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

[Squincher]

Guess this makes me curious as to when the deer becomes “yours”. Serious question. No clue when you can actually lay claim to an animal.

I'm not sure there is actually a clear cut answer to this, but I would say it is definitely yours by the time you could get a ticket for not having it tagged.

 

[Wrench]

I'm sorry for your loss, but you do need to understand that public land hunting of trophy quality critters is a very competitive gig. It is important to scout pressure as much as the critters.

Someone pointed out a potential that you wounded the deer and someone else finished it, which is not something I would tag, but would be legal.....and I have had it happen.

Your crew pointed out that that's not what happened and we should patiently wait for details.

If this is legitimately an active investigation, you're being very wreckless even hinting that an investigation is underway. If it's not, you're sympathy mining which is arguably worse.

If there's a rat in this story, throw him under the bus like everyone else does and let us know how this was handled, but be aware that right now this is borderline embarrassing for the "plaintiffs" as portrayed.....

Just a 3rd party observation.

 

[Erict]

 

[dieselchessy]

So far I’d like to know;
How much time elapsed between the buck going out of site and the end of legal shooting light.
Exactly how far is “just past where I last saw the buck”?
And how did you manage to get IDFG up to the kill site in only part of a day?
How much of the carcass was left that they were able to determine arrow paths?
Has IDFG contacted the other tag holders in that unit?

 

[idelkslayer]

In Idaho, the animal is not yours until you take possession by placing your cut tag on it.

Legally the animal belongs to the hunter who kills it and takes possession. So if the wounded deer travelled over the ridge and another hunter shot it, and tagged it, he would be the legal owner of the buck, even if the first hunter came walking over the hill 30 minutes later.

Where this story has room for an investigation is if another hunter found the buck dead and cut the head off and did not tag it. It is only legal in Idaho to possess parts of game animals that you legally harvest and tag or find dead of natural causes. If you suspect that the animal did not die of natural causes, you cannot keep any part of it.

 

[twsnow18]

It’s hilarious to read hunters’ interpretations of what they think the rules/laws are on here

 

[Jethro]

Here’s how you’ve made it sound so far - you made a marginal shot and you backed out sometime during the middle of the day. From your story it doesn’t seem like you saw anyone else but you also backed out right away and didn’t spend the rest of daylight watching from where your buddies watched you make the stalk. That leaves an afternoon and evening of legal hunting time unaccounted for.

This story is confusing enough without changing the details. Shot was taken with less than 3 hours of shooting time left and the guy was there to take a pic of the location of the deer at dark. Thats according to OP's latest post. Maybe when the next chapter drops tonight, we'll learn more.

 

[Jn78]

I almost had the opposite thing happen to me a few years ago. I was hiking off a mountain and heard a gunshot in the direction of my camp. About three hours later and in the dark, I stumbled onto a dead elk 100 yards from camp. I hiked around for a bit and I couldn't see any lights or hear any noises. The low temp that night was going to be -15, so I imagine that elk would have been pretty frozen by morning. I was walking back to the elk with a knife and with the intention of field dressing it when the folks who shot it rode up on horses. I did not have to decide whether to call the warden, tag it, pack it out, ect. because the shooter showed up, but I had no intention of letting that elk lay there and go to waste. If those dudes did not show up and if I had carried that elk out of the woods, I certainly wouldn't have felt like I stole someone else's elk.

 

[Fogalo]

This story is confusing enough without changing the details. Shot was taken with less than 3 hours of shooting time left and the guy was there to take a pic of the location of the deer at dark. Thats according to OP's latest post. Maybe when the next chapter drops tonight, we'll learn more.

Good catch I missed that.

 

[WCB]

So the buck comes out with 3 hours of light left....lets say the whole situation up to the point the deer goes out of sight takes 1hr. you left with 2 hours of light left. In the mountains or really any terrain imo your best operating procedure is to keep eyes on the deer. Give it an hour then sneak to where you may get a visual.

When did everyone get so caught up in hearing a animal go down. The deer went over a saddle over 100 yards away and you think you are going to hear something?

Also, why the hell would you tie G&F resources because someone took a deer? If it was out of your pickup or garage ok...but an untagged deer that you have no idea the events that transpired after you lost sight of it and left it? Call G&F and tell them to forget about it. They have real issues to deal with.

 

[Rob5589]

 

[AZ8]

I asked early with no answer, but the OP stated “…this was a controlled archery hunt….”

WTF is that?

 

[Q child]

Yeah. I'm over it. Couple of theatre kids needing attention. Not following anymore. Hope those of you who stick around enjoy the big jazz-hands reveal.

 

[Customweld]

I asked early with no answer, but the OP stated this “….was a controlled archery hunt….”

WTF is that?

Limited entry. Very limited tags available.

 

[Customweld]

Yeah. I'm over it. Couple of theatre kids needing attention. Not following anymore. Hope those of you who stick around enjoy the big jazz-hands reveal.

Quitter!

 

[AZ8]

Limited entry. Very limited tags available.

I see. Thank you!

 

[AZ8]

Yeah. I'm over it. Couple of theatre kids needing attention. Not following anymore. Hope those of you who stick around enjoy the big jazz-hands reveal.

Don’t leave yet!

 

[Rob5589]

.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I almost had the opposite thing happen to me a few years ago. I was hiking off a mountain and heard a gunshot in the direction of my camp. About three hours later and in the dark, I stumbled onto a dead elk 100 yards from camp. I hiked around for a bit and I couldn't see any lights or hear any noises. The low temp that night was going to be -15, so I imagine that elk would have been pretty frozen by morning. I was walking back to the elk with a knife and with the intention of field dressing it when the folks who shot it rode up on horses. I did not have to decide whether to call the warden, tag it, pack it out, ect. because the shooter showed up, but I had no intention of letting that elk lay there and go to waste. If those dudes did not show up and if I had carried that elk out of the woods, I certainly wouldn't have felt like I stole someone else's elk.

I had a cow elk come through once on an archery hunt that had been liver shot. She was sick, laid down, got up, circled, laid down again, etc. I had an either sex tag, and no sights or sounds of other hunters in close proximity. I put an arrow into her lungs, to end her suffering. I would have happily put my tag on her, but as I was laying her out to gut, the other hunter appeared, following the blood trail. I explained what went down, helped him quarter her up and pack her out. He was a non-resident, and it was his first elk. Seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

 

[orionsbrother]

My curiosity is piqued, but unsatisfied. Why post this and not follow through?