Author Topic: I had the chance... (Read 1719 times)

Tom W. · « **on:** December 27, 2006, 12:58:50 PM »

I had a deer walk out into a greenfield Christmas eve morning. It was sort of eerie, as I killed my first deer 27 years ago on the same date, and almost the same time. This time I had with me a scoped Encore , cal. .30-06, and a Ruger SRH in .480. The deer walked into the field and stopped broadside. I put the crosshairs on it and fired, and the deer fell, just like it shows on T.V.
While I was patting myself on the back, and looking for my camera, the critter arose from the dead and headed off to the adjoining lease. I was dumbfounded. I gathered my gear and went to where the deer first fell. When I got about half way there, it jumped up and ran further onto the other lease. Knowing better, I followed the blood trail for a little way., until I glimpsed the other person's greenfield and blind. Not wanting to ger shot or arrested, I gave up the search and went back across the line and have felt sick since. I don't know who has the other lease......

That would have been my first confirmed handgun kill on a deer.

Arizona Jake · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2006, 01:25:04 PM »

I know how you feel, Tom.

I had the same thing happen to me in Wisconsin about 3 years ago. I shot a little buck that was lying down near the top of a small rise in a field near the State Penitentiary west of Sheboygan. As I went to check, the deer took off. I lost the blood trail after 50 yards in a clump of brushes and never found the deer...

Sverre A. · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2006, 01:47:44 PM »

This can happen everyone!

In Norway - we are not allowed to hunt - if we don`t have an educated dog to help us.

Did you try a dog?

I don`t have numbers of similar situations - when I have found the animal with my dog - very close to the place where the hunter gave up his tracking.

And I also - don`t have any numbers of the situations where the hunter informed me wrong concerning the situation.

Bullseye · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2006, 05:22:03 PM »

Must have been in the air last weekend. I took a shot at a doe with my Encore Muzzleloader. It was one of them shots that did not feel good at the boom and smoke. Found long white fur where she was standing and very light blood for about 50 yards and then nothing. Gave up after 2 1/2 hours of looking. Hopefully I just skimmed her belly, but it does make a hunter feel bad. A bad hit had not happened to me for about 7 years but it sure makes one feel bad when it does.

ccoker · « **Reply #4 on:** December 28, 2006, 03:55:40 AM »

that sucks
how long did you wait?
I usually wait around 45 minutes to make sure it has bled out, even when I am 100% confident I got a perfect shot..

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2006, 04:29:05 AM »

Tom W
I know exactly how you feel as I had the same thing happen this year and posted to wit (do you miss sometime)
I ended up with a bunch of the long white hairs & one drop of blood. Extensive search found no deer & no more blood.

It does make one feel sick, makes it worse considering I had never had one that I shot at get away and had taken two deer with that same handgun the previous two years.
Happens Sometimes…This is why it is called hunting & not killing. I am sure that you have seen this happen to buddys and helped out with tracking chores before.
Keep working with that handgun. These experiences will reinforce our focus and resolution for many sucessful hunts in the future.

redhawk44p · « **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2006, 04:43:07 AM »

I had pretty much the same thing happen to me this year. My deer went onto property where hunting is not allowed and we had to quit following the blood trail. Luckily the deer kept going onto the property owned by a friend. He found it a week later while rabbit hunting. The meat was ruined but at least I got the rack.

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2006, 06:06:11 AM »

Tom,

Like theother replies,I feel your pain on this one! Been there, got the teeshirt! In Va,you have the right to retrieve wounded game as lng as you're not carrying a firearm. Getting the okay from the lease or landowner helps. I lost one to another hunter last year on adjacent property. He had fired about 30 minutes after the deer crossed onto their property but told me that he'd only shot a doe. Funny how, after giving me permission to look for mine, he loaded up and left,quickly. Heck,if he'd shot a deer that I had wounded,it would have fine with me. I just didn't want to leave it there for the buzzards and coyotes. I looked for 3 hours and lost the blood within 10 yds of his tree stand. OH WELL!

HWD

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #8 on:** December 29, 2006, 07:49:10 AM »

It seems to me like it should be a legal requirement that a hunter attempt to find a wounded deer even if it moves from one private property to another.

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** December 29, 2006, 08:15:59 AM »

Might seem that way to you but NOT to the rest of the world. In some states I think that is the law but in most it will get you tossed in jail. How'd you like it if you were on your own land and got your hunt ruined for you just when the biggest buck of your life was about to walk into your shooting lane by someone looking for their wounded deer? I'm sure you'd NOT be happy.

Here in Bama all land is POSTED BY LAW and if you're caught on someone else's land without WRITTEN PERMISSION of the owner on you then you are in deep doo-doo. Crossing that property line without permission is NOT an option.

Besides that excuse of "looking for my wounded deer" is the single biggest lie used to justify hunting on someone else's property hoping it will keep them out of trouble if caught. It sure won't wash in most places.

Mikey · « **Reply #10 on:** December 29, 2006, 11:32:46 AM »

Dusty: I will second Graybeard on this one. It may seem unethical as a hunter to forego a wounded animal but in NY, every single thing that Graybeard said is accurate. In addition, you would have your firearms definately confiscated and possibly your vehicle, too. I have had to deal with the 'wounded deer' trespasser a number of times and again, the Boss is right - it just doesn't wash. Mikey.

winman · « **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2006, 11:57:10 AM »

It happens. In my state you are not allowed to trespass onto posted ground for any reason. But at the same time the DNR requires you to give 'fair chase'. In my humble opinion the life of the precious quary should override territorial bounds. When I had access to 360 acres of private ground it was not a problem, but as property was sold off our hunting grounds became much more limited. I now have 40 acres to hunt, surrounded by prime deer country. If one of my kills were to cross into those posted areas I would be in a quandry. If (when) that happens I will take my chances. I have no intentions of wasting an animal because of access.

Tom W. · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2006, 12:26:58 PM »

I suppose that's the reason for the law. If the situation was reversed, would you truly enjoy someone walking up under your stand?

I can say with that if the other man had shot the deer, and it ran over and died in my greenfield, I'd get down and wait for him and let him have his deer. But knowing what the law is, I'd probably go over by the line and wait, and escort him to it. There are some people who will help, and others who are mighty froggy about their lease....

Graybeard · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2006, 12:30:56 PM »

Quote

If (when) that happens I will take my chances. I have no intentions of wasting an animal because of access

So you're saying you have no problem with violating the law and really don't care how the land owner or lease holder feels about your illegal activities so long as you don't offend your own personal ethics code. In my mind that's one of the BIG problems with today's society.

oldsmokeyjeff · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2006, 04:47:42 AM »

Not taking sides here just throwing in some info for other hunters. In Illinois you have a responsibility to expend every effort to find your wounded animal. If your deer is wounded and wanders on to an adjacent property you can look for it BUT you have to be unarmed and have permission from the land owner. If the landowner refuses permission you have the option of contacting the local game warden. He WILL go with you onto the other property after telling the landowner what he is doing, permission or not. The deer is considered the property of the state, not the property of the person who's land it is on.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2006, 05:55:02 AM »

That looks like a very reasonable approach to me. The highest priority is the need to keep an animal from suffering a lingering death and if that interfers with somebody else's hunt then so be it. IN MY OPINION (see that GB) it is extremely selfish for one to put his own hunt ahead of the need to terminate the suffering of an animal or to prevent a dead animal from being taken and used. Its sad to see the "me, me, me" attitude among hunters. We need to be bigger men than that and realize that our own wants and desires (and our property rights) are often subserviant to other considerations. If we can't display a high level of maturity in these matters then we are no better than the anti-hunting scum.

Graybeard · « **Reply #16 on:** December 30, 2006, 08:47:02 AM »

Yup saw that Dusty

and you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I don't happen to agree with it but then I know of no reason why we have to always agree. Heck me and some of my moderators hardly ever agree on issues.

Nature is cruel, life is cruel and death by most any means is cruel. Such is the way of living and dying. The coons, possums, bugs and such gotta eat too. Nothing is wasted in nature. The death of one means life for others, that's the way it is, has been and always will be in nature. The death from that shot will be no more painful than had it been a predator that caught it and killed it to feed itself or its family.

I think too many of us are too worried about being PC and as such become as big an enemy to our sport as the antis.

Mikey · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2007, 03:25:55 AM »

Boss - I agree with you again. In NYS you have to ask the property owner if you can go about his or her property to look for that wounded animal but as you had mentioned before, quite often is is just bs and someone is simply following a set of good tracks. However, in real situations you still find lots of landowners who say 'no' simply becase they do not understand nature and in those instances the animal is lost. I do not understand those folks but it is their right to be like that.

A couple of years ago we had an article in the sports section of the local paper that spoke to the ease of tracking deer in freshly fallen snow - by and large the overwhelming response to his article was that he forgot to mention what happens when those tracks cross posted property and that caused a real ruckus and he corrected himself in a later article, thankfully.

Had some new neighbors move in - she is a British Veterinarian and he an Engineer who grew up in kalifonia. Neither are very big on hunting and the like but I mentioned the problems we have had with coyotes in this area and that one of our neighbors is certified and licensed by EnCon to trap them (he also sells the pelts) - the new neighbor wasn't so sure of the hunting/trapping business but when his wife said ' you mean wild or feral dogs?' and I replied 'yes', she said they are a menace to pets (Vetinarians should know) and should be destroyed. Well, good for that British Lady but she remained firm on posting the land against hunting - her right and the way that land has been for over 50 years, and I doubt I would care to raise her ire by tresspassing. Mikey.

Lost Okie · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2007, 01:29:36 PM »

Indiana is the same as Illinois. If your deer crosses onto private property (does not have to be posted) you are not allowed to trespass. You can ask permission of the land owner or Call DNR. The DNR officer will go get your deer regardless of landowner opinion. So far I have been lucky and have not had this happen. Then again, we hunt on public land that has limited access and its right beside the local DNR officers home.

ourway77 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2007, 12:54:15 AM »

I had the sam senario, deer went down laid there for about 10 minutes not moving all of a sudden it got up went into private property nrxt door. Call dnr they told me not to tresspass and that the other animals have to eat also. No consilation but he had a point. Life is not always fair.But too the vultures and the foxes they might thank you

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2007, 02:16:49 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on December 30, 2006, 08:47:02 AM

Yup saw that Dusty and you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I don't happen to agree with it but then I know of no reason why we have to always agree. Heck me and some of my moderators hardly ever agree on issues.

Nature is cruel, life is cruel and death by most any means is cruel. Such is the way of living and dying. The coons, possums, bugs and such gotta eat too. Nothing is wasted in nature. The death of one means life for others, that's the way it is, has been and always will be in nature. The death from that shot will be no more painful than had it been a predator that caught it and killed it to feed itself or its family.

I think too many of us are too worried about being PC and as such become as big an enemy to our sport as the antis.

GB I know we don't always agree on thing's, but once in awhile we do. And I have to agree with you on this one.

As a hunter you know your boundaries, you should obtain permission or have some kind of agreement with adjacent land owners to have the permission to cross boundary line in the effort to retrieve a wounded or dead deer. Don't wait tell hunting season starts and put yourself in a unlawful situation. Make an agreement with the adjacent land owners and hunters that you both have an agreement that each other can cross on to one another land to retrieve an dead or wounded animal. If he does not agree, suck it up and know what you have to do to try to prevent one for getting to his land. Respect his decision and move on.

I have 20 archers of hunting land in West Virginia, I have the permission for the land owners that boarded my land to have access to retrieve wounded and dead game that may have made it to there land. It was a simple task of locating them and just asking. Also I don't hunt to close to boundary lines.

pastorp · « **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2007, 05:05:30 PM »

There is one thing we are overlooking here I believe. If you are hunting on a lease with hard boundaries just shoot your deer where they won't run off. No one has mentioned the ethical responsibility to be a marksman.

As far as I am concerned a man should know how far he can kill with his weapon of choice. And stay within that range. Maybe you think your shot was good but I don't. If you need to put them down quick get close and spine them or shoot them in the neck. Of course you need to know proper shot placement.

Regards, Byron