Who should get the deer???

Okay, we had a hunter ( Michigan) sitting on stand at 11:00 am this morning. A nice buck walked in on him. He took a shot and the deer ran off, but not far. After getting things together he decided to track it. Just as he was started on the blood trail he hears a shot 20 yards ahead of him.

Hunter from Michigan yells " Your shooting at me"!! Guy who just shot yells back, "Okay". Michigan hunter walks up to deer and a Vermont hunter was standing over the deer Michigan hunter was tracking. So far only 30 yards from tree stand it was originally shot from.

Vermont hunter was getting ready to tag Michigan hunters deer. It just so happens that at around 11:30Am me and other guide was driving by and a Vermont hunter was on the road saying he just heard am shot.


I was called by the Michigan hunter who said someone shot his deer that he was tracking. There was a potential problem about to happen. I phoned the Conservation Officer and proceeded to the site. Talked to both hunters and called the CO back at the kill site.

Who do you think tagged the deer and why???

Don't really care who tagged it. If I was paying for guide service I'd sure be pithed off getting set up that close to other hunters?

How dense was the bush that neither hunter saw each other if they wearing blaze orange? How many bullet holes were in the Deer? Usually,the initial shooter gets to tag the Deer,but,if I was a CO,somebody better explain to me,real quick,why they discharged firearms in such close proximity to each other while shooting at the same Deer. That's borderline dangerous use of a firearm and careless hunting.
If I was the CO or OPP officer,neither would get the Deer,both firearms would be siezed and summonses written. Their hunt would be OVER!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bushmoose

Don't really care who tagged it. If I was paying for guide service I'd sure be pithed off getting set up that close to other hunters?

---

Nor do I. I am more concerned about the reckless discharge of a firearm. Charges should be laid. We already have a difficult time with convincing people how safe this pastime is without dummies like this. Meat is secondary to safety.

I also want to know why a person in hunter orange can't be seen 20 yards by another hunter. Something doesn't smell right here.

How could the first hunter really now that second hunter was shooting towards him & not from another direction? Did the deer have two bullet holes? Hope the CO took care of it! Your question is a grey area on ethics. The deer could have had fatal wounds but still walking standing when it was shot? When the animal doesn't drop in front of you. Seen & had this happen to my group about 15 yrs ago. Having hunts where guys do a drive & deer get shot by posters but run into neighbouring properties where they get shot at & or claimed.

give the deer to charity for food, it will teach both sides a lesson

everyone is batshizat crazy to hunt within that range of each other initially. the deer isn't the most important part of this post. the most important part is, research where you hunt! if no one is poaching, this shouldn't happen if you're doing it right.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bushmoose

Don't really care who tagged it. If I was paying for guide service I'd sure be pithed off getting set up that close to other hunters?

---

The Vermont hunter just came in on Saturday. Our set been there for 5 weeks. Vermont chased the gun fire of Michigan hunter.

According to the Vermont hunter he was down the trail a bit and heard the shot. Came running and followed a deer trail towards our set up. Heard the deer trashing and went to the sound of deer. As Michigan hunter was about to reach deer Vermont shot.

There were 2 bullets that hit the deer. If Vermont guy wouldn't have shot the deer, Michigan was almost to it to finnish it off.;

If the deer was still alive and running when 2nd shooter hit it, I believe the 2nd shooter gets the deer. Its possible a deer not critically hit could run and be shot again a substancial distance away. This may be a case of "possesion is 9/10ths of the law" due to the 2nd shooter having shot and claimed the deer. That's my humble opinion.

Give it to the Vermont guy and tell him never to come back again. He is bad news.....

If they both hit the deer, either could legally tag it. If only one hit it, only that shooter could tag it, unless they were party hunting which obviously they weren't.