Spin-offs are in this fall, and I want to be trendy. Going off PT's thread, I have more questions... When a hunter spends days trying to recover a buck, and he/she finds it, why all the pats on the back? People will say things like "way to stick with it" and "you owe it to the animal, great job". I never understood this. Would a hunter take an extra vacation day to try and recover a doe that has been dead for 3 days, you know, because he/she owes it to the animal? Do you need closure that the doe is dead? With a buck, are you searching for closure, or searching for the antlers? Next question, is it bad to admit you just want the antlers? Does it make you a bad hunter if you admit it? Will lightning strike you if you do? If you just want the antlers, I really don't have a problem with that. And it doesn't matter if I do or don't. Its your decision. One thing I don't like...excuses. No need to sugarcoat why you're still looking for the buck. Some admitted in the other thread that they were still looking for the antlers weeks later, and thats not always a popular opinion. People hunt for different reasons. I'm happy if you can admit it. Again, I'm sure my happiness doesn't factor into your decision. I'm normally not one to care about other's business. Poke fun, maybe, but really care what people I have never meet do...no. BUT, it does annoy me a bit when so much praise is given to someone that searches long and hard for a buck knowing the meat is not usable. I believe you can learn something from every deer you recover, even if its months later, so that is a positive. And I'm all for someone continuing the search if they want, but the praise part I don't get. Someone explain it to me.
Vito I remembered absolutely drilling a doe two years ago. I thought the arrow was perfect. She bolted and then started to walk slowly. Within two minutes a buck charged by and she ran like heck. I was ticked because I knew the implications. I waited two hours then got down. I followed her blood for 100 yards into a thicket but for the life of me could not find her. My buddy who sees a ton of deer on his land told me that this was just the way it was and not to worry about it so much. I searched for hours but came up empty. I ate food with him that night and then told him I was going back to look for that doe after dark. He was shocked. I went back out onto a property I did not know very well and looked for that doe in the pitch black. I looked for another 3-4 hours on my hands and knees through the thicket for that doe. I ended up only finding another 30 yards or so of blood. My flashlight died around midnight after I had crawled in circles for hours. I had one heck of a time finding my way out of the woods in the dark but I made it back to my truck. I told my buddy of my efforts the next day and he was again, shocked. I tried but I failed to find that doe and I was not happy to say the least.
Of course they are looking for antlers, I didn't realize that was some sort of secret. I hunt 100% for antlers, I prefer beef and usually donate my deer to the hush program. Here in the real world no one seems to be afraid to admit they hunt for bone, but in the internet world it seems to be considered wrong? I don't think the deer cares why you killed it. I will add that I don't think it is right to waste deer meat and all effort should be made to save the meat of any kill.
Thats a great example, Brett. I would do the same thing in searching for that doe because the meat would still be usable. Now, did you continue looking for that doe 3, 4, 5 days later? I'm guessing no, but I could be wrong. If it was a 150" buck, would you have continued looking after you knew the meat was no good?
I think you answered your own questions in your post. Like I said in PT's post. Over 90% of us here are hunting for antlers when we shoot a buck. I don't care what they say. Would I continue to look for a doe when I know the meat is bad? No. Would I continue to look for a buck? You betcha. I shot that buck for one reason and one reason only. No sugar coating whatsoever.
With no malice I ask......why does anyone care why someone else does what they do (in regards to this subject)? I know I don't care how/why you do what you do (and I used to draw the line at legal/ethical.....I don't even go there anymore). What you do doesn't affect me. I don't care.
Because, quite simply, I'm a curious person. I like to know what makes people tick. Its not so much their actions, but why they chose those actions. Again, for no other reason than curiosity. This discussion was created to satisfy myself. I like to satisfy myself. Wait, that didn't come out right...
Being a "curious person" and being "annoyed by" makes you two different people. One watches without objection, the other doesn't. Just saying.....
