Ethics Question

[Phishead]

I spent a lot more time reading, which I enjoy more, than writing posts on this site but I had an incident this weekend that warranted a question for you all.  I had to fill my doe tag in the farm country this season so i invited my wife to join me for the weekend. Yesterday morning, we spotted a nice doe on a field. Good spot to get out and work my way closer for a shot. Just before I pull the trigger, another truck rolls up with 3 guys.  Unfortunately, I missed the shot but for a second I thought it might be wounded. Told the guys, she might be hurt but she went over the slope.  got back in the truck for a better look.  I notice she's still feeding so I head back from the other side for a closer shot and while I'm working my way back out on the field they pull up next to my wife and state the obvious "looks like he missed" so she responds with "he's heading back out for another shot". 
By now, the doe doesn't like all the activity and heads away from me towards the next road over where these boys head for the cut off.  They proceeded to unload 3 shots from the road (not sure if they were in the cars or not, but definitely on the road).  All of this while my ass is running across a half a mile wheat field.
Turns out she ran on to private property where they went looking for her.  Pissed me off like no other.  Should I be pissed? seemed like a J-Off move to both of us. has that happened to you? would you do it to someone else?

[gasman]

You have every right to be  It is disrespectful to persue an animal after you have knowledge of another hunter persueing that animal.

I have offered and have helped others fill there tag before.

[SilkWWU]

Ethically, that situation is tough but it was on public land.  If I were those three guys, I wouldn't have done what they did, especially the chasing it onto private land part.  But you have a right to be irratated.

[bearpaw]

Doesn't seem very sportsman like to me either....

[carpsniperg2]

i would be mad as well

[PolarBear]

I don't care who you are that was a *censored*bag move on their part.

[GUHunter]

I think very few people would ever fault you for being upset in that situation. Unfortunately, some people have little respect for anyone or anything these days.

[Wenatcheejay]

My ethics is the first person to put a bullet/arrow into the vitals is the one to claim an animal. I would never pursue and animal that someone else is hunting unless we were in agreement to do so. I suppose who ever tags game first is the legal one but those guys are pathetic. I am sorry they did it to you. You have every right to be perturbed.

[Angus]

Back in the late 80's my mom had a cow tag for the Manastash GMU. A few weeks before the season she broke her foot and was in a walking cast when the season opened. Because of limited mobility she and my dad were only able to road hunt. They were driving a road when a rig coming the other way stopped to chat, the 2 guys asked if my folks had a cow tag and said there was a herd a few hundred yards ahead, dad continued heading down the road while the other truck turned and followed. Sure enough there were 6 or 8 cows feeding across a clearing and my mom got out and shot, she hit 1 and it fell then got back up, about then the truck pulls in behind them and the guy in the passenger seat bails out and finishes the wounded cow. The cow was mortally wounded from moms shot and wasn't going far. The other guys didn't have a cow tag, just thought they would "help out". My dad was pissed and let them know what he thought. Probably would have been on the phone if there were cell phones then.
These guys were members of a certain "foundation" and if thats the way they operate, they'll never see a dime of mine.

[Hillbilly270]

They had every right to go after the animal.......Public Land and you did not have your tag on it.

[Ray]

They might have a legal right to go after the animal but what is described seems rude. I would never do what those guys did but you will find many people who will do exactly what they did. It's simply how it is sometimes.

I'm not preaching but I can tell it is a reason why some people will hunt private property and others will backpack hunt. To get away from these type of experiences.

[rasbo]

bad juju to do that.in my mind....Some people never cease to amaze me..public land doesnt matter,how could anyone feel good about that.If harvesting a deer or elk in this manner is justified in your mind ,must suck to be you!!!!!!

[ribka]

See a lot of this type of behavior on public land. You have very right to be po'd. In my opinion was a j-off move on their behalf. And shooting from an improved road is against the law.
Many so-called sportsman these days have no hunting ethics. If someone is stalking an animal he should have the first chance at taking that animal. Many hunters live by the rule that the first one to put a bullet in it and it belongs to them. This results in a lot of dangerous and sometimes illegal behavior in the woods. 

[bearpaw]

It's actually the last guy that puts a bullet in a live animal that lawfully is required to tag the animal.

Just imagine if everyone understood the law, imagine a dozens guys all waiting to shoot, the animal walks away with no shots fired....

[longstevo]

While I can see both sides of this conversation, I think I must take the side of the thread starter. 

If I was busting my hump chasing after some big, bruiser buck after they knew I was putting the stalk on it, and they simply went to the bend in the road and shot him, I'd be pretty upset too. 

Was it legal?  Sure (if they were outside of their truck, which they probably weren't), but now we start to cross moral lines, and I think what they did was pretty Bush League.