Post by: bearhunter59 on September 27, 2007, 11:37:09 AM
Opening day down on the Lewis River. I have been out tramping around in the woods since well before sunrise, since this is walkin only area. Finally, about 45 minutes before sunset, and I have this small 3x3 walk out into the area I was in, about 75yds away. I get a good shot off on the boy, he staggers and falls, gets back up and runs about 100yds out into the middle of the river. I've got my gun up on him just waiting for him to come up and out on the island in the river, cuz I didn't want to have to try and drag him out of the water, when all of a suddent it sounds like a freakin warzone. Four hunters on the other side of the river started taking shots at my bull. The bull had started running again, and I put one in the back of his head just as he was coming up out of the water, onto the bank. I take off out into the knee-high water, and get out to the island. I get there and see the elk laying mostly in the water on bank of the otherside of the river, with a submerged log the only thing keeping him from floating down the river. Looking it over quickly, I realize there is no way I'll be able to get the elk out of the river on that bank, so I take some parachute cord out of my pack and tie one end around the horns, and the other end around a big log on the island I was on. I then manage to push the elk enough to get it unstuck from the log and let the water current drift him over to the bank on the island. I then spend about 20-30 minutes trying to wrestle him up out of the water on to the bank, but due to the steepness of the gravel bank, and coldness of the water, I just could get him out of the water. I even gutted him while in the river, figuring that would make him lighter, but it still wasn't enough.
The whole time I am fighting with this thing in the freezing cold water, the four hunters have walked up within 20 yard, on the bank of the river and have just been sitting there watching me. Finally, after about 30 minutes they wander out on to the island, and come up and say, "Hey, you know that's our elk?" My response was, "HOW THE F@%^K DO YOU FIGURE THAT A$^%^$#? IT'S MY ELK! I SHOT HIM FIRST! AND I PUT THE LAST SHOT IN HIM THAT PUT HIM DOWN! AND....THATS MY TAG ON THE HORNS!" (I forgot to mention, that was the first thing I did once I floated him over to the island.)
They said they didn't know I had shot AT him in the woods, and didn't beleive when he was standing in the river that he had been hit, so they figure they put the kill shot in him. Needless to say, we had a pretty heated "discussion" for a few minutes. The sun was starting to go down, and I had to get back across to my side of the river before it got too dark, otherwise I wouldn't be able to cross the river that night. Since they were camping in the edge of the clearing about 200 yds away, they said they'd take it back to their camp that night and I could bring the game warden down there tomorrow and we'd let him decide who's elk it was. Seems how it was getty pretty dark, and I was out gunned 4-1, I didn't see that I had much choice.
I spent the next two days trying to get the game wardens to go down to their camp with me and get my elk back to no avail. I was able to get them to actually get out of their truck and walk about 5 minutes into the woods before they turned around and said they're not gonna spend all day walking in the woods, so if I can go down and find the camp and have them bring the animal up to the Eagle Cliff store, then they'd decide what to do.
I ended up walking down to their camp and the guy who was claiming he killed it tells me he'll give me $100 to cover the cost of a replacement tag and my time lost not hunting if I'll just drop it and let him take the elk.
At this point, I figure since it was just a little 3-point that now has about 3-4 holes in him, and I didn't want to waste anymore hunting time and still not end up with the animal, that I would take his money and go get me another tag. Which is what I did. Took his money, drove the 45 minutes back to Cougar, went in the store and paid $10 for a replacement tag. I then went back out and two days later shot a nice 5x5 within 50 yds of where I shot the 3x3 three days earlier.
Before any of you claim I did something illegal by getting a replacement tag, I checked with the game wardens before I did and they said it was OK.
Anyway, I was and still am pissed about hunters like that...that will start shooting at an animal that someone else is trying to harvest. That is no more ethical than if you were just about to land a big salmon and I walked up and netted him while still attached to your hook and line and saying it's mine because he's in my net. I have heard numerous storys just like mine many times, but I just thought I would never find myself in that situation. Heck, purposely walk in a long ways, just to get away from everyone else.
Some would say I should put myself in the other hunters place, and I'd probably do the same thing. WRONG! The fact of the matter is, I have been in that situation before. Just a year or two prior to my episode, I was out hunting elk and heard some shots really close by, and then had a nice elk come busting through the woods my way. I had a good shot at him and could have dropped that beast, but I let it go by because I could see it had already been hit and knew that was the animal someone else had already shot at. The bull ran off, and the hunter came by a minute or two later asking if I had seen his elk and I pointed him in the direction the bull had went. I followed a few minutes later, and found the hunter and his elk a little further off in the woods. Now, I could have easily shot that bull and tagged it before the other hunter had a chance to get there, but I didn't. And I couldn't! That just ain't right.
Anyway, let's hear how many of you others have had something similar happen to you....
Post by: tlbradford on September 27, 2007, 12:10:54 PM
I have a different philosophy when it comes to shooting animals someone is trying to harvest. I will kill an animal that is wounded and has been shot by someone else if I have an oppurtunity. I have done this with 3 deer and one elk. Two of the deer ended up being a hunting partners so obviously no conflict there. I don't want to stake a claim to the animal, just see it dead as humanely as possible. On the other two animals noone come up to me and all pissed off that I had made the final killing shot. Both were thankful. If anyone did not want to tag the animal I would have been glad to do so.
Post by: bearhunter59 on September 27, 2007, 12:49:06 PM
And by the way, the only way I was going to let that guy have that elk, was if he notched his tag...which I verified was notched before I took the money and left.
Post by: Wea300mag on September 27, 2007, 02:03:42 PM
I almost took up bow hunting after that day.
Post by: Ray on September 27, 2007, 08:10:59 PM
There is honestly some room for gray area in the examples proposed here and I was not there and so I will not feel compelled to monday night quarterback all of the situations and expect to get them right..
Post by: LongTatLaw on September 28, 2007, 12:18:11 PM
Besides my recent elk adventures...I had a situation in Georgia a few years ago. In GA you may hunt with a bow during rifle and black powder season. I choose to do so pretty often. Well, I was hunting on an active Duty Army base (FT Stewart) in December... 2 months after bow only season ended. Any way, one morning I heard a rifle shot not 150 yards from me (common on a very very over hunted piece of "public" land). Well, a few seconds after the shot a little bodied 6pt buck (thats a 3x3 to you...lol) came busting through... when he got into my little clearing I tried grunting at him but when that didnt work I yelled "hey you" at him...lol
He stopped at 35 yards and I let go an arrow that made a beautiful broadside heart pass through!!! It wasn't a monster buck but I had 9 deer tags left and only about two weeks to use em. (GA allows 10 does and 2 bucks per year :o :o :drool:)
Well, the buck went down in sight of my tree stand...I always love that! Well, as I climbing down out of the tree a hunter showed up. Probably a 50 year old male. He asked if I had seen a "MONSTER 6 PT buck" lol
I said yes I had seen "A" 6 pt. and shot it. Well there the argument started. He demanded I was trying to steal his monster buck. Well, I thought it would be easy to settle unless there was a bullet hole I didnt see before I shot. If there was...I was gonna hand over the MONSTER buck...
I asked where he shot it... RIGHT IN THE NECK! He said he could see blood pouring out as it ran off. He was using a 30'06.
Well, we walked up to the buck and the only hole was the heart shot but upon the inspection he demanded the one hole was his gun shot not my arrow... which was in my hand...dripping with blood from end to end.
Well, he grabbed the buck and started dragging. Well, although the deer wasn't a monster to me... the hunters attitude was bad start to finish and Ill tell ya if ya havent seen from my postings...attitude goes a LONG WAY with me!
So, i starting arguing with him and then we agreed to cut open the wound. He insisted it would be all destroyed inside and then Id know the truth...lol So I let him cut it open...clean beautiful arrow damage but no 30'06 hole...
He still wanted to argue until I offered to let him "earn" the buck by kicking my ass...lol he didnt want it that bad and he left. But, someone less confident would have back down from that bulley and gave up a deer they clearly killed.
PS- the MONSTER 6pt was weighed and measured at the deer check station by the GA DNR and his LIVE WEIGHT was 117 pounds and his massive 3x3 rack had nearly 14 inches of inside spread...lol
but he did taste fine!
As for your situation. I am months off of 30 years old but INFANTRY fuel still runs strong in me... So I probably would have made those 4 boys beat the hell out of me...lol
probably the exact same result as what you did... but its just the fact of the matter..and kicking my ass would have added to their hunting story...lol but I love that you got a bigger bull from the same area the same week!!
next time that happens...call me... Ill help with the 4 boys just for a look at this hunting spot of yours..lol
Post by: Lets Hunt on October 02, 2007, 04:23:18 PM
Post by: Coasthunterjay on October 02, 2007, 04:42:19 PM
I almost took up bow hunting after that day.
:chuckle: :bow: :chuckle:
ROFL
Post by: high country on October 02, 2007, 06:28:34 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on October 02, 2007, 08:49:29 PM
Post by: Blacklab on November 02, 2007, 08:46:01 AM
Carry a banjo, that will scare them off.....if not, it should scare you off... :chuckle:
dueling bango's
Post by: sisu on November 02, 2007, 09:21:45 AM
After he sees this he shots her, she wanders off and dies. He then dresses her out but does not tag her right then and there. Instead he walks out to the road, does a 360 degree walk looking for vehicles, foot prints, camp sites etc. After about 40 minutes he goes back to the doe, tags her and proceeds to haul her out to his truck. As he neared his truck he runs into 4 guys. One of them yells hey, "He's got my deer"!!! The two youngest hunters are all venting with their friend that this is THEIR deer.
Rick does some questions and answers with with them. The shooter has told his buddies that he did a broad side shot and hit the doe right behind the front leg. Rick told the guy he was wrong that the shot broke the front leg and grazed the upper chest front front to rear indicating he shot her head on.
As this is going on one of the guys says where is your rifle and Rick replies, "Oh I used my S&W 357 which is right here." For some reason this got the three younger guys all quiet.
The older guy, about Rick's age, finally said to Rick, "I guess it's your deer if you did all this and used your tag". But Rick interjected and said, "No, if you want the deer I'll give it to you if you pay me for my new tag and I'll write you a release to keep the deer in you possession".
This situation usually does not happen in the UP but every now and then high weirdness happens. Mostly this area is hunted my families that have know one another for the past 150 years.
Now I don't know if this is totally ethical on Rick's part in regards to asking for payment of his tag, but I believe he did the correct thing. Besides this was in the good years of high deer numbers and he'd already taken one with his bow and another with a rifle(very large extended family that has always eaten off the land). You were allowed to harvest 4 deer in those days and in some areas a camp deer was allowed.
Post by: Moosehunt on November 02, 2007, 02:51:57 PM
After the buck went down, I just sat down and watched the other hunters. My brother had been in a similar situation with a good buck a few years earlier and backed down to a weekend warrior because it could have gotten dangerous. I figured I would just do the same thing. Didn't want to...I wanted to bust hump to the deer and claim my prize, but figured I would let it be as I didn't want a situation to go bad. I just knew myself well enough to know I would not have backed down and didn't need the trouble. Ended up with an un-notched tag for the year.
My brothers and I have a rule when hunting together. First to shoot and hit gets. Any shot after is just helping out....as long as it's between us. Can't say the same for anyone else though.
Post by: Palmer on November 02, 2007, 04:21:15 PM
Post by: Cougeyes on November 02, 2007, 04:22:34 PM
Post by: jackelope on November 02, 2007, 04:36:28 PM
Post by: Fesup on November 11, 2007, 10:06:18 AM
Post by: andrew_12gauge on November 11, 2007, 05:47:19 PM
Post by: Houndhunter on November 11, 2007, 06:17:34 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on November 11, 2007, 07:06:32 PM
Quote
but if i ever saw some one tryin to clam my deer that i was sure is mine, i wouldnt think twice bout pullin my gun on him
Why would you let something like a deer (and an a-hole) get you in a situation that could ruin the rest of your life?
Post by: HuntingFanatic on November 11, 2007, 07:26:12 PM
i dont hunt in area's that have alota people, usually go back in a few miles. but if i ever saw some one tryin to clam my deer that i was sure is mine, i wouldnt think twice bout pullin my gun on himYou have to be kidding me!?!? pulling a gun means that you are prepared to use it!!!!!! That is obsurd! Its a freakin deer! If that deer means more than yours or someone elses life, have at it!
Post by: ICEMAN on November 12, 2007, 07:25:58 AM
i dont hunt in area's that have alota people, usually go back in a few miles. but if i ever saw some one tryin to clam my deer that i was sure is mine, i wouldnt think twice bout pullin my gun on him
Listen here junior....you are 17 years old. I am sure you think you know everything better than all of us.....
Your dad needs to take you aside and explain what the consequences are for your little suggestion.
Remember, we all see things differently. Not all think like you. Someone claiming your deer? What if they thought it was theirs......?
You pull a gun on many men here, you may go home in a box. Watch what you say. Watch what you do.
I suggest going back and removing or editing your stupid comment, and rejoining our discussion in a week or so, after you lick your wounds and realize what a foolish, childlike, immature comment you accidently have made.
I welcome your input, just think twice.
Post by: flashover52 on November 12, 2007, 07:40:08 AM
Let me tell you a little story. A friend was hunting in CO during elk season some years ago. Being a resident of Estes Park, she and some of her female friends used to hunt as a group year after year. After she dropped a good sized bull and approached it, four guys approached through the woods and told her to get away from thier elk.
"Your elk?" she says. One of them explained that there were four of them and only one of her. She keyed up a rather powerful Motorola radio and said, "these four fella's think they're taking my elk."
As the multiple voices crackled back over the radio, the four guys decided to high tail back to their truck with Texas plates after the fourth female voice that responded back said, "tell the fat little fella on the right with the plaid shirt that I've got my sights on his forehead."
Moral of the story.....just because you got a gun, don't believe that the other guys (or gals) might have you outgunned. :o
Absolutely no reason to get into a shooting match with someone over an animal. There's more important things in life......I'd rather go back and see my family at the end of the day. It sure beats being dead or sitting in a cell block.
Post by: boneaddict on November 12, 2007, 08:10:20 AM
Post by: boneaddict on November 12, 2007, 08:13:31 AM
Post by: huntingnut on November 12, 2007, 08:14:06 AM
Post by: HntnFsh on November 12, 2007, 08:51:18 AM
Of course if I know the person or what they drive,they may have hell to pay later :chuckle: (kidding)
Several years ago,when I was much younger,and dumber.I was tracking a herd of elk that still had a spike in it.Legal back then.They worked their way around and started to cross a road.I heard a rig come by and cut them off.
Sure enough here they come.Right back to me.Cow,cow,cow,spike.Boom!!! I drilled him.
One of the locals thats known for pulling the kind of crap thats been talked about comes down the trail.He asks if I got him.Yep,I answer.Wheres it at he says.Over there I ponted. He says,did you tag him yet? I said not yet.He says,you better or somebody will take it from you.I looked straight at him and said.If anybody ever tries to take an animal from me they'll be laying by it!
He immediately turned around and left without saying another word.
Like I say,I would never threaten or advise threatening anybody anymore.Fortunately we get older and wiser.
Post by: HuntinCrazy on November 14, 2007, 10:12:01 AM
Now comes the 6th year. I'm in my stand up the canyon 3 days into the season when I hear a shot. VERY close and behind me. Then another.By now the hair on the back of my neck is standing up. my stand is about 400 yards off end of a RED road. No motorized rigs at all! I hear my son in my ear piece........POPS was that you that shot? He was over 2 canyons. HELL NOOOOO.............these A$$Holes are shooting behind me. Then all hell broke loose. Shotguns........SKS.........pistols whizzing over me head. I hit the deck as rounds came flying with in a couple feet of me. ME YELLING...........HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY someones down hear. My is my blaze jacket and hat. No response from them The shots keep coming. I am back on the radio calling for my son. Our walk talkies are set so only we can hear or talk with anyone else listening to us. I could not hear anymore from my son. I changed over to another channel and let out a mayday for all to hear. By this time I had my blaze off and only camo showing. This guy answers me back. He can hear the gun shots through the mic when I was trying to give him my location. He asks me if I have been wounded or hurt. I hadn't. My only option so they can hear someone is down here was to fire my .338mag into the base of a stump 50 or so yards away from me..... CRACK!
Then they hold off shooting for about 30 seconds while I am guessing they are reloading. Then the bullets start flying again. This time ricochets off rocks right in my direction. The guy on the other end of the radio lives out of Thorp and was a fireman. Trying to calm me down as I am tell him I have been through this crap before in SE Asia and I am going put a round over these guys heard into a tree OR have to take them out.. By now my son came up and over 2 ridges and deep canyons. He could hear us talk on the radio for I couldn't hear him. These guys are still shooting all this time. Maybe 40-50 rounds total. Then all of a sudden I hear another shot ring out from almost the same direction. MY SON!He stopped about 150 yds away from these guys He yelled at these guys to STOP SHOOTING my fathers down there. These two punks almost fainted. My son got there license plate # and called it in to the FD guy. hiked back to camp about 2 miles I was a still bit shook. The Gentleman Jack took the edge off when we got back.
So now I bow hunt.
Post by: Broken Arrow on November 14, 2007, 06:49:49 PM
An ounce of prevention?
My buddies and I have one technique to get "undesirables" out of an area, and possible eliminate some of these scenarios. If you are asking yourself what is an undesirable?...you are one...trust me...for the rest of us you know what I'm talking about. Fortunately, as a bow hunter i don't run into to many of these folks, let alone see anyone in the woods, but when I do, and I recognize them as an undesirable.....I begin with this.
Me - Hi, how ya doing?
them - uh....OK, why?
me - Just wondering, hows the hunting going?
them - uh....OK...why?
me- well i have several buddies up this area and were hunting elk...just don't want to bump paths
them - well have you seen anything?
me- well, not really but two guys in my party got of some nice sound shots. were gonna go back in the morning to see if we hit what was rusting that brush!
them- wide eyed and leaving
Just kidding folks....aways wanted to say that though to some of these jokers, who do these kind of things.....good stories all, though sad some folks carry themselves in this manner.
Post by: littletoes on November 14, 2007, 08:06:56 PM
We run into this 80 some-odd year old guy who claims to have shot a "nice buck". I tell him, ok wheres it at? He points up the hill...so I tell him we'll go have a look, then asked him, by the way, where did you hit him? He said "in the heart", I said ok, then walked up the hill.
My Dad walks right up to it, then shoots it in the heart. To this day he still surprised me on how fast he found that deer...but we head back down.
Almost to the bottom we run into that old guy again, and he's puffing his way up, had me scared he was going to have a heart attack! I tell him to slow it down some, before he had the big one, and that hell, he had the rest of his hunting season to get that deer. Also scolded him for shooting the bottom jaw off that deer (too many damn hunters don't practice enough!).
Then asked him if he had any help in the area, he said yea, his nephew. I said good, then went to find him, hell he turned out to be older than my Dad! ;)
Taught me two things, most hunters don't have a clue where their bullets are going, and most think somebody wants to steal thier deer.