Respect for the animals we hunt.

ShatoDavis · 06-06-2005, 02:04 PM

I was wondering in this "how much did he score" age how much respect the typical hunter has for his quarry. My step son was watching team real tree hunting on the idiot box this weekend.

David Blantan was in a tree stand when a small racked buck came by caring a front leg. The deer was obviously injured. Whether it was from sparing, or a misplace shot I can not tell you. Anyway, David watches this poor creature walk by. He had a very concerned look on his face. I know his insides where telling him to finish this creature off humanely, but he did nothing. A few seconds later he shoots a "monster buck".

I was disgusted. I told my boy to turn that trash off, that isn't hunting. Thats disgracefull. My boy was surprised at my reaction. He said that blantan had killed a real wall hanger and what was my problem. He didn't even concider the plight of the injured buck. I told him that I wouldn't have gotten a chance at the big buck because I would have been field dressing the injured deer. I told him that we have to respect the animals we persue. To let a obviously injured animal suffer so that I could kill a bigger healthy buck was just unrespectful.

I think that it is our responsiblity as hunters to do the right thing. Its not always easy. I would be hard to use a coveted Kansas Whitetail tag on a little basket racked buck. But, it was the right thing to do. Just like it was tough for my buddy to go home empty handed last fall rather than shooting a sow black bear, but it was the right thing to do. There is too much coveting of high scoring racks and not enough respect and love for the game that we persue. What do you all think.

Red Hawk · 06-06-2005, 02:12 PM

I agree with you and i think you were in the right to had your boy turn that off. My dad taught me to always respect animals that I hunt regardless if if i take anything or not.

BareBack Jack · 06-06-2005, 04:50 PM

It's as simple as a phone call to your local game warden,if the animal is injured severaly he can dispatch of it.

I have my self put down injured deer in the highways,from cars hitting them and their backs being broke.I do respect the animals I hunt,but I won't waste my tag on a animal that will be no good to eat later.

I know some of you won't like thet response but I eat my animals,and I don't wan't a fevered up deer to eat when I can harvest something healthy.
BBJ

Nemont · 06-06-2005, 05:09 PM

We are to respect the critters we hunt but not worship them. If a hunter decided to pass on shooting an injured deer that is 100% his business and is not an indictment of his/her ethics. Mother nature can be cruel if a predator then went on to take down that deer that is the way it is.

I don't have an issue with what he did. Let the flaming begin.

Nemont

glob3006 · 06-06-2005, 05:11 PM

Sometimes I wonder how we seperate our morals from legality. I think a person would be moraly responsable if they shot an injured animal to put it out of it's misery. But you are legally bound to report it to a game officer. That's where it gets sticky!

You have to prove that what you are telling this person is correct and factual!!!! If you can't.....You may be stuck with an animal that you can't eat or what happens if you took another animal b-4 you saw a game warden????
I don't know what I'd do???? But you gave me something to think about!

Bill

manboy · 06-06-2005, 05:14 PM

respect for game is at the top! i have a good friend that lives in wis. he has always said if u pass up a deer that is old,or injured, or just gives u that perfect shot, than u may have just missed your chance!

i have had a hard time trying to hold out for a real nice deer, i always take the first legal deer that gives me a good shot. this year i waited and waited, and waited, then i was going to shoot the next legal deer....and i got a 8x7 muley wow! if it was a fork horn i was going to shoot!

i got lucky as huntnmuleys said!

charlie brown · 06-06-2005, 05:55 PM

I wouldn't shoot an injured deer (or any other animal for that matter) either. I think that mother nature has its way of handling things, and though we may not like it, thats how things are. I would be more concerned about the meat being bad from a fever the deer could have, or a bad infection, and would also want to take a healthy deer. My first (and only) deer so far have been 2 does and 2 small bucks. The last two seasons, I could have shot several spikes and 2 points, but I really wanted a respectable, mature deer. I look at it this way...

By the time I buy my hunting/fishing license, the deer tag, the food for a weekend, gas for the truck and a little extra, I have already bought that much meat. I hunt for the hunt, not for the meat, and would like to take a mature specimen as a respect to that animal. Putting my wits against his. With that being said, I also applied for a cow elk tag. I could probably buy beef for the same price or cheaper, but again, I am in for the hunt, and the challenge of nature, and the extra treat that bringing home fresh venison means

Howler · 06-06-2005, 06:38 PM

I found myself in a situation a few years ago while elk hunting. I was still hunting in some thick timber when I bumped an elk. I got to see it, but I was unable to identify the sex of it. I had a bull tag. There was some snow on the ground, so I went and checked the tracks, to see if I could tell if it was a bull or cow. I wasn't sure, even after looking at the tracks in the snow. SO, I thought it would be a bull, since it was alone. The thing is, I also found blood on it's trail. Why it was bleeding, I didn't know. I took up the trail and eventually got well with in range of it in the thick timber, BUT I never did make a positve I.D. of sex, so I never did take a shot, as I lost it when I lost hunting light.
SO, should've I shot that elk, even not knowing the sex of it. According to the CDOW, I did the right thing. According to them, if I had shot it, and found it to be a cow, I would've been breaking the law. They say, let mother nature take its course!
Now this may have been different if I would've had an "any sex" tag, maybe! BUT, I do know, that if I don't have a "tag" in my pocket for the animal that is in some way injured, I most likely won't shoot! It's a hard call for me, and it may depend on how "injured" the animal appaers to be! Mother Nature is cruel some times, and she will take her course if I don't step in!

manboy · 06-06-2005, 06:51 PM

charlie brown... i don't know what kind of beef u eat, but cattle are $1.05 on the hoof=1400lb animal cost u $1400.00= -45% slaughter wt then u have a 750 lb carcess - 50% cutting loss and u have 375lbs of ready to eat beef=

cost beef $1400.00
slaughter$50.00
cutter/butcher $240.00@.32 per lb hanging wt
=a grand total of $1690.00 +tax $85.00 =$1774.50

and for that $1775.00 u got 375lbs of meat! so u paid $4.73 per lb [:-]

not bad, but i know i wouldn't pay that much, i will just shoot an elk, and pay $ tag price, the rest goes under entertainment!

SpyroAndes · 06-06-2005, 06:59 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: ShatoDavis

To let a obviously injured animal suffer so that I could kill a bigger healthy buck was just unrespectful.

There is too much coveting of high scoring racks and not enough respect and love for the game that we persue.

Is this really a respect issue?

Because if you maintain that killing the injured deer was the respectful thing to do, would you also maintain that only killing the weak, injured and sick of the herd would be the respectful thing to do and killing mature and healthy members of the herd is disrespectful?

I didn't see the show but it sounds like the deer in question wasn't mortally wounded and, frankly, I don't see how it would have been his obligation to kill it and tag it.

Now if you want to get into respect for your quarry... we should be talking about the guy that shot and injured the animal... is he still hunting? did he clip his tag? is he pursuing the animal?

I just don't see how the tv host in question was legally, morally or ethically wrong in passing on the deer.

SA