Post by old3arrows on Nov 23, 2008 10:02:47 GMT -5
Kind of stirring the pot a little, but I don't necessarily agree with he who draws first blood gets the deer. I'm more of, he who puts an instantly fatal shot on the deer gets the deer, for example double lung, heart, neck, or spine. Head shots give me the heebeegeebee's! ;D I've been on both sides of the fence and generally will not fight over a deer, but I make every effort to locate one after the shot.
Story number one:
The first year I bought and hunted my own ground opening morning of gun, an elderly gentleman gut shoots a deer on the adjoining property. She crosses the fence on to me and runs past my stand trailing entrails, so I shoot and put her down. A half hour later here comes the guy, so I get out of my stand and confront the guy because he is actually trespassing. He says he shot and wounded a deer and is trying to locate it, which is fine, but he should have made an attempt to contact the landowner first. I told him she came by me and I put her down. He says thanks, but you know I drew first blood. I told him he could have her and helped dress and carry her out of the field. If I had wanted that deer it would have been mine, but at least he made an attempt to recover her. Who knows how far she would have went, and she would have died a miserable death if someone didn't put her down first. If he had not of come looking for her I would of tagged her with my lifetime license. No big deal.
Story number two:
When I first started deer hunting I shot a fork horn with my muzzle loader in gun season, and he dropped like a sack of taters. I got down out of stand and went to the deer without reloading. Big mistake!
I touch the deer, and he gets up but falls back down again. I decide to cut his throat, so I straddle him with my knife when he proceeds to get up and kick the living crap out of me. Should of had that one on film! He runs across a picked bean field, crosses the highway, and down a creek bank. Next I hear two quick gun shots. I follow him up, and sure enough another hunter harvested that deer. I helped him load up the buck, swallowed my pride, and went back to hunting.
Final story:
On a park hunt a few years back it was getting close to the end of shooting time, so I walked my climber down from my tree and in the process must of spooked a bedded buck. I hear three close shots, so I get my gun up and ready. Sure enough here comes a buck straight at me, and I basically drop him at my feet with a single shot. A guy walks up to me and says did you see my deer. I told him we would look this deer over for slug holes, and see who actually killed it. I took him square in the chest and pulled the copper solid out from under the skin on one of the hams where the bullet had went through him lengthwise. He also had a flesh wound across his neck, so I told the guy that I put the killing shot on him. He walked off pouting, and I took some verbal abuse from his dad and uncle at the parking area, but the fact of the matter was I killed that deer period!
My point is that a non fatal or marginal shot, first blood, doesn't always warrant the possession and tagging of the deer. I guess that cool heads need to look at it on a case by case basis, and if that doesn't work out ask your local CO for advice.
Story number one:
The first year I bought and hunted my own ground opening morning of gun, an elderly gentleman gut shoots a deer on the adjoining property. She crosses the fence on to me and runs past my stand trailing entrails, so I shoot and put her down. A half hour later here comes the guy, so I get out of my stand and confront the guy because he is actually trespassing. He says he shot and wounded a deer and is trying to locate it, which is fine, but he should have made an attempt to contact the landowner first. I told him she came by me and I put her down. He says thanks, but you know I drew first blood. I told him he could have her and helped dress and carry her out of the field. If I had wanted that deer it would have been mine, but at least he made an attempt to recover her. Who knows how far she would have went, and she would have died a miserable death if someone didn't put her down first. If he had not of come looking for her I would of tagged her with my lifetime license. No big deal.
Story number two:
When I first started deer hunting I shot a fork horn with my muzzle loader in gun season, and he dropped like a sack of taters. I got down out of stand and went to the deer without reloading. Big mistake!
I touch the deer, and he gets up but falls back down again. I decide to cut his throat, so I straddle him with my knife when he proceeds to get up and kick the living crap out of me. Should of had that one on film! He runs across a picked bean field, crosses the highway, and down a creek bank. Next I hear two quick gun shots. I follow him up, and sure enough another hunter harvested that deer. I helped him load up the buck, swallowed my pride, and went back to hunting.Final story:
On a park hunt a few years back it was getting close to the end of shooting time, so I walked my climber down from my tree and in the process must of spooked a bedded buck. I hear three close shots, so I get my gun up and ready. Sure enough here comes a buck straight at me, and I basically drop him at my feet with a single shot. A guy walks up to me and says did you see my deer. I told him we would look this deer over for slug holes, and see who actually killed it. I took him square in the chest and pulled the copper solid out from under the skin on one of the hams where the bullet had went through him lengthwise. He also had a flesh wound across his neck, so I told the guy that I put the killing shot on him. He walked off pouting, and I took some verbal abuse from his dad and uncle at the parking area, but the fact of the matter was I killed that deer period!
My point is that a non fatal or marginal shot, first blood, doesn't always warrant the possession and tagging of the deer. I guess that cool heads need to look at it on a case by case basis, and if that doesn't work out ask your local CO for advice.
A friend once shot a very nice buck in Hamilton County, field dressed and tagged it, then since he was driving a car at the time, came and got me to help haul his deer out with my truck. Some one had obviously watched him harvest the deer and when he left stole it, but was thoughtful enough to leave his paper tag lying on the gut pile. I butcher my own deer and have a nice shop set up to do so. If I or someone else kills a good buck it goes under lock and key in the barn until processed. Just keeping honest men honest! 
By and large most hunters that I have met are upstanding gents and ladies, but there are always a few bad apples in every group. I just stick to my values and principles and hunt for the love and enjoyment of the sport! 
