Doing the right thing or the correct thing?

[BRMee]

How come I don’t feel so good…

We are always told, “Do the right thing”. If you do the right thing, you can’t go wrong and you’ll feel better for it. I had an experience this weekend while hunting at my personally owned camp, with my 13 year old son and his friend, that I am still baffled and confused about, but yet I cannot stop telling my story to others, then see the mixed reactions that I am receiving.

On Saturday around 2:45 in the afternoon I had just returned to my camp after a trip to the local town for supplies, to prepare for our, already late, afternoon hunt. I set the 2 kids in my tree stand and I set myself away from them and still keep them in view. After the kids got their gear situated in the tree stand the friend of my son had just sat down and noticed an object lying on the ground, approximately 25 yards from the tree stand. My son climbed down from the stand and motioned for me to go over to where they were. As I approached them my son told me “there’s a dead deer over there”.

We approached the spike horned deer to ensure that it was in fact deceased. My son, his friend and I started discussing what we should do with the deer. The deer had recently died; the skin was still warm to the touch in places, and rigor mortis was just starting to stiffen the muscles of the carcass. We were deliberately talking loudly in case the hunter who had shot the deer was tracking it and would be able to easily find our location. After approximately 15 minutes of chatting and my son and his friend back tracked the blood trail for a short distance to ensure that no other hunters were in fact tracking the deer, I decided to pull the carcass back up to our camp without dressing it. Well, I didn’t do any dragging my son and his friend did all that, and this would be their first experience in dragging a deer carcass. Even though nobody in the party had actually shot this deer the kids dragged the deer, my son pulling on one leg, his friend on the other, with the same enthusiasm and excitement as if they did harvested the deer themselves. They would have to stop from time to time to catch their breath, and mumble a little bit to each other. At one point they got confused which way they wanted to round a small tree. One leg got pulled to one side of the tree the other leg was pulled to the other. At this point the kids were tiring; they were huffing and puffing to catch their breath. When the deer’s body did hit the tree, the carcass stopped and they kept going, stumbling and almost falling over from the inertia of pulling the dead weight. I had to laugh to myself because I don’t think they were really enjoying themselves at this point. We finally got the deer back to my hunting camp and I had to decide at this point what I was going to do with the carcass, whether I was going to tag the deer and register it as my own harvest or, “do the right thing” and call a DEC officer to inform them I had just found a dead deer on my property and there wasn’t any hunters around to claim it. I was thinking/hoping that the officer would come to my location, make a report, and issue a tag or permission, so that I would be able to keep the deer, since I or anyone in my party did not actually kill the deer. I chose to contact a DEC officer operating in the county where my property is located. I would have gladly used my own tag and claimed the deer as my own.

I contacted what I believe to have been the wife of the first DEC officer that was listed for my county, from the NYS Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide. After telling my story to the officer’s wife she told me that she was going to contact the officer that was on duty for the night and that she was going to call me back with further information. Time is passing and the carcass still hasn’t been dressed out yet. During the conversation I informed the wife that I was willing to tag the deer as my own, for transportation, if needed, so that she would be able to inform the officers my intentions. Approximately 20-30 minutes later the officer’s wife called me back and informed me, “They are going to confiscate the deer carcass”. She told me that a DEC officer will be coming to take the deer, either that night or the next morning. I told her that I was planning on leaving the next morning around 9 or 9:30 in the morning. She asked if I would then drag the deer carcass to the side of the road, off in the tree line, and they would find it if we weren’t still at the camp.

When the officer’s wife told me that NYSDEC officers were coming to confiscate the deer, I had to explain to my 13 year old son and his 15 year old friend what was happening, the best that I could, because I didn’t truly understand, either. I first profusely and intently apologized to my son and his friend for having them drag the carcass to the hunting camp, and that I had no idea that anything like this was going to happen. I’ve spent my son’s entire life trying to instill in him to always “think first” before he reacts to any action he may partake in. I try to instill that if he thinks about doing something and he gets an immediate gut feeling that it isn’t right, then it isn’t, and DON’T do it. I’m trying to do my best to teach him to “do the right thing”, as any parent would hope to do, in raising their children. In this case my “gut feeling” was to contact DEC because of the facts that we found the carcass on my property, and that nobody in my party had actually shot and killed this deer, nor had anyone been tracking its location. We were hoping to take the deer home and put it in our freezer, this year.

Early Saturday evening a DEC officer showed up at our camp to confiscate the deer carcass. I informed the officer that I was hoping to keep the deer and if the case may warrant, I was more than willing to use my own tag in order to transport the deer. The officer started to explain to me that they needed to take the deer, she knows how we feel and not to worry because they are very particular on whom they issue the meat to. All I knew at this point was, I wasn’t the one who was getting the meat. The officer actually brought up a hypothetical reason for confiscating the deer. She went on to tell me that a perpetrator of “drive by, road hunting” may have already been arrested and that they only needed a deer to finalize the case. She informed me that she wasn’t even from this area and that she was the officer on call. While stating this one particular hypothetical situation she didn’t mention anything about another; that this deer was harvested legally and the person, who had shot the deer legally, had just given up tracking it. A scenario that happens all too often I’m afraid. Since I am not an Environmental Police Officer, I wonder if this was the only option that this DEC officer had, to confiscate this deer, while giving us a hypothetical reason to do it.

Later on in the evening while my son, his friend and I were discussing what had just happened, I again apologized to the kids for having them drag that deer all the way up to camp just to have it taken away from us. I reiterated to my son about “gut feelings” and doing the right thing. My son looked at me square in the eye, got a grin on his face and asked in only a tone that could be interpreted as to being a little smart aleccy and asked “how do you feel now, Dad”? All I could do was to laugh and tell him “yup son, your absolutely right”, I did NOT feel good at all, and it just did NOT feel right, in my gut. My son’s friend asked me, “What would have happened if we didn’t call the DEC officer”? The only way that I could have answered that question was to tell him that nothing would’ve happened because, everything that we would have done, would’ve been done properly and legally according to NY State laws. I would have tagged the deer and treated it as my own harvest. In this case there seems to be a Right way and a correct way in dealing with this situation. I want to believe that if I was telling my story in the presence of DEC officers that they would deny anything like that could happen or come from their ranks and on the same token if I was to tell the story in the presence of hunters I believe I would be considered a laughing stock and have my sanity questioned. One thing is for sure, if it wasn’t for the cellular phone system this ball of wax would’ve never had gotten started. 20 years ago there would have been no questions on how to handle this situation and I’m sure is would NOT have been lets go out of the woods to contact DEC, we just found a dead deer. I think the lesson learned at the outcome in this whole incident is how my son and his friend saw how the whole situation transpired and the impression that was left on them from the actions of the DEC Officer. This will be an event that I’m sure they will remember for the rest of their lives, and how they would handle a similar situation, only time could tell. I can only assure them that Law enforcement personnel are there to uphold our laws and ensure that others do the same for our protection. I can reassure them on what we did was actually the “right thing to do”, but boy, I really don’t feel good about it. I just can’t help the feeling that confiscating the deer carcass was the only option for this officer.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

Legally the choice is yours, so you taught the boys a good lesson. Do you know Doc by any chance? J/k

[First-light]

I think you did the right thing. An officer can pull you over for speeding and choose to give you a ticket or not. There could be a host of different reasons to dictate their action. Who knows maybe it went to a needy family, maybe the officer kept it for herself? You showed the boys the correct action to take and I'm sure they learned something from this experience. Maybe driving around to some of the camps to find out who's deer it was could of been another option? Don't beat yourself up over your decision.

[steve863]

Man, I feel like I just read "War and Peace" here! Well, I guess you have to stick to the decision you made, but I would have gutted the deer, waited a few hours to see if anyone would come around to claim the deer. If no on showed up I would have tagged it and been done with it. The outcome could have then been put into one short paragraph instead of the long story, and I don't think the boys would have learned any more or less than what they learned here since you were more than willing to turn it over to the person who had shot it. And of course you guys would have had venison in the freezer to boot. No one would have condemned you if you took this deer for your own since you weren't going to let the deer go to waste.

By the way, I do think you owe the boys an apology for making them drag the bloody deer without first field dressing it. Sounds like they had a hell of a time dragging it out.

Edited November 14, 2011 by steve863

[WNYBuckHunter]

Hmmm, that doesnt even sound close to right to me. I had my first ever buck cross the line from state land to private and die on the landowner's property. That guy put his tag on the deer and dragged it away with a DEC officer watching. The DEC officer could do nothing about it once the guy refused to let me take the deer.

[Doewhacker]

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Sorry, my head hit the key board when I started reading your first post ever. Welcome to the site.

[NYbuck50]

Leave it to the governemnt to take a simple situation,complicating the hell out of it, and stick you a bill for their services.

[BRMee]

Thanks all, for the replies. Sorry for the lengthy story. Think I am truly looking for the different feedback to help me to stop kicking myself. Seasons not over with yet. Good Luck everyone.

[Dave]

Thanks all, for the replies. Sorry for the lengthy story. Think I am truly looking for the different feedback to help me to stop kicking myself. Seasons not over with yet. Good Luck everyone.

I think the outcome would have been different if you left the deer in the woods. Then called the DEC, when they arrived I would bring them to the spot where the dead deer was and if the DEC wanted the deer let them drag the deer out of the woods. At that point I think they would have given you that deer, as long as you didn't volenteer to drag the deer out of the woods for the DEC. They couldn't make you drag the deer and i doubt they would call another DEC officer to remove the deer. Just my opinion, but you did the right thing the DEC didn't.

[oneidacountyhunter]

I think if it were me I wouldn't have offered to use my own tag. It's like hitting a deer with your truck. DEC should have isssued you a tag and been done with it. Lesson learned for next time. Feel bad for the kids kinda though because they had to drag someone else's deer out and then have it taken away. Welcome to the forum

[SteveNY]

First off, welcome to the site! That's a hell of a first post, may I suggest paragraphs in the future? I am not exactly sure what I would do, but here we go...

I think I would have continued my hunt as normal, especially when the kill is as fresh as you stated, and see if someone came by looking for it during your hunt. Then possibly call DEC that night and tell them about it, see what they say.

OR If you really wanted the meat, tag and dress it, then have the kids drag it. Me personally, I hunt with a large group and someone is always shooting for meat and we all chip in and take a share, so my eyes are out for a big rack.

[nyantler]

Thanks all, for the replies. Sorry for the lengthy story. Think I am truly looking for the different feedback to help me to stop kicking myself. Seasons not over with yet. Good Luck everyone.

Hey.. you thought you were doing the right thing... so it was the thing to do... everything doesn't always turn out the way you plan.. and thats just life...beating yourself up doesn't make it easier... from your story I can tell that you care about your kid and teaching him the right things.. thats way more important than how the story played out... you're doing the right thing just caring about your boy.

[Red]

i agree with dave

[Single_shot]

YOU did what YOU felt ,was THE CORRECT thing to do. You need NOT to answer to anyone but YOU. That's what I say about it. You taught the young ones very well in my opinion.

[the blur]

Should have cut out the back straps, then gave the rest to the officer.

[Geno C]

wow that was some read! lol

you did the right thing tho, you had 2 options and you went with what you thought was right OR and please do not take offence to this but maybe subconsciously you didnt want to burn your buck tag on a deer you didnt kill? Looking at it in retro spec after seeing how things unfolded with the DEC officer confiscating the deer maybe sealed the deal for the thought of you using your tag and claim it. Damned if you do, Damned if you dont... You did what you thought was right and the outcome may not have been whats to be expected. Hopefully the deer goes to a good cause and at a bare minimum all 3 of you may have learned something from it.

[biggamefish]

Always follow your gut. It has brought me sme great things and some things not so great but you can always look back and say you did what you thought was right. You are raising a kid and if you instill that (do the right thing) in him he will be a good guy with good friends. No matter what way you went you would have been correct. It is like playing the lottery you could pick that winning ticket but sometimes you are giving the state your money. No matter what though if you don't play you don't get paid. Don't dwell to much on it it sound like you did tht right thing.

[Suilleabhain]

Years back my club was on a drive with a neighboring club. They shot up a doe pretty well and when they came on it they decided it was too shot up for them and walked away. One young guy in my club, probably late teens had a doe permit and tagged it. You did the right thing and you showed the kids that sometimes you take one for the team. Well done.

[hb270deermanager]

_{You did what you thought was right and the kids}

_{learned more then one lesson its seems on that}

_{day.I have Had deer shot fall in front of me and}

_{no one show up to claim it before.When I called}

_{the law enforcement local and D.E.C. they asked}

_{me what I wanted to do.So I just put my tag on it}

_{and took it as my own.Dave was right outcome might}

_{have been different if the officer had to got back there}

_{and drag it out herself.Honestly I think it was a judgement}

_{call by the officer and the other senerio was did she believe}

_{your story.Its just the way it works.I will ask my D.E.C.officer}

_{tomorrow about it though He always says got hunting question}

_{just call me.}

[pistolp71]

Welcome BRMee,

Don't beat yourself up over it. Coulda,shoulda,woulda, is not going to help anything. Give the DEC the benefit of the doubt, probably a good reason, they maybe just couldn't tell you. It's very apparent you care about raising you kid the right way and I believe you did the right thing. Sometimes things just don't work out. I hope you and your family shoot monster bucks and fill your freezer after that. You deserve it. Good luck!

[RifleSharpShot]

Ya live and ya learn...

[wdswtr]

I have a thought for you guys on this one. How many phone calls do you think the DEC gets from guys who shoot a buck that ended up having major ground shrinkage and did not want to tag it. So they think they can outwit the system and call the DEC and issue them a tag to keep it and all the while they get to keep hunting. The way I see it the 2 choices you had were both good ones. Tag it and be done with it and filling your own buck tag or call the DEC. I think the DEC made th correct choice in taking the deer and then getting dispersed to the hungry.

How do they know you did not make this story up and was trying to double dip on a buck? Im trying to figure out why you feel so bad also. The deer is not wasted and you get to keep hunting. What is wrong with all that. You could have let that deer rot and go to waste. You didnt and it wont.