Ethics in hunting, the story of my once in a lifetime Buck....

[Rob5589]

You can get a replacement tag if someone takes a deer you killed?

Have no idea. Was just a thought. There just seems to be something missing from the story.

 

[Geewhiz]

If one of his friends took the buck:

 

[justin davis]

Interesting so far. Waiting for the rest of the story? I would think if it’s under investigation then the op shouldn’t be taking about it?

 

[hh76]

I'm have the same thought; why is IDFG making such a big deal of this? Now, if they have a person/suspect with said deer and are trying to determine the proper killer of said deer then it makes sense. Necropsy, dna, just to say, "Yep, that's your deer." Doesn't add up, unless like I said, they have a suspect. Or is it possible the OP is vying for a replacement tag??

That's what I was thinking, if all of this is indeed true.

If they have a person, or group that they are trying to make a case against, and another possible event like this comes up, they might take a little more time to gather evidence?

Either way, get over it. A huge rack on the wall is nice, but a great story trumps all. Hang up a big picture of the buck along with the bloody arrow, and have fun telling everyone who asks about it.

 

[Customweld]

@jlhois as this thread is coined ethics in hunting, did you notch your tag as IFG indicated you indeed made the fatal shot? Or did you continue to hunt for the rest of the season?

 

[MTWop]

LMFAO @ this thread

 

[MuleyFever]

 

[Azone]

Not all of us will draw the Henry’s.

 

[horniac]

Hmmmm possibly being investigated because all the required meat was not taken aka as a “wanton waste” violation as someone else mentioned.

It is also possible the person who took it finished it off the previous evening when it went over the ridge wounded during legal shooting hours, legally tagged it but didn’t take all the meat so IDFG is investigating.

Since OP said he was there at first light the next morning maybe someone was watching it come over the ridge and it fell over dead at some point and they went and took the cape and antlers and some of the meat without tagging it during the cover of darkness.

OP called IDGF once they found the buck the next morning without all the meat being salvaged and that triggered an initial investigation the for wanton waste violation for starters.

To summarize from the information provided thus far, I can come up with some possible scenarios as to why this is being investigated;

1. Another hunter finished off the wounded buck during legal shooting hours and legally tagged it but is being investigated for wanton waste.
2. Another hunter saw or came across the dead buck during or after legal shooting hours and illegally tagged it. You cannot legally tag or possess an animal killed by another hunter. This hunter will additionally be cited for wanton waste,
3. Another hunter saw the wounded buck and finished it off after legal hours and then tagged it and will be cited for hunting out of season and wanton waste.
4. Someone without a tag found the wounded or dead buck, finished it (if still wounded), took the antlers and cape, some meat, and left the rest to rot. Since the buck obviously didn’t die from natural causes even, it was illegal to salvage the meat, cape, or horns of the buck.

Since IDGF confirmed OP‘s arrow matched the DNA and confirmed it was a killing shot, if they can find who took the buck and prove it was taken under scenario #2 & #4, then perhaps the antlers could be rightfully returned to the OP...

Horniac

 

[Fatcamp]

Just show us what's in the box.

Not that hard. Or is it?

 

[fwafwow]

Just show us what's in the box.

Not that hard. Or is it?

Here's the box

 

[Fatcamp]

Here's the box

View attachment 373565

See, just open the box and show us what's inside. This guy gets it. OP? Not so much.

 

[5MilesBack]

Genuinely curious, what made F&G take such an interest in this? Necropsy, dna samples, etc, sounds like a serious investigation for a deer.

No kidding. A few years ago my buddy and I found a dead cow elk where only the backstraps were taken. But there was a pack bag, some gloves, and some rope laying nearby as well. I called my buddy that's a game warden in that unit and he went and checked it out. But that was it. No fingerprinting, no DNA samples, etc. IDF&G must have a larger budget to work with.

 

[WI in the west]

Would somebody “stealing” a deer really take time to cape it out if there? Or just cut the head maybe grab back straps and run? Also do you have photos of the meat left? Or did they not take rib meat and thats what your trying to use as an argument that they wasted a bunch there? Definatly feels theres big details left out with how little your posting.

 

[browning2480]

Everyone is jumping to conclusions. What if the hunter who took the head and horns was legal, and was coming back the next morning to get the rest. He decided against it because this group was stomping around the buck all in a huff and he wanted to avoid a fight.

Shouldn’t have been any waste, as the OP could have taken the remaining meat the next morning, which was always his intent anyway.

 

[Ucsdryder]

here’s the hard part for me to wrap my head around…

You left in the dark and returned in the dark. So someone found that deer in the dark (without you seeing their headlands), caped it, took “some” meat, and then left in the dark.

Maybe I missed it but how far did you find the deer from where you shot it and what time did you shoot it vs sunset?

 

[2ski]

I guess if a guy comes across a dead deer and not sure how long its been there for, takes some meat he's prettybsure is still good I don't have issue with it. He's at least making sure something doesn't go to waste. He doesn't know how long its been there for. I get it's not legal but that sounds like a stupid law. Make sure some of it doesn't go to just the coyotes and ravens.

 

[AZ8]

Just show us what's in the box.

Not that hard. Or is it?

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Genuinely curious, what made F&G take such an interest in this? Necropsy, dna samples, etc, sounds like a serious investigation for a deer.

Yeah I bet there are actual murder cases in Idaho that don't get this good of an investigation.

Which leads me to my next theory. The Game Warden is the guilty party and he's just telling the OP that he's doing lots of fancy detective stuff to throw him off. This is backwoods Idaho after all and the Warden did tell the OP he was doing an "autoposy" on a deer for crying out loud so clearly he doesn't even know his way around crime scenes.

 

[dieselchessy]

Patience…. I think a couple well known roksliders were there.

Nope. I’m active on Hunt Talk, I hunt with Rizzy, BPKHunter from MM’s, jlhois and Duck Slayer from Hunt Talk.

Incorrect ^^^

I am the OP’s hunting partner that was there. Patience boys.

Twsnow18 has said these 3 things. Seems odd to say “I think well known Rokslide folks were there”. Then say “I was there”. And then list off some random folks you hunt with who may or may not have been there.

Are you accusing “well known Rokslide folks” of stealing the buck, or do you “just think” some of the folks who were there are “well known on Rokslide”?


Did only one of the 4 hunters have a tag?