Hunting Ethics

[Marble]

Well, I read about it.

...

Your apathy allowed two other hunters who had not previously seen "your" bull, lay eyes on "your" bull, when you had not accomplished the same feat in your own tracking.

They aren't super heroes, the live and die just like any other animal. If they aren't dead within trailing time, then they need some help from the hunter, and probably could have used a bit more respect from that hunter in making better decisions before the shot. Again, they have lungs, a heart, and a brain and can die just as readily as all other mammals.

Dude, sorry. But your way off here.

The OP did the right thing.

If I thought I only had a one lung hit I may give it several hours. Or even overnight.

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[Marble]

I'm sorry but I had a pretty good idea where he was and how on earth do you know he was rutting up his harem or not? He definitely was not as after tracking him I could tell he had slowed down and stood in one spot for a while dripping/coughing blood. You're right I did lose an elk but I would argue I may not have lost him either by him bleeding out and dying or sneaking in to get another shot but those options were taken away. What I learned from tracking him was what I already knew. One lung shot. Coughing up blood. Enough life after being bumped after an hour to run onto private. Which is why I wanted to wait for him to die, or bed for another shot opportunity.

Don't sweat that guy. You did the right thing.

Those other guys should not have gone in there. If it were me, I would have just waited with you and helped pack meat.

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[adowney15]

Don't sweat that guy. You did the right thing.

Those other guys should not have gone in there. If it were me, I would have just waited with you and helped pack meat.

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Thanks man, good to know there are still people out there who treat others with the same respect they hope to receive!

 

[MattB]

Well, I read about it.

...

Your apathy allowed two other hunters who had not previously seen "your" bull, lay eyes on "your" bull, when you had not accomplished the same feat in your own tracking.

They aren't super heroes, the live and die just like any other animal. If they aren't dead within trailing time, then they need some help from the hunter, and probably could have used a bit more respect from that hunter in making better decisions before the shot. Again, they have lungs, a heart, and a brain and can die just as readily as all other mammals.

So you’ve never killed a bull with a bow? Do you even bow hunt?

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

So you think asking someone not to **** up you hunt and loose another chance or all together your bull is a big ask?? Ok I'll throw this knowledge out there which may or may not change you mind. They were locals and the season goes for over a month during rifle. Highly doubt thats the last bull he will chase in a trophy unit with over another month to hunt.

It is public land and idiots have access to it as well. Don't like it, buy a landowner tag and hunt private; you'll have fewer idiots to deal with. Despite being inconsiderate, those hunters had every right to be there and hunt. Sucks, but that is the reality.

Just because someone is "local" and the season goes for another month, it does not necessarily mean that they can go whenever they want including weekends. Some folks have commitments, either personal or business, that may limit their time in the field.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Dude, sorry. But your way off here.

The OP did the right thing.

If I thought I only had a one lung hit I may give it several hours. Or even overnight.

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And how would the OP circle off the entire area to prevent another hunter, hiker, and/or predator from coming in and blowing out his elk?

You can ask someone not to go in. But they have every right, as disagreeable as we may find it, to say "no" and move in. Not much you can legally do after that.

 

[c670809]

This is an odd thread. The OP acts like he wants peoples opinion and then appears to get irritated when some don't agree?

 

[sndmn11]

So you’ve never killed a bull with a bow? Do you even bow hunt?

I am still working on bull number one for myself and have killed cows. I have called in 6 or 7 bulls that have been killed for others. What else do you need from the back if my baseball card?

The mythic super powers of elk are rooted in folks who can't accept they made terrible shots.

 

[Billy Goat]

I have video on my phone of a double lung shot bull bedded at 30 yards. He ran down hill after the shot, then back up on the trail I was on, then bedded infront of me, back close to where he and the herd were originally. After several minutes he stood and I put another thru both lungs.


Some just have a lot of drive.

Single lung it's going to take a while and if you jump them before they expire, your chances of recovery drop significantly. Following up on a single lung shot takes a lot of precaution, if within the first 5-6 hours the bull is likely still alive and alert. You will need to stalk him while bedded and put another in him, but you need to have the right circumstances to do that.


Public ground is just that, anyone is free to be there. If you showed me ample evidence you were on the blood trail of an animal I would have left you be, I have also been told enough BS that I don't believe anything I hear from anyone I run into out there.

I have a buddy who arrowed a bull only to have others claim it. He shot it, says he heard it crash. He waited 30 minutes only to walk up on two others already processing it.
It's getting to be the wild west again.

 

[WhatToHunt]

Animals can survive quite a lot and are not eager to expire just because we think we made a great shot. So I agree with the OP wanting to wait, although it sucks the public land aspect throws a wrench into the best laid plans. I've seen an arrowed deer with a well-placed shot from a fixed blade head bleed like a stuck pig and still given two hours before tracking just to be safe. That deer was then tracked and bumped and backed out to then be found dead 12 hours after the shot over 3/4 of a mile away. It was discovered to be a one-lung hit because the arrow did some crazy stuff upon entering the cavity. The point is there are uncontrollable variables and unless an animal drops in sight, being ethical by waiting before taking up the blood trail is a great idea. It tests a person's patience, but it's prudent and most times worth the wait.

 

[adowney15]

This is an odd thread. The OP acts like he wants peoples opinion and then appears to get irritated when some don't agree?

Not at all I understand where others come from and I welcome the possible insights that others bring forth. What I do get irritated with is when people question my code of ethics and my shot ethics and act like I'm some blatant animal wounding asshole. I especially don't like it when it comes from a guy who 1. Has never even shot a bull. And 2. Sounds like he has never even killed one with his bow? That's when I get irritated. If you want to disagree and say you think those guys where "ethically" in the right thats fine. That's what I wanted to understand from this thread.

 

[dtrkyman]

Total D bag move on their part!


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[bsnedeker]

okay, so an exponent of ~1.5

Lol....It's ok dude, not everyone can Math!

 

[Dos Perros]

And how would the OP circle off the entire area to prevent another hunter, hiker, and/or predator from coming in and blowing out his elk?

You can ask someone not to go in. But they have every right, as disagreeable as we may find it, to say "no" and move in. Not much you can legally do after that.

This isn’t a debate in what’s legal. This is a debate on ethics, and courtesy, and doing the right thing.

 

[Marble]

And how would the OP circle off the entire area to prevent another hunter, hiker, and/or predator from coming in and blowing out his elk?

You can ask someone not to go in. But they have every right, as disagreeable as we may find it, to say "no" and move in. Not much you can legally do after that.

I didn't suggest that and it's ridiculous for you to.

I was simply saying I would have waited too and the other hunter, after knowing what was going on, should have also.

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[TSAMP]

If you forget all other factors leading up to the event, and you simply say I have a bull shot over that hill I cannot confirm its dead as I didn't see it fall. Would you mind giving me an hour? It appears a 50/50 shot of some hunters saying sure and others saying sorry man we gotta get us a elk too! Which honestly isn't surprising in the slightest. You just weren't lucky this time with the ones you ran into.

 

[sndmn11]

I was simply saying I would have waited too and the other hunter, after knowing what was going on, should have also.

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The shooter didn't know what was going on, how were the other two guys expected to "know"? The shooter didn't know where the wounded bull was or what the status of the bull was.

If I come upon that situation, I am hunting the allegedly mortally wounded bull because my ethics guide me into obtaining quick kills and not spoiling any meat.

My ethics do not guide me into shoulder shots on elk with archery equipment, or failing to track an animal that was shot.

 

[Dos Perros]

Some of y’all’s parents have failed you.

 

[WhatToHunt]

The shooter didn't know what was going on, how were the other two guys expected to "know"? The shooter didn't know where the wounded bull was or what the status of the bull was.

If I come upon that situation, I am hunting the allegedly mortally wounded bull because my ethics guide me into obtaining quick kills and not spoiling any meat.

My ethics do not guide me into shoulder shots on elk with archery equipment, or failing to track an animal that was shot.

If the shot wasn't intended to hit shoulder that's not a matter of ethics, it's just bad luck. If the animal is mortally wounded as it seems the OP thought, then why push it at all? It's not unethical to give time for the animal to expire and then take up the blood trail. No ethical hunter desires an animal to suffer. But it would be more unethical to push a wounded animal that may never be retrieved because a hunter couldn't be a little more patient.

 

[adowney15]

The shooter didn't know what was going on, how were the other two guys expected to "know"? The shooter didn't know where the wounded bull was or what the status of the bull was.

If I come upon that situation, I am hunting the allegedly mortally wounded bull because my ethics guide me into obtaining quick kills and not spoiling any meat.

My ethics do not guide me into shoulder shots on elk with archery equipment, or failing to track an animal that was shot.

Did you even read the situation I post on the shot? Not aiming for a shoulder just got unlucky and had that bull move his shoulder back during the shot. Should have aimed farther back than I did. As far as tracking are you just assuming I wasn't going to because I was. I was just giving him time to bed or or die, before starting the tracking process. Not sure if you are confused or what.