter shoots it before it goes down.. goes to first blood.

On the other hand, a leg shot or even gut shot that "may" cause the deer to die eventually, it goes to the one who actually ends the deer suffering with a clean "kill".
There is always going to be that "special incident" and that's when you remember what sportsmanship is.

 

[carl1775]

Death shot, to recovery. I don't care if it's double lung. If the deer is up, the hunter that puts it on the ground owns it. Same goes for crossing fence lines. If you don't recover it, it's not yours, "legally" speaking. That said, if I was group hunting and someone had a "good shot" where the deer would have expired and I happened to end the suffering. Then, I would of course acquiesce to the original shooter. That said, a leg shot most certainly does not qualify as a good shot. I agree the OP's buddy is at fault for not respecting that his son made a terrible shot. He should then not be rewarded for his short comings. I also agree, the removal of the tag is the real crime here.... Glad I've never been in this situation. I contend that the deer belongs to the OP. But, if taken to court, the state would probably keep the trophy and fine your buddy (possibly worse) for cutting your tag off, SO lose, lose, lose. Must not have been a very good friend...

 

[KyCarl]

I only hunt on my property. And in Kentucky if it dies on my side of the fence
It's my deer! Period! ..No matter who shot it....I let my neighbors come on my place
to recover but only if they call first! I don't want to worry about shooting a trespasser
I didn't know was out there..And this story is the very reason I hunt by myself..
I don't need help! Let them keep the deer and never speak to him again is how I would handle it. If I ever saw them on my place they could deal with the Sheriff and a trespassing charge...

 

[Wysongdog]

There

++NOT MY STORY++
Read this on Archery Talk, kind of interesting situation and opinions.
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http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showt...dium=email&utm_campaign=ed92&utm_content=iss2
Who's Deer?
I would like to get your opinion on a situation that occurred last week during Iowa's first shotgun season.

Myself and a good buddy of mine have been hunting down in Southern Iowa for the last 10 years. We have a mutual friend that owns quite a bit of land down there and he only hunts during the gun season when we are in town. This year, both myself and my buddy brought our 14 year old boys along.

Long story short, It was me and my boys turn to participate in the deer drive we were doing on this 40 acre CRP field with a small wooded draw cutting the field in half. The land owner was also on the drive with us and he mentioned that he's been seeing a big 12 point bedding in this draw.

My buddy and his son were blocking on the far end of the field. We started the drive and once I approached the wooded draw, I saw a big buck pop out the opposite side and head over the hill before I could get a shot. I heard my buddies son take a shot at the deer and then shortly after, the deer had turned around and came back over the hill and was trying to sneak out the side.

This presented me with a shot and I drop the buck on the first shot. He then tried to get up and I put another slug in him to finish him off. This deer is a giant. A heavy main frame 10 with matching split brows and matching kickers coming off of his G2s. Very symmetrical dark antlers.

As I walk up to the deer, I see where both of my shots hit right behind the shoulder. Then my buddies son comes running over the hill all excited and asking if "I saw that big buck". He wasn't able to see it laying at my feet in the tall CRP grass until he got right up to me.

Once he sees it, he get very excited and goes "Alright, that's what I call a tag team buck". I told him I heard him shoot and ask if he thought he hit it. He said it was about a 100 yard running shot but it turned around after he shot so he thinks he might have. We then examine the deer and see there is a hole in the buck's back leg. The slug went through the meat, missing any bone and ended up ripping the deer's testicles off.

We knew that was his shot because he was shooting a 20 gauge and I was shooting a 12 gauge. The holes were definitely a different size. Also, my shot was only about 40 yards and I could see where I hit the deer both times.

He is very excited and keeping saying "tag team buck". By now, everyone else in our party comes over and is admiring the giant deer that I was guessing to be around 180". The land owner says "Well who got it?" and my buddies son replied that it was a tag team buck and we both shot it. I wasn't going to raise a stink about the deer because he was so excited and then proceeded to gut the deer. As he is gutting it, I place my tag on the antler to make it legal.

We all snap a few pictures and then go get the truck to load the deer up. As I walk back to my buddies truck with just him and I, I mention where his son hit the deer and then also where I hit the deer hoping he will realize that without my shots, the deer would still be running and not die. He doesn't say anything.

We load the deer up into his truck and then he drops myself, my son and the land owner back off at my truck. We all head to the land owners house but my buddy doesn't show up. I call him to see where he is and he says that they are heading to the locker to drop the deer off. This makes me mad because I am the one who shot the deer and it was a world class whitetail. I tell him that I did not want him to do this and that I was the one who got the deer. He says no and that it was his sons deer and that I had nothing to do with killing this buck. He claims it would have died from his sons shot and that I just finished it off. He then said that they cut my tag off and put his sons tag on it.

This obviously causes an argument and then they decided to head back to northern Iowa where we both live. I try to explain to him that it was my deer but I would be willing to get a replica mount made for his son since he thinks it was a "tag team" effort.

He now will not return my calls and I feel like our friendship is dwindling over this giant deer. I later see his son post a picture of himself and my deer on facebook. The caption says they scored it and that it grossed 191".

Who is the rightful owner of this deer? Is it a tag team effort? Was I right in offering to do a replica if they returned it to me? What are my options? I don't want to ruin a lifelong friendship over a deer but this is a deer of a lifetime and I feel like I am the rightful owner.

Your opinions and advise is much appreciated. Thanks for reading.

there is no thing as a tag team buck in my eyes, or Wyoming game and fish's. I'm not familiar with your laws. The young lad got buck fever which has happened to us all. You made the killing shots the deer is yours. It doesn't matter the size of the animal. Although in this case it seems to have magnified this situation, but you ultimately killed the deer. This is a tough life lessons for the young lad but a valuable one. I think it was a very good gesture on your part to have the replica horns made.

I had something similar hunting buffalo outside of Jackson hole, WY. I shot a large bull with my bow. Made a perfect shot 4" behind the elbow (did not get a full pas thru, arrow hit a off rib and turned length way inside) the bull walked out of the trees about 400 yards into a sage brush flat. Another hunting not being able to see the bull was hit, shot the bull 3 times with a large rifle ultimately applying the killing shot. Even tho the bull was dying from my arrow, he was not dead. The bull belonged to him per Wyoming law. I was definitely miffed about it, but it wasn't the other Hunter's fault so it was his bull fair and square.

 

[Wysongdog]

There was a thread similar to this one last week, Kill shot takes it home. so if he kids took the first shot and then the Kill shot, the Buck isn't yours bro, am sorry better luck next time.

Sorry to disagree but, Kill shot takes it hold you are correct, hitting a deer in the *** is not a kill shot. 2 shots thru the lungs are.