When another hunter wounds/cripples a game animal, I will kill it if I can to end its suffering and to relieve the other hunter of his anxiety. I do not want to claim it as my own. This is especially true if the other hunter is one of my group. Of course, individual circumstances could change things. Big game vs birds for instance, degree of injury from the first shot, etc.
I agree. When I talk about who hit the animal first, I'm talking about a serious wound.
Agree, the first shooter said when he shot the buck it jumped and kicked making him think he made a good shot. But quickly realized what happened after he saw the evidence.
@skydiver386: in the crowded Deer woods of Pennsylvania and especially on Opening Day - these conflicts regularly occur. Game Wardens are sometimes called to resolve these disputes but there is NO Law to abide by and the Wardens hope to let the Hunters work it out. It is usually resolved through conversation, arguments, or a time honored “fist fight”. How heated the argument depends on how Big the Buck is? (It’s easy to give up a spike and keep on hunting….less so a 10 pointer)
There is Private land, where things are usually between friends and family, and Public Land, where things can get nasty when shot rains down on another mans duck blind, or a wounded buck doesn't drop at the shot. I only hunt Public land during slower seasons, and refuse to hunt crowded areas for this exact reason.
@Ridge Runner - we always hunted Deer on Public Land in PA during the 1970s-1980s. A couple of the “old” guys I hunted with told me that if I downed a deer to immediately “cut off the tail” and hold on to it. They thought that if another hunter tried to TAKE your deer or dragged-it-off when you went to get you friends or truck - the “tail” would later help you prove it was YOUR Deer to a Game Warden. I never tried it or saw an instance of that technique being used - but I thought it was interesting logic. A mature man with 1/2 a brain would say “it ain’t worth fighting over a Deer” but I remember how happy I was when I killed my 1st Buck - it was Opening Day in PA and I was 26 - got a Spike, still ranks as the most exciting moment of my hunting Life. Had anyone tried to take that Buck from me then - there would’ve been a real brawl.
I'm just thankful he only kicked her. It could have been much worse ... and with justification. I will say only one dog ever bit me. Not mine. And it paid for it in blood. I once had a Lab tear up a drunk neighbor who walked into the house uninvited at 3:00 a.m. But Sophie was always a bit too protective for my liking. Took some work to get her sorted out.
Understand, Tug was a big baby UNTIL a stranger got too close to his bird, his truck or his boat. Around family and friends he was a totally different dog.
@Hunt anything - I’ve Never seen a Hunter “kick or hit” another Hunter’s dog…that would be a risky move and I wouldn’t be surprised if an incident like that ended up in a fist fight.
I believe you are right, I haven’t seen it either. I did have another hunter catch and tie up my second chessie Brandt. I didn’t realize another group had set up on a pot hole in some woods behind me and I sent him to get a duck that sailed on us. He never came back and I kept blowing my whistle and after about 20 minutes I hear a guy yelling to stop blowing that f$@&ng whistle. I went to see what was going on and there sat Brandt tied to a tree with a drake mallard in his mouth. I asked what the hell he was doing and that if my dog wasn’t tied to a tree I never would’ve had to blow the f$@&ng whistle. It was pretty tense but worked out okay.
Yeah, when that guy's dog tears into yours you will just stand there and say "Oh please, poochy, stop that." Some strange dog rips into my dog/kid, he would be lucky to only get the boot, especially if I'm standing there with a gun in my hands. I considered myself lucky that she just got kicked. Not sure I wouldn't have done worse. We don't have time to think in those situations. Thankful his reactions were what they were. Only a fool would have attempted to escalate the situation. But hey HankBuck, if the shoe fits ...
Pearl was a sweet dog but she could get grumpy with other dogs around her dead geese. Even with her "sisters" Opal and Coral. But only snap and snarl. She didn't "tear into" that guy's dog, but he didn't know what to expect. Caught us both by surprise. I should have known better and left her at the fence line. Curious thing is Pearl would let my other Lab Opal assist with field retrieves. Opal could hang onto the head or a wing while Pearl brought the big honker in. But if Opal found the honker first, she would stand over or catch it till Pearl arrived. Then she turned it over to the older dog. Somewhere I have a photo of the tandem retrieve. But when the goose went in the pile, then Pearl guarded them. Other dogs better stay away. Uplands she didn't care. That was Opal's game. Unless ... a rooster fell on water. They would both have at those. After Pearl died, Opal stepped up automatically to retrieve geese. Dogs can be funny.
@Hunt anything - you must have some very good Self Control and handled that situation well. I can’t think of any reason for someone to tie up your retriever as you described and especially when they could hear you “whistling” for your dog.
