Who's deer?

[snapcrackpop]

Here is a question about one of those unwritten rules or ethics (just like a deer stand on public property).

Person "A" shoots a deer. Deer is shot a second time by hunter "B".

Who's deer?

What factors are important to you? 1st blood, 1st "leathal wound", public property vs. neighboring land, etc.

Could and should the DNR make a rule on it?

[Froggy4371]

This has happened to us on private land with the neighbors. We all hunt each others land so. Person A shot and hit deer. Neighbor B shoots and hits deer and kills deer. If person A or B wants to clam said deer we let them because we all need to get along to be able to hunt and live in peace. Any deer is not worth (even if it is a monster!) starting a war and losing freinds and neighbors over. This is our partys thoughts.

Froggy

[Heartman]

I believe that legally, the person firing the final, lethal shot comes into possession of the deer. You kill it - it's yours - party hunting harvest would be an exception here.

However, it would be entirely appropriate for other exceptions to occur - if the initial shooter hit the deer and it would've died anyway, you're saving them some tracking time, as well as putting the animal out of misery. While a freebie is always special, I'd rather harvest an animal I shoot and kill.

I did have this happen once down by McGregor - had a nice 8 point buck come walking by at about 50yds - could tell he'd been wounded - and was able to put it down for good with a single shot. Walked over to inspect and out comes a father and 12 year old son, who'd hit it in the chest, and the deer was about to expire anyway. They were both relieved, and apprehensive as we started to speak - it was a no-brainer to let them take it. They were both very, very happy, and proud to have the deer in their possession.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

[jbdragon17]

The situation would dictate.

If the deer is mortally wounded and hunter B just basically knocks it down...it should go to hunter A.

If the deer is wounded (non mortally) and hunter B knocks it down I would think hunter B gets the deer.

It is likely that a couple guys would be able to figure out if the deer was mortally wounded or not, and which shot killed the deer.

If I tipped over a deer from my stand...than realized it was hit, and the tracking hunter approached...I would give him his deer.

It all comes down to common sense (which I know isn't always common) and ethics for me.

[Scott K]

If person A hits the deer and it runs to person B and person B kills it, it belongs to person B. If person A shoots it and it falls and dies and person B shoots it on the ground when it is dead, for one thing you are hunting to close to person B. The law states kill shot, so if its still running, or walking when person B shoots it, person A didnto kill it! So person B gets it. Just one more reason to make sure you have good aim and have a good shot! If it boiled down to it, in an arguement, its not worth getting shot over!

[Johnny_Namakan]

Good question. When it happens within a group of hunters that hunt together it's easy. The person who finished it off gets the deer and the person who wounded it gets an assist. Now, after reviewing the animal if the first shot would have eventually killed the deer and could be considered a lethal shot then the first person gets it and the second person gets to harrass the first person for years to come. Last year my uncle shot at a nice 10 ptr, the deer ran to my other uncle's stand and he dropped him. While field dressing we found a small "cut" ontop of his back. We determined that was the first shot that went high and just nicked the deer, so obviously the second person gets the deer, but now the first person gets to harrass the second person for years to come. As far as other groups of hunters getting involved now that gets tricky. Hopefully it gets resolved without issue in either case. My solution: Don't miss your kill shot. If you don't have a kill shot, don't shoot! I know, I know, that's easier said than done.

[snapcrackpop]

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The law states kill shot...

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Really? Where?

Quote:

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If it boiled down to it, in an arguement, its not worth getting shot over!

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Ditto!

What about gut shot or broken leg shot?

[Ely Lake Expert]

Quote:

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However, it would be entirely appropriate for other exceptions to occur - if the initial shooter hit the deer and it would've died anyway, you're saving them some tracking time, as well as putting the animal out of misery.

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I've done that before, I could hear the dear moving with them not far behind. I saw it coming, pretty obvious it was wounded. I knocked it down for them. They walked up to me a bit nervously as it was right by my stand, I said to go ahead and take it its yours. Nothing but smiles then.

[bigbucks]

I don't believe in a true first blood rule either, but more of a hard hit rule. If a deer is scratched the guy who actually kills it gets it. If it's gut shot or even more seriously wounded, including some severe higher leg wounds & it's not going to live or is moving very slowly, shoot it & give it to the first hunter.

I've shot at least one deer that was wounded by another party. I think it would have died, but it sure wasn't going to be anytime soon. I saw blood on it, high gut shot just in front of the hind legs. I shot it & they were pretty sure that was the deer I'd shot at, so they came to check if I got it. I said yes & told them they could have it if they wanted it, it didn't matter to me. They said no go ahead & take it we just wanted to make sure it wasn't laying out here wounded. I really wouldn't have cared either way. I shot another doe with almost an identical wound from someone in our party. We gutted it out & hung it in the shed. I counted it as a deer I'd shot, but it was most certainly still his deer if he wanted it. I have no idea who actually took it within our party & don't care.

I agree with whoever said it depends on the situation.

[harvey lee]

Quote:

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The situation would dictate.

If the deer is mortally wounded and hunter B just basically knocks it down...it should go to hunter A.

If the deer is wounded (non mortally) and hunter B knocks it down I would think hunter B gets the deer.

It is likely that a couple guys would be able to figure out if the deer was mortally wounded or not, and which shot killed the deer.

If I tipped over a deer from my stand...than realized it was hit, and the tracking hunter approached...I would give him his deer.

It all comes down to common sense (which I know isn't always common) and ethics for me.

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I will agree with this post 100%. Common sense has to prevail. If we all call ourselves sportsmen, then we should do what a sportsman would do. Back to the golden rule

Due unto others as you would like them to do unto you.

[JSTARK]

Cut the deer in half....

[bigbucks]

Is your name really Solomon?

[rippinlips]

It always seems to be a problem when it is a big buck.

[fishwithteeth]

I would agree with harveylee. Even if it were a monster buck, if I knew another shot it and was tracking it, and I put on the finishing touches, I would give them the deer.

The exception:

I finish off a wounded animal. I am not aware another was tracking the animal. I have gutted the animal and have dragged it half way back to the truck. This would be mine.

Exception #2:

If it were a kid it's theirs.

[SFBOY]

i am always wary of finishing off a doe for someone else that is not with me. have heard stories of guys just shooting whatever and not wanting the deer when they see what they have shot. this is especially true when i dont have a doe tag. i tracked and finished a deer off last year for a guy that turned out to be a spike. he said, huh, i thought it was a better buck... you want it? uh, no i dont, you shot it and didnt want to track it and i was just doing the right thing. tag it and take it home.

its a hard thing to finish a deer off that you would never shoot on your own because it might end up being yours, but it is the humane thing to do.

[TrophyEyes]

Now try this situation out. Person A (14 year old boy) shot a small 6 pointer. He decided to take a head shot rather than a ethical kill shot. He blew the lower jaw of the deer. Person B, a 30 year hunter and trophy buck hunter saw said deer and put it out of its misery. Person B approached Person A and told him to tag it. Person A refused and said he didn't kill the deer. Person B had to use his tag on a 30 inch 6pt. Could the DNR have given him a second buck tag in this situation?

[SM1]

I had a situation where a doe ran into a creek bottom and bedded down just as I was beginning to walk it. As I walked along, the doe got up and was running when I made a fatal shot on it.

Next thing I know there are two other hunters that got out of their pickup and walked across the plowed field at me and said it was their deer. I didnt agree with them since I watched the deer run ~1.5 miles before it got to the creek. After a short this and that, they left. (I agree and go by what was posted above, and I was 15 at the time)

I didnt quite understand why these guys wanted this deer so bad when the hunting was good that year---until I went to de-bone it and found it loaded with a bunch of BBB. I didnt notice it while gutting and never got a good description of the violators.

[The Grebe]

Pick the shot, know the firearm and how it shoots, break its neck, bust it's front shoulders, shoot it in the gourd...then the question is moot.

I know a number of guys that pick up any firearm they can get their hands on and head out "Hunting" deer. To a man, they couldn't hit a bull in the a$$ with a banjo! If the "A" team did get some lead in a deer, team "B" would be doing the deer a service by taking it deep!

[Hammer Handle]

The killing shot...the one the deer is lying by.

That way, no arguement if your shot was the "mortal shot". If it runs to another hunter and they drop it...too bad, their deer.

That way, ALL track a wounded deer. You are not looking for someone elses deer, but one you can get. If you find it dead on your property...it is yours.

That is the rule we have with all of our neighbors. But, it is not hard and fast. Two years ago, we got a call from our neighbor "Hey, come and get your deer!" We went over to find it all gutted out and ready to go!

Sad part of this story, the neighbor who did this just lost their son to rabies (in all the news lately). What a great neighbor to lose!

[BradB]

Who is deer? Eh?

[BeerHunter]

This is how i got my first deer. I was 12 years old, had a nice 204 lb 8 point come out 100 yards away.

Hit it in the liver. There used to be snow during deer hunting around here. So it was and easy trail.

My dad and I started trailing it 30 minutes later, to find that the group in the adjacent land had started a deer drive. So we followed the blood with them, Kicking the deer out of its bed 4 times before it got to one of their posters.

The guy who had shot it had a little fit because it was a decent deer, Huge for first deer, but the drivers had already said that it would be my deer because they drove it instead of letting it die like we would have done.

Let me tell you, That made me the happiest 12 year old in the woods that day,

If its a kill shot, then i believe that the deer is that persons. Thats what happens when people are hunting on top of each other. Like they do in some areas.

We have also seen a groups around us take a guys first deer away from him, after following the blood trail right to it. Guys shot into the ground and claimed it. Pretty weak.

[The Grebe]

This happened to my dad and my uncle, the last time they deer hunted...it was up by Hill City, many, many years ago. They shot a buck trailed it, found it and it was taken from them at gun point by another crew...simple minded bass turds even back then.

[bigbucks]

I will never, never, ever understand why someone would want to take someone else's deer. If you want venison that bad, tell some of your friends that get plenty of deer all the time & would be glad to give you 1 or 2 or 3...

If I wound a deer & trail it to where someone else shot it. I sure want to be able to at least look at it & verify where I hit it. I had that happen once. We trailed a deer probably half a mile, jumped it & it ran to a guy in another party who shot it. I said I hit that deer & we were trailing it. How was it running, where was it hit? It looked fine to me he says.

We jumped it when we were basically just about in sight of the guy. I was frustrated, but mostly because I felt I probably hit it pretty good. I never got to find out. I'd shot other deer, but it would have been my first buck.

[Scott K]

Not to be a smart a$$, but if you hit it good, you wouldnt have had to track it a half a mile !

[Bandit]

What he said!

[Craig_S]

The rule at my camp, and the one I will teach my son, is that he who stops it killed the deer. No autopsy needed. Not that there's a qualified Coroner around anyway. Hence the rule.

However, there are always circumstances to consider. And any decent sportsmen will be able to come to agreement in about two minutes. If not, the final shooter gets the deer.

I've deer hunted for about 30 years, killed dozens of deer, and never had this happen. It's never even happened in my party. But it certainly could.

I'd suggest if this is happening often, somebody should ask "why?". Could be property issues, could be a poor shooter, could be overcrowding. Either way, I'd try and fix something.

Craig

[dogs]

I have always believed in the first blood rule as long as the guy who shot the deer comes on the blood trail. Have shot possibly 25 deer that were shot by others in our party making drives and someone tracking on to were i was standing. Then only one I ever argued over was when someone came to the sound of my shot and then claimed the were tracking a buck that the had not a piece of antler off.( and they could not find hair and blood from the buck after I put 4 in him with a 30-06 and they were not a friend of mine nor were they anyone's friend but each other) But I hunt around a lot of people I know and like to have my buck tag up until the last day the argument is usally who has to tag the deer.

[soldoncass]

There are too many variables for the dnr to get involved in it.

My son shot a young buck one year and dropped it. He could tell it was wounded, and a hunter was moving through the woods on the same track as the buck. After getting to the buck, my son noticed that it had been bleeding heavily. When I got there ,my son asked me what we were going to do if the hunter came over there. I just told him , we would see what happened, but we knew the hunter was following a good blood trail and if he kept at it he would probably have gotten it himself. What eventually happened was ; the hunter got close, asked Kent if he got it, he said yes, hunter asked if it was a 6 or 8 point, Kent said with a chuckle "two", with that the hunter turned and went back where he came from. No arguements. Hunter could have taken it,we would have given it up because of the heavy blood trail, but it's hard to do that to a 14 year old kid. If you drop it , it should be yours most of the time.

[The Grebe]

I was talking to a couple of guys that were fishing with me yesterday, about this post.

They were both of the assumption that whoever anchored it, it was their deer.

What if someone wasn't sure they hit it and didn't come after it...yes, it does happen. What if someone was a chitty tracker and gave up on the trail, or just plain lost it? How about if it's hit a mortal wound, but not something that is going to kill it right away?

Lots of variables. One of the guys that was fishing with us yesterday, put a .30 .30 bullet right through a 6 pointers heart and knocked it down. The deer thrashed around and got to it's feet, pumping a stream of blood and another guy drilled it right on the spot with 2 rounds from his 270 and swore up and down it was his deer. My pard won that dispute.

[c&amagn]

Wow, the 30-30 guy and the .270 guy are pretty close to each other to do that on the same deer in one spot. Don't think I'd be hunting anywhere near that area.