The first hunter tracks the buck about 1.5 miles following a spotty blood trail. The hunter spooks the buck out of its bed once, and the buck is able to run up hill fairly quickly. The blood trail follows a path indicating the buck is checking its scrapes for does -- the buck is continuing to pursue mating opportunities. A second hunter sees the buck the next day (24 hours after the first hunter wounded the buck), the buck is alert and moving ablely. The second hunter shoots and kills the buck. Whose buck is it?
It is clear to me that the buck is the second hunters deer.
The first hunter shot the deer but didn't kill it.
It was only wounded and not on the ground.
If the second hunter hadn't killed it the deer would still be alive.
So to me it is clearly the second hunters deer.
JMHO