Dang dude... Have a little heart. He's bummed ... I see your parents never taught you if you didn't have anything nice to say, to say nothing at all. Cut the guy some slack.
Yeh I'm not sure he has an elitist attitude. He made a comment about being glad it wasn't a car or rifle kill, I rifle hunt and don't find that as an etlitist statement. He's just bummed... Did he really send the e-mail because he wanted to give the successful hunter the pics, or to give himself closure and that he wanted that guy to know how much that deer meant to him. I don't know, I'm just looking into my psychological side... Bummed out, Yes, Elitist? I don't think so, not from what I've read. But at the end of the day.... It's just a deer.
I would get the guy a congrats, and ask him if he wants any of the trail cam pictures to frame up. Could make a hunting buddy out of the deal.
I can assure you I emailed him to share my experience with the deer. I wasn't looking for any sympathy. Had I killed this buck and that guy found out, I would love to hear from him. It would be fascinating to see his pictures and hear about his encounters with him.
I believe you, I have a 2 deer in my mind right now that I wish I knew the demise of, and those two deer were from '07 '08.... No other deer have meant as much to me as they did, and I still wonder what happened to them.
It's the reiteration of the rifle thing...I am sorry you missed a chance a great buck but the statement that you're just glad some 'rifle hunter' didn't get him really bugs me. I have lost many nice bucks to the neighbors here at home and out by camp. Last year alone 4 bucks here that we passed hoping they'd get one more year were shot by rifle and crossbow hunters within 1/2 mile of my family's property....it sucked that we don't get the chance at them but I don't begrudge the folks for using those means to harvest legal deer that they wanted to shoot. The #1 target I had out at camp...that I had nailed for pattern and was just a matter of me being able to put the time in out there got shot the second day of rifle season...yeah I was bummed but I sure didn't hold it against the guy. I sent him the best pics I had of the buck and congratulated him...and I was really looking forward to hunting that deer during the muzzleloader season or late bow. Sorry to come down so hard on you, but it makes no diference how the buck was taken and a rifle hunter has just as much right to(and many work just as hard as any bowhunter for their bucks).
I have nothing against rifle hunters, even if it came off that way. I definitely would have shot this buck with a rifle if given the chance. I also don't hold it against the guy, why would I? He shot an amazing deer. I didn't email him to make him feel bad or yell at him, I emailed him to tell him congrats and show him some pictures.
Then I will withdraw my elitist statement in reference to you sir...but that was how it came across. What I was saying here had nothing to do with your commendable action of reaching out to the guy and congratulating him and offering he pics...it was all to do with the 'just glad it wasn't a rifle hunter' bit. BTW - honestly I do not hope some kid shoots your next target buck(that was a low blow on my part)...Good luck the rest of the season.
I am glad I read the posts on this thread or I would have addressed the elitist sounding attitude ... glad to hear that is not what you meant!
Sorry to hear that boof - but hey, things happen for a reason... The highs and lows of hunting will swing back around for you! At least it sounds like this guy was on the up&up but either way it's not fun....
Really, I have nothing against rifle hunters (I hold two rifle buck tags this year myself). It is just way cooler that this elusive deer was killed with a bow.
The only treatment is to get back in the tree stand. I have a long weekend at Bonesteel to make me feel better. Have you ever hunted by there?
boof - we know all these "haters" would feel the same way if their target buck was shot. No hunter in their right mind wouldn't be upset about that. I myself would be quite upset if a slug hunter shot my target buck. I think you did a great thing to send him a congrats and tell him what history you know of the buck and I'm sure the guy appreciated it too. Everything will work out in the end and you'll end up shooting a great buck this year anyways!
