Tagging someones crippled deer....

[Rembrandt]

Each year I get mentally prepared for the opportunity to get the elusive "Mr Big"....a couple of years ago while waiting for the anticipated monster to appear, along comes a crippled doe hobbling along on 3 legs. Didn't really want to use my tag for someone elses sloppy shooting, but I did anyway to put it out of its misery....used up my tag and ended my season. I'm comfortable that I did the right thing, but it sure grates that people can't drop a deer with one shot. My point is to encourage everyone to get plenty of practice and range time before going out this year, better marksmen make better hunters.

 

[BW]

I learned a long time ago not to make too much of someone elses mistakes or misfortunes in bowhunting. No matter how good you are or think you are.
Your day will come. It is just a part of a challenging hunting method. It happens in any season. Humans are not perfect.

I fully aggree that everyone that picks up a bow or gun to hunt with, has a responsibility to do their best. We should always encourage that.

I don't feel any hunter is responsible to "clean up" the woods of lame deer unless they choose to do that. We have coyotes and other creatures if the animal is meant to expire.

 

[Shredder]

Well said BW. I make sure I practice and prepare for each shot but it happened last season where the shot was not perfect and a buck went unrecovered. I could make that shot any other time but at that moment of truth, I didn't. As BW said, we are not all perfect.

 

[Rembrandt]

Don't mean to cast dispersions on any group or individual regarding missed shots, just want to see folks get some practice in before the season starts. I do think there are some tactics that do not lend themselves well to one shot one kill senarios.

Granted there are times when not every shot is a perfect one, may have to do a little tracking to find it, can't say I've ever lost an animal in 30 years of hunting multiple states. It's my belief that too many hunters take shots that are marginal hoping to get lucky and score....we're pretty sure the crippled doe was a result of spray and pray party hunters shooting at running deer. I've seen people hunt this way, it seems to be more prevelant with party shotgun hunting where deer are on the move under pressure.

Have a bowhunter a few blocks from where I live that pin cushioned 5 different deer last year before finally dropping one...nice guy, but he can't hit squat with a bow....he'd be better served getting his meat at the grocery store.

 

[deadeye]

I agree that it is a good reminder to practice up before season. Being very caution on shot opportunities and placement is very important and does lead to the most unrecoverable game.

However Murphy's Law still happens. Too many times deer can jump the string or something that will cause even the best shot to lead to unrecovery.

I have had one mishap myself and didn't feel very good about it. You just have to remember no animal will truely go to waste. Other critters will benefit. It is nature and nothing will ever change that fact. Keep the confidence up and keep at it and good things will happen again.

Good Reminder

 

[idsman75]

I won't cast any judgement upon someone who watches a wounded animal walk by. However, I can't do it. We're all out in the woods for different reasons. Some want a trophy and have WORKED very hard for it throughout the year. I could care less if I walk away with a trophy or a doe or a buck let alone a trophy. A trophy would make me proud as HECK but I just like being outdoors.

I know my own limitations and the limitations of my gun. Last year a wounded buck passed below my stand and I was hoping to put it down. Trust me. It was a nice looking buck. Someone who didn't see me up in the tree fired at it as I was steadying my crosshairs. They missed and the wounded buck was gone.

Should I have taken a running shot at the buck since it was wounded even though it wouldn't have been a clean kill necessarily? I personally could never take a Texas Heart Shot at a whitetail. Maybe I'm soft but I let that one go even though it was wounded and needed to be put down.

 

[deadeye]

I know every wounded deer you might see won't always be a doe, but that would be a time when a doe tag could come in very handy.

 

[Shovelbuck]

Some years ago I was on the phone with my dad discussing how his opening day of gun season went. His neighbor ran into the house telling him of a huge buck she had just hit with her car. After a little info gathering I had a feeling it was a huge buck from one of my hunting spots. I grabed a friend and we drove the 25 miles to go get the deer. We were stunned to say the least when seeing the car, a 1970 LTD,was totaled and that the buck was standing about 75 yds away We drove towards him and he slowly walked into a canyon. We circled around, and kicked him out. We dicided to wait until the following morning to find him. Long story short, we kicked him up the following morning very alive and well. I seen him several more times that year and the next. I found out that night just what survivors whitetails really are. That buck had survived a badly broken rear leg and had to have had numerous broken ribs etc. I wasn't there to see everyones wounded deer on this post but this deer would not have been able to pass on some great genitics had I "Put him out of his misery" I've rambled enough about this, just wanted to say please be sure it's a life ending injury before putting them down.