Ok here is my question to everyone here. Your are out in the woods and 2 bucks walk out 1 is the biggeat buck you have ever seen on hoof maybe a record book deer im talking 200" monster and the other ia a 3 year old 8 pointer110" wounded buck that is hurt really bad and you know he wont make it through the winter like that. So which one do you shoot? Both are in range and broadside. Everything is as perfect as it can be except for having to decide what to do. Me personally not because its what i think i should say or do but i know its what i would is i would take the wounded buck and pray that the monster sticks around for my poke of love too.
Same here. I believe if we are true "HUNTERS" we have a responsibility and should have a want or a need even to do our part in a situation like this. I wouldn't give it a second thought. Think about this one too, how good of a story would it make to go along with the big guy if you were able to take him later? Though it would be tempting to arrow the big guy if the injured was severally injured and watch the direction he goes and stalk him and take him too. He would have to be really bad injured meaning not even being able to run hardly at all but, who has seen how fast any injured deer can get the heck out of dodge. Too risky for my skill level at this time or at least confidence level.
I've have put dieing deer down and burned my only tag for that year. Meat wasn't salvageable and it sucks but it needed to be done. I have ran across dieing deer when hunting season isn't going on. The deer weren't suffering anymore when I left. They apparently were just about ready to give up the ghost by the time I got there. Weird how that has worked out on a few occasions. If the situation happens that you suggested... I will do what needs to be done. Odds are I'll never will be placed in that situation to choose. Tim
I dont care what y'all do ... I am shooting the 200" buck ... flame away Dozens of deer die each year like that every year in each of your hunting areas ... Besides, you dont know for sure if he will make it thru the winter or not ... I am taking the healthy 200" and if I have another tag like your scenario says, chances are the wounded one will be around to kill after I arrow the big boy...
The big buck dies..I think this decision would be much harder in the field, as opposed to the living room. I shot a very average buck with my last buck tag a few years back, his leg was broke from a gun shot and he was not getting around very well at all. I wanted nothing to do with him but put him down anyway. The meat was no good and we had throw it away. I have made the decision before to do whats "right", but when my chance of a life time comes up I am shooting my deer of a lifetime.
I'm not sure. I'd like to think I'd put the wounded buck down, but until I'm actually in that position I guess I don't really know. The odds of that happening to me are slim though, wounded deer don't last long in wolf country.
Tony, gut, and michaelp, I love the answer and really respect the honesty of the answer. I really wish the game wardens/DNR would have a better system to say that if you can prove that you put down a wounded deer to keepit from suffering that you would not have to use your tag to toss the meat or do what we may feel is the right thing to do. Here in Illinois no tag means no deer no matter what the situation is. I really hope that none of us ever have to face that secnario while we are out but it is really one of my worst nightmares. Fitz I completely agree as hunters we react to what is happening while we are there no matter how much we plan for something it's just our nature as hunters.
Of coarse I would like to take the wounded animal, but like others said, there are alot of deer that die each year because their wounded in some way shape or form or just can't make it through the harsh winter, we can't save all the deer. I believe that with all the hard work that we as hunters put in, we deserve that trophy of a lifetime, who knows if you would ever have that opportunity again. If it were a buck say that I wounded then yes I would harvest the 110" buck otherwise Mr. Big is mine!
I should add, if I (or someone in my camp) had caused the wound, I'd put him down in a second. At that point I believe it's 100% your responsibility.
I honestly don't know what I would do. Its an entirely different thought process when your up in the stand with your bow in your hands vs. sitting at the computer.
Down goes the big guy, nature can take its course on the other one just like it would have had I not been there that day. Like has been said, if I know that I wounded it, then I owe it to finish the job I started and then I would blame the broadhead.
If a buck that small is wounded its most likely from coyotes and I'm gonna let nature take its course and feed the yotes and shoot that monster! And anyways I'll come back and fling some arrows at the coyotes:D
LMAO I agree 100% if someone I know wounded him or if I did he has to go down Because of our bad judgement. I was asking this because I have heard other people talk about being in this situation and was just wondering was the majority of us would do and how many of us would be completely honest about it
I'd shoot the big buck. If the wounded one hangs around, I'll shoot him too. (provided I had two buck tags)
