You've heard it before, but to whom does the animal belong if you make a shot on an animal, it runs and someone else shoots the animal and it goes down. Is it yours or his? I know a lot of factors way in. Let's say that the animal "makes the book", you hit it in the gut, and it is public ground.

Around here it's the one who puts in the last shot that matters.

Different States have different laws. Best to acquaint yourself with the law in the area where you hunt.

The one to make the first lethal hit.

Or the baddest MOFO .

quote:

---

Originally posted by RMiller:
The one to make the first lethal hit.

---

Exactly.

The first one to put a deadly hit on it gets it.

It should be the first lethal hit, but there is "hunters" out there that feel if they put it down it's theirs. Personally I feel it should be who ever put the first good shot in it, I've been in that situation, a buck came by me after someone shot it, I could see it was bleeding good, I just helped the guy out, and put it down right in front of me. After a few minutes he comes walking up through the woods, a hand shake and I helped him gut it. I did give im the satisfaction of dragging it out though...

Hey "born to hunt" A gut shot is not a killing shot, there might be something to be said about that one.

I was always told on a dangerous animal it's who puts it down. On all others it's who draws first blood.

If you're talking about a group hunt, that needs to be discussed before you hunt. Where I live, party hunting is not only allowed, it is the norm. This stuff happens around here every year. If you are talking about a stranger putting down an animal that you origionaly shot, it is usually the first LETHAL shot, therein lies the debate. One of the reasons I hunt alone.

DGK

First Lethal Hit.

The Wildlife and Fisheries Hunter's Ed. teachers try to teach that to the kids around here. I've always thought it was more ethical to give it to the man that put the first deadly hit on the animal and for me to finish the suffering animal off if the opportunity arrises.

One thing you have to think about is when a particular animal is wounded they run in a state of panic fighting for their life. If they were not wounded, the Hunter that makes the final shot probably never would have seen the animal.

Some folks get into heated arguements over multiple shot game animals. That's one reason why I don't go on public land.

Good Luck!

Reloader

quote:

---

Originally posted by Reloader:
First Lethal Hit.

---

That certainly is the preferable solution.......if ethical, consciencious sportsmen are involved.

However, as stated above, laws vary from state to state. Here in Wisconsin wardens go by the rule "whose shot brought it to bag and possession". That's how they settle disputes in the field. They won't do any autopsies, nor listen to much protracted debate.

GV

I never felt that a deer was worth arguing over. If someone else wants it that bad, give it to them.

I agree with you Craig. I actually pity someone who is so pathetic that they feel the need to claim someone else's accomplishment as there own.

Jeff

I believe Craig22 and Skibum said it well.

I don't have much time for a person that'll argue over a deer. If they want it that badly go right ahead and take it, I'll find another. I won't argue with a person of such low morals and self image...they're like card cheats or folks that'll pencil whip ya at any other game.

I've only ever had one person get upset and claim a deer I shot (he didn't even fire a shot...didn't have a gun!), it was up in Northern Wisconsin during the 2003 season...pitiful fella teaching his kid poorly.

Thanks guys! Keep em' coming! I teach an outdoor ed. class afterschool two days per week. This is a scenario the kids questioned me about, but I told them I am only one person and that in the field, we have to deal with all types.

I've said that the animal makes the book because that would obviously up the ante...for some. The gut shot represents gray area too. The animal will probably die, thus, the shot was fatal. However, a slow antagonizing death is likely and recovery is questionable for the average hunter.

My kids are discussing ethics so keep it up!

Here in Arizona, the person who makes the killing shot tags the deer. It's the law. However, if the person who made the first shot wants to get aggressive about it? he can take it as far as I'm concerned. I really don't want to mess with a gut shot deer anyway if I was not the one who gut shot it.
Paul B.

I recently posted about this regarding the use of the good ol .243.

I was taught that he/she that puts it down is the owner, regardless of previous bullet holes.

Put yourself in that situation. If you hear a gunshot and a monster comes running by you and stops with perhaps no evidence of being hit, would you shoot it? I would. I would assume it is just a buck that ran from the other shot or perhaps was shot at and missed.

If I shoot it and it goes down and someone else walks up and says they hit it first, I'd make it known that I put him down. End of story.

If I have a bloody deer in front of me, I put it down, being book doesn't matter. If I can find the guy who shot it, it is his. If I can't I take it and am proud of it. That is my .02 worth. Good shooting.

quote:

---

Originally posted by phurley5:
If I have a bloody deer in front of me, I put it down, being book doesn't matter. If I can find the guy who shot it, it is his. If I can't I take it and am proud of it. That is my .02 worth. Good shooting.

---

Same here, regardless of antler size.

My Pa taught two things that both relate to this scenario: 1) the animal goes to the hunter that drew first blood, and 2) never let an animal suffer.

I would feel obligated to kill the deer if I saw it wounded and I would return it to the person that shot it first if I could find them. If I couldn't find them and the deer turned out to be a runt that I would have passed up had I seen it first, it would be too bad for me...better luck next year.

If someone finished off my deer and they wanted to make a big fuss about the "first blood rule", I would let them keep it. It ain't worth fighting over.

Cheers,
Canuck

This subject reminds me of a hunt years ago, that my friend shot a buck that was coming down the mountain. He noticed that the deer had been shot in the leg and after field dressing which was about thirty minutes later he heard someone coming down the mountain.

It was a father and his son and they had come down all the way from the top. After a little dicussion and the deer being the boys first, he let them have the buck and at camp that night he said, I wonder if they got that deer up the mountain yet.

I think its each persons own judgement for any given situation.

i track it if someone wlse tips it over i walk away, been there done that on a large blacktail

He who downs the deer, owns it. Unless the hunters are right on top of each other, then the supposition is that the deer ran a good ways, indicating a poor impact that may or may not be fatal. There are plenty of deer that survive misplaced hits.

It makes a difference if the other shooter is someone from your group or not. If from your group, you hopfully sorked out those details ahead of time.

It gets real "sticky" when you get to strangers. Large bull, two parties, one shot, one elk killed by one shot from gun, everyone agreed, 2nd party took elk home. First one with a valid TAG has the animal, unless someone wants to go to court later and hash it out.