First of all, I know this is a bowhunting forum, but some of you gun hunt as well. My all-time favorite hunting is with my bow, but here is an ethics question.

Let's just say you were a non-resident hunting in Pike County, Illinois. You've paid a ton of money for a lease as well as over $400 for your deer tags. You are allowed 1 buck with a bow and 1 buck with a gun, regardless of size. You have limited time, so you are only hunting the last week of bow season before the first gun season starts and you will also be gun hunting during the 3-day season.

Situation:
You successfully took a buck with a bow during the first few days of season. Since you have a tag for a doe, you are allowed to be in the woods with your bow and it comes down to the very last day of bow season, right before gun season. During the final evening of the last day to bowhunt, a "dandy" buck comes in. Would you let an arrow fly, leave him lay over night, and recover him during the first couple hours of the gun opener the next morning? Or, would you abide by the law and let him walk and hope that he makes an appearance in the next couple days?

I know that this is illegal, so a lot of people will not break the law no matter what, but what would you honestly do?


Or better yet, you have not yet taken a buck during the bow season and its the last day. You put an arrow through the vitals of a buck with an hour left of daylight. 10 minutes after that, another buck comes in that meets your standards, would you shoot him too and like the previous situation, let him lay overnight and tag him with your gun tag the following morning?