What would you do?

[beachpeaz]

Curious what you would do in this scenario:

I had permission to hunt private land this fall.  While in my stand I see a guy walking through the cut corn field and climb up a tree literally 50 yards behind me.  This is not my property, I am just there as a guest, so I figured I would lay low until it got dark and not ruin either hunt by getting down and talking to him (like, hey, what the hell are you doing 50 yards from me.  That's another subject matter).

Of course, of all days, I have a 140" class 10 point walk down the trail in front of me 10 minutes after this wahoo showed up.  30 yards, broadside, no clue I am there, I make what I think is a great shot.  He bounds off, crashes through the thicket and disappears.  Its 4:20pm and legal light is about 4:45pm, actual darkness about 5:15pm (yes, this idiot was walking through the corn field getting in his stand at 4:15pm, 30 minutes before sunset).  I am on the fence about waiting til dark until this guy leaves (definitely don't want to deal with him) or going to find the deer because there is nothing worst than tracking after dark.

I decided to get out of my stand and go talk to him.  He was also there on permission so the conversation was fairly pleasant (although he thought he was the only one allowed to hunt this property). Regardless, he said he would go help me look for the deer.  We walk to where I shot him and find my arrow busted off and not a drop of blood.  It is now turning totally dark.  We both looked for 45 minute and never find a drop of blood.  I know in the back of my mind I made a good shot.  I walk around in the direction that I saw him disappear and still find no blood.  He gives up his search and we shake hands.  I looked a little bit more and figured I would come back that weekend (this was Thursday afternoon) and look during daylight in hopes of finding something.

I do exactly that and go back that weekend with my father and look for a couple hours.  Nothing.  It kills me that I could have possibly made a non-lethal shot (I watched the arrow make contact around the front shoulder).  I walk away pretty discouraged but at least knowing I looked and looked.

leap forward to muzzleloader season.  I am back out at this property hunting and of course run into that guy again.  This time the conversation a lot less pleasant.  He tells me that he went back that weekend and found my deer and kept it (obviously before I could make it back to look).

This guy knows who I am (we exchanged numbers the first time we ran into each other) and we obviously both know the land owner (to which neither of us are).

Knowing what I just typed, would you have kept that deer?  Or would you have returned it to the person you know that shot it?

I feel like that is pretty dishonest of him to do that, but I am obviously biased because it is the deer that I shot.  Curious if he is in the right on that, or is this a grey area.

Any opinions?

 

 

 

 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Opinion? The guy is an arsehole.
How could he not reach out to you upon finding your buck??


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[moog5050]

Of course he should have returned the deer.  Pretty sad that he would want to keep it.  Why would I want to keep a deer another hunter killed.  I would have called immediately to let you know I found your buck.  Come get it!  And congratulations.  Not gray at all in my opinion.

[Uncle Nicky]

Cheesy move on his part. Not sure why someone would want  a big set of antlers from another guy's deer. I could possibly see getting the meat before it spoiled, but as mentioned, he could have called to tell you he found the deer.

[beachpeaz]

Well, that's my opinion.  I was raised with class and ethics.  I am always the first one to help out someone else when needed.  I would never keep someone else's deer, nor would I want to.  Unfortunately the breed of hunters (and humans in general) that are raised today, have no value in other people.  It makes me more sad than frustrated.

 

[beachpeaz]

9 minutes ago, Uncle Nicky said:

Cheesy move on his part. Not sure why someone would want  a big set of antlers from another guy's deer. I could possibly see getting the meat before it spoiled, but as mentioned, he could have called to tell you he found the deer.

The worst part is it was dead within 200 yards of where I shot it.  Not like he found it a mile away and there was a question of what deer it was.  It's also not like he found it 3 months later shed hunting.  To go back after you  know someone killed a deer and then not even tell the person?  WTF.  I don't get it.  Soooo aggravated over this.  I'm losing sleep.  I can call him and yell, but that's not going to change anything.

[moog5050]

9 minutes ago, beachpeaz said:

Well, that's my opinion.  I was raised with class and ethics.  I am always the first one to help out someone else when needed.  I would never keep someone else's deer, nor would I want to.  Unfortunately the breed of hunters (and humans in general) that are raised today, have no value in other people.  It makes me more sad than frustrated.

 

Even worse is that apparently he didn't even view it as wrong since he told you he found it the next weekend and kept it months later.  Speaks volumes about his character. 

[growalot]

I want to know what you said when he told you.. I wouldn't want a deer I knew I didn't shoot unless it was a carcass(skull) find...I lost a deer  like that to a neighbor  that gave me and deer search permission to track...another that a neighbor dragged off guts and all when I went to get permission...haha before cell phones...both big deer...If they needed them that bad so be it....they have a hard time looking me in the eye...and I'm not shy about telling locals what happened....

[beachpeaz]

9 minutes ago, growalot said:

I want to know what you said when he told you.. I wouldn't want a deer I knew I didn't shoot unless it was a carcass(skull) find...I lost a deer  like that to a neighbor  that gave me and deer search permission to track...another that a neighbor dragged off guts and all when I went to get permission...haha before cell phones...both big deer...If they needed them that bad so be it....they have a hard time looking me in the eye...and I'm not shy about telling locals what happened....

I don't believe I can type that on here...lol.  Let's just say the conversation got really heated and had I been 20 years younger again, there would have been fists thrown in the middle of the woods.  I thought that was a TOTAL DBag move on his part and I was not bashful in telling him that.  His response was "you shot it out from under my stand."  So, I guess he felt justified that it was actually  his deer.  I had literally been in that set for the entire day (before sunup) and toughed out 11 hours of cold for the deer to come by.  He hunted for 10 minutes before I shot my deer.  The deer would have never walked by where he was.  Not that you needed to know that detail, but in case you had any sympathy for his response, those are the details.

 

[growalot]

Ps................. the fact that he boldly told you what he did, tells me this....That was a shot across your bow letting you know to move on. Very passive aggressive....I'd hunt next to his stand every single chance I got...and never give him a chance to "help " look for another deer...chances are he found the trail and never said a word that night.

[moog5050]

I don't care if he was riding it when you shot it.  He didn't kill the deer and he knows who did.  I am agitated for you.  Plus, he wasn't complaining when he "helped" you look for that deer.  What are the chances he actually saw blood and never disclosed it that first night.

[First-light]

I would of called you as soon as I found it. People are jerks he should of given it to you. That said I will never get into an argument over a deer especially at gun season.

[beachpeaz]

9 minutes ago, growalot said:

Ps................. the fact that he boldly told you what he did, tells me this....That was a shot across your bow letting you know to move on. Very passive aggressive....I'd hunt next to his stand every single chance I got...and never give him a chance to "help " look for another deer...chances are he found the trail and never said a word that night.

No doubt.  It is an odd situation where multiple family members own the property and the Son gave him permission and the Dad gave me....and the father and son never spoke....sooo, it ended up being a bad situation in the woods that could have been avoided with better communication.  Since rectified.  I made the mistake of not having it written and on me.  This year I will, and history will not repeat itself.  I have ZERO use for people like this guy.  It is a dynamite spot and he is too stupid to know how to hunt it.

[beachpeaz]

12 minutes ago, moog5050 said:

I don't care if he was riding it when you shot it.  He didn't kill the deer and he knows who did.  I am agitated for you.  Plus, he wasn't complaining when he "helped" you look for that deer.  What are the chances he actually saw blood and never disclosed it that first night.

lol.  I hope to see someone riding a deer someday.  That would be the icing on my deer cake.  lol.  See grows response.  I never considered it until he said something.  I bet he did find blood that night and waited for me to leave!  That makes me fume even more.

I was hoping someone had a logical argument that I'm an idiot so I could let this go.  Now it appears I should be more mad than I am.  lol.

[ApexerER]

I agree with everyone else....That was a dirtbag move 100%. I would never do that to another hunter. I am mad for you! Even if I found it in the spring while out hiking I would give you a call to see if  it was the deer you shot. What the hell is wrong with people. Even if I didn't know who shot it, I wouldn't want somebody else's deer....

[moog5050]

Well I am sure that word will get around as to what happened and he will receive his just reward.  Imagine explaining that story when someone compliments that big rack on your wall. 

"I saw someone shoot him and then went and grabbed him later after I hid the blood trail from the successful hunter."  Even a non-hunter would look cross eyed at him.  Good for you on moving on.  I suspect there is a booner in the future for you on that parcel.

[pistolp71]

Not cool on that guys part. You shot it.

That being said, if I thought I made a good shot like you said, I would have been back the very next morning. Not days later. 

[dbHunterNY]

well i'm with the others.  he should've let you have it.

[Dinsdale]

I've finished off critters for others that were just wounded; and I didn't keep them, thought never even crossed my mind. 

Folks is goofy when it comes to this deer thing.

 

[Buckmaster7600]

A big deer brings out the worst in people!

The biggest deer I have killed in my life I killed completely legally but less than ethically. 5 minutes after it got hung on my wall I broke the horns off and threw the head in the garbage and the rack in the creek. I didn't even want to look at it ever again.

How someone can want a set of antlers that has no meaning to them is baffling.


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[fasteddie]

To the OP --- I agree with the others that the guy should have called you when he found it . Even so , I am curious to know what you would have done . You shot it on a Thursday and weren't going back until the weekend . Would you have gone there on Friday am to retrieve it ? Would you have told the guy to gut it and drag it out of there which he couldn't legally do without tagging it .... ? Just curious as to what the OP would have done if he had gotten a call from the guy that retrieved the deer . 

[beachpeaz]

54 minutes ago, pistolp71 said:

Not cool on that guys part. You shot it.

That being said, if I thought I made a good shot like you said, I would have been back the very next morning. Not days later. 

I looked for 2 hours that night without a drop of blood.  I went back Saturday (36 hours later) and searched a few more.  I had no choice on Friday but to work.  

Regardless of what time I went back, the deer would have been gone.  I'm sure he was back that night.  I'm not sure that gives him a right just because he beat me back!

[beachpeaz]

9 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

To the OP --- I agree with the others that the guy should have called you when he found it . Even so , I am curious to know what you would have done . You shot it on a Thursday and weren't going back until the weekend . Would you have gone there on Friday am to retrieve it ? Would you have told the guy to gut it and drag it out of there which he couldn't legally do without tagging it .... ? Just curious as to what the OP would have done if he had gotten a call from the guy that retrieved the deer . 

I went back 36 hours later (Saturday morning), the first chance I had.  I put in my due diligence.  I exhaust as many options as I can before I ever give up.   Not finding a drop of blood after searching for hours doesn't give much hope.  I went back though, and brought help.

Had he called me that he found it, I would have dropped everything and went to retrieve it.  I have the highest respect for the animals I hunt.  It bothered me every minute from the point I left that I may have wounded it.

Even if he called and said it was dead and he was keeping it, I would have accepted that.  Knowing the animal didn't suffer or was injured.  He didn't bother to even do that.  Had I not run into him, he would have never told me.

[reeltime]

stinks for sure. one reason I never tell a stranger when I have a deer hit, nor would  have gotten out of the stand till after he left.

I would of done whatever I needed to do to be back at the hit sight at first light. actually I rather prefer to track at night but after this last seasons occurrence my tracking will be done differently from now on.

Hard to tell how I would of handled it.  probably the first thought would of been did he tag the buck and report it? if not he would be in possession of an illegal deer depending on when he took the deer, if he went back that night (likely he did especially if you said you wouldn't be back till the weekend to look) 

Just all around a real dirtbag move on his part, and as someone else posted speaks volumes of his hunting ethics.  Do you know the landowners son that gave the guy permission? If so I would talk to the father and son and explain YOUR side of the story just in case that guy tells them something completely different, I would also have your arrow in the vehicle just in case there is any questions of your story's validity.  its hard to tell WHAT story he is telling people and you likely wont know till the story gets back through the grapevine to you. 

go easy if you talk to the landowner as most do NOT want to play referee over hunter disputes. I would certainly keep an eye on the other guy as its hard to tell what he may do in the future. what I mean is stand site contamination, stand sabotage etc.

I guess at this point you may have to explore the option of tying up the property rights for yourself only.

 

[Nomad]

I would have called you asap. If you could not come get it before it would spoil, we'd have figured something out ....