What would you do?

[Zag]

I think your mistake was not going back the next morning. There's no excuses for not getting back out. Get some friends and flashlights and scour the woods or find deer search. These are all scenarios we run into hunting and if you cant look in the am then don't take the shot as hunters its our responsibility to do our due diligent in doing everything we can to try and find the deer. Waiting a couple days is no good and is a waist of a deer. JMO

[JFB]

Certainly your deer and a lousy move on his part.

BUT, I just wonder if he really did find it?? I would not put it past someone to say that just to get under your skin. If you have a strong relationship with the owner, ask him to ask the other hunter if he can just see the beautiful animal that was on HIS land and see what he does. I know no one likes to drag in the owner of the land but if the relationship is strong I'd probably side with just letting the land owner know what happened because if the guy is capable of stealing your deer the same guy is apt to try and make you out to be the bad guy over time with the land owner. 

To play devils advocate, I would have called in sick and done the search the next day. Way easier to see small amounts of blood in the light of day. You said you went back upon your first chance Saturday but later say if he called you would have dropped everything and picked it up. Don't mean to beat you up but thats inconsistent. I highly doubt the guy noticed blood that night with you but said nothing only to return later that night. 

[beachpeaz]

31 minutes ago, JFB said:

Certainly your deer and a lousy move on his part.

BUT, I just wonder if he really did find it?? I would not put it past someone to say that just to get under your skin. If you have a strong relationship with the owner, ask him to ask the other hunter if he can just see the beautiful animal that was on HIS land and see what he does. I know no one likes to drag in the owner of the land but if the relationship is strong I'd probably side with just letting the land owner know what happened because if the guy is capable of stealing your deer the same guy is apt to try and make you out to be the bad guy over time with the land owner. 

To play devils advocate, I would have called in sick and done the search the next day. Way easier to see small amounts of blood in the light of day. You said you went back upon your first chance Saturday but later say if he called you would have dropped everything and picked it up. Don't mean to beat you up but thats inconsistent. I highly doubt the guy noticed blood that night with you but said nothing only to return later that night. 

Not inconsistent at all.  You suffer from "hindsight is always 20/20."  In that scenario after searching and finding no blood, I was convinced the deer had survived.  Not like I followed a blood trail and gave up (which I would never do).

I am business owner.  I have 49 employees who rely on me.  Assuming the deer survived, my obligation on Friday was to my company and employees.  I went back Saturday the first chance I had just to make damn sure.....and found not a drop of blood again.

IF I found blood to begin with, I would have made other arrangements for the next morning and continued the search until I found him at the end of the trail or knew he was alive.  Without blood, that changes everything.  We grid searched that area for hours.

Had he called me and said he found my deer, I would have went and taken care of it.  Maybe a few hours later, but certainly I would have.

He found it in almost the opposite direction to where I saw him run, thus why our search resulted in nothing.  Plus he ran up and over a 20' cliff / hill and into the next ravine.

Always easy to judge in reverse and from a couch.  

 

[grampy]

First, I in no way would ever want a deer that another hunter drew first blood on. Over the many years I've hunted, I have held this 'first blood' ethic to the highest standard. I have been on both sides of this before with my hunting partner, with never a question between us. And have given deer to hunters who only grazed the deer or made a non lethal hit, after I dropped the deer in it's tracks. One of them would have been my biggest deer to that point. I even gave an excited young hunter a deer that he shot at with a 20g. But only had a 12g. hole behind his shoulder. Told him I missed, and he must have been on his last legs when I shot. There is so much more to being a 'sportsman' than the kill.

Second, and this is in no way a slam on the OP, as I was not there. And I honestly feel bad for you, on the outcome of this hunt. But if I "saw my arrow hit the shoulder" of a 140 class buck, I would not leave the woods until I were certain, there was no way to recover that deer! If I knew I could not follow up on a tracking job that night or the very first thing in the morning, I don't take that shot! At 200 yards away a good grid search may have been a different outcome, even with no blood found. Of course it's easy for me to be the Monday morning quarterback. And again, I mean no disrespect to the OP. Just something more to think about, for us all.

[JFB]

Your post is titled "what would you do". I said I was not trying to beat you up but I told you what I'd do. It is inconsistent to say you would have dropped everything to go get your deer, but also say you could not track the next day. Did he show you a picture of the deer to prove he found it? 

[phade]

Certainly your deer and a lousy move on his part.
BUT, I just wonder if he really did find it?? I would not put it past someone to say that just to get under your skin. If you have a strong relationship with the owner, ask him to ask the other hunter if he can just see the beautiful animal that was on HIS land and see what he does. I know no one likes to drag in the owner of the land but if the relationship is strong I'd probably side with just letting the land owner know what happened because if the guy is capable of stealing your deer the same guy is apt to try and make you out to be the bad guy over time with the land owner. 
To play devils advocate, I would have called in sick and done the search the next day. Way easier to see small amounts of blood in the light of day. You said you went back upon your first chance Saturday but later say if he called you would have dropped everything and picked it up. Don't mean to beat you up but thats inconsistent. I highly doubt the guy noticed blood that night with you but said nothing only to return later that night. 

Your last paragraph is what I was thinking too when reading this. Not everyone is perfect and I'm not going to act holier than thou but wondering if he, the other hunter thinks not coming back the next day was a poor move and decided to take the action he did - still lame though. Sounds like the guy is a tool and the more he thought about it the more he didn't like the competition.

Giving the deer back would be the moral thing to do.


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[beachpeaz]

I appreciate everyone's input, for better or worst.  If not, I wouldn't have even posted this topic.

Its worth repeating though, had he not of picked that deer up (or called me and told me he did), I would have found it on Saturday morning!  He told me where he found it and we looked there (just not Thursday night).

So, you can blame me for not going back Friday, guilty as charged, but if the DB didn't pick the deer up or told me he did, the story is irrelevant.  And THAT is what my post was asking!!  Not whether or not I had more pressing obligations on Friday.

Should he keep the deer and should he have at least told me he picked it up.

The rest we can argue now that it's 3 months later and we are looking back all night long.  Doesn't change anything.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

Yup myself I would have been out all night or next morning at daylight but that's not easy for everyone.  One thing I would do is get a lease on that property if possible.   Before he does!!!

[fasteddie]

I also wonder if the other guy actually recovered the deer . If Beachpeaz did a thorough search that Saturday and the other guy had already found it , why wouldn't he find a gut pile ? I think the other guy was just bustin' something . 

[Steve D]

Given the fact that you both exchanged numbers at the first meeting he should have called and said "hey I found your deer....what would you like to do about it"?  I would have my doubts on whether he ever actually found it or not. Why would someone go through the trouble of dragging out a deer on Saturday that was shot on Thursday?  I doubt it would be to eat and more than likely IF he found it he would have just taken the head and left the rest of it.

 I would have definitely let the landowner(s) know what transpired and probably one of you or both of you would not have permission to hunt anymore.

[Buckmaster7600]

Not passing judgment at all but you ask what I would do.

I would have been out there first light the next day. When bow hunting I will not hunt if I have to work the next day. I have learned from my mistakes and I know the feeling when you're at work when you have a deer you have killed in the woods and have yet to recover, been there and done it and won't let it happen again.




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[grampy]

16 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

I also wonder if the other guy actually recovered the deer . If Beachpeaz did a thorough search that Saturday and the other guy had already found it , why wouldn't he find a gut pile ? I think the other guy was just bustin' something . 

I was thinking this too! The dirt bag may just be trying to bust stones to hopefully eliminate competition. Weather or not he actually did find the deer. He's definitely not someone I'd enjoy sharing the woods with.

[tuckersdaddy]

Well Beach... its like this, Ive been on all sides of this same type of situation more then once. Ive found deer people have tracked, Ive finished deer people have shot, and ive had other people down deer ive shot. It all depends on the situation, the people involved and what land im hunting... His view could have been he didnt want dead deer lying around for the property owner to fimd and lose his hunting privilages for something you did ( not knowing if you really were coming back), He may be trying to bully you off the property, or hes just a jack ass. When i hunt curtain sections of stateland I know most everyone in the area. I have had the privite nieghbor bordering state (always been good to me about recovery) shoot a decent buck that cam e straight to me. I put it down... waited for him track it and let him have it. Ive also downed a doe the a couple of guys from conneticuit were throwing lead at, she fell dead 10 ft from the bottom of one of there stands, I left the gut pile right there and took her. yea I know a dick move but they were deserving of it... So I wouldnt loose sleep over it. The deer was recovered so there was no loss. I would chat with property owners, get clarification on thier rules and wishes, and go from there.

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[Steve D]

24 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Not passing judgment at all but you ask what I would do.

I would have been out there first light the next day. When bow hunting I will not hunt if I have to work the next day. I have learned from my mistakes and I know the feeling when you're at work when you have a deer you have killed in the woods and have yet to recover, been there and done it and won't let it happen again.




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Best Advice yet...If you shoot them you have a obligation to get them.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Steve D

[philoshop]

It's all hindsight at this point, and what's done is done, obviously. Personally I would never have left the field that night once I started looking. Either you find the deer or you make the hard decision to quit. FWIW, blood is easier to spot at night with a lantern than it is during broad daylight.

[vizslas]

He found your deer that night. Kept a straight face when he told you that he had not seen a drop of blood ... but I would bet dollars to doughnuts that he probably just about stepped on your deer the night you shot him . i would have called you, if i ever found it. Your deer, you shot it ... I don't want it . This guy has issues if you ask me,  but now he has something to prove his man hood. You on the other hand should feel good.You helped him across a threshold in life that he would have most likely never achieved. Now he can tell story's of his manhood and his skills as a hunter and provider, how he shot the deer and tracked it, you know, drunk talk. You sir have created a legend. That should have his ass kicked in a bar some night.

[aspen_00]

You did everything you could, unfortunately there area lot of people that turn into idiots around deer season. I don't understand how a person could do that and get any satisfaction, knowing that he didn't harvest it


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[Trial153]

He was wrong on all counts
That said so where you. You looked for two hours and then came back a day and half later. No way that you showed due diligence in that recovery. You should have been there first thing the next morning to recover the deer or confirm a non lethal hit.

[moog5050]

You guys are tough on Beach. I am sure he wished he went back next day or perhaps could have gone next day. Regardless, the other hunter was dead wrong!  Just my wholly indisputable and unassailable opinion.  

[grampy]

There is not a doubt in my mind that no one feels more badly about this than Beach does. This is obvious.  It's also obvious, that the other hunter should have and could have done things differently. And I will admit, there are many decisions I've made in the deer woods, that I wish I could do over.

[ATbuckhunter]

Obviously all of us here would have been thrilled to find the buck and give it back. The guy is obviously a POC. What was his reason for keeping it?

[Doc]

Antlers do funny things to people. They simply go berserk and do things that they clearly know are wrong. The guy probably has it hanging on the wall along with a first rate story of how he skillfully hunted and shot it. The guy had your phone number. It was just simple greed and dishonesty that made him take it.

But when ever I hear these kinds of stories, I start wondering what the heck was that guy thinking of. I am a bit curious about the initial set-up. You said he climbed a tree 50 yards away. You didn't mention him installing a treestand. Does that mean that he already had a stand in the tree. Perhaps that was working on his mind a bit. He's running late (probably after work) and figured he'd spend the last half hour there (no time to go anywhere else). And then he finds you already there set up practically on top of his stand. Now all of a sudden, in his mind, he's the victim and somebody has knowingly moved in on him. Ha-ha.... from that point on he is getting himself all worked up into a lather about how he was wronged, and how you intentionally cut the deer off before he could even get a chance.

That scenario would never put him in the right for taking someone else's deer, but you can see how a guy might work himself into a frenzy and start justifying all kinds of bad decisions.

[bkln]

Fret not beach, karma will get this guy sooner or later. Take the high road which I think you did. Don't let schmucks like that control how you feel. The deer Gods have something better waiting for you, just give it time.

[orion]

Maybe he came back out hunting and saw you weren't there Friday and thought "What a POS not coming to look for the deer" then that weekend he finds the deer 200 yards from your stand and realizes you haven't even been back to search for your deer you made a good hit on. Maybe he's pissed off at what he thinks is a POS unethical hunter. Thats on top of what he might be thinking already of someone setting up 50 yards from him.

So he doesn't call. Still not right and still don't get why someone would want someone else's deer.

 

[Uncle Nicky]

15 hours ago, beachpeaz said:

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.

Just my $.02, but it's old history at this point. Sure, it would be nice to have the rack and maybe a mount to look at, but as they say, posession is 9/10ths of the law. I had a guy steal a buck I shot years ago; I was a teen, first buck  I ever shot, I tracked it to the carcass and gut pile, never heard a shot after mine. The guy dragging it basically laughed at me, I wanted to shoot him I was so mad, now I just laugh when I think back on it. My advice- move on, kill another deer like that, it's do-able. And try to be "that guy" who would be ethical and considerate, if the shoe is ever on the other foot, set an example for other hunters and do the right thing. Karma has a way of rewarding those who do...