If I was there I would have shot the buck myself regardless of the legal shooting time. Do you have any idea how much money that buck is worth? Let's just say the fines are so small it is worth taking the chance of getting caught. I would have not left the animal, I would have loaded it in my truck & hauled it home.
My point is poaching fines are way too small. One guy from Washington state shot a 6x6 bull elk & a 4x4 mule buck in the state of Montana three years ago. He did this without a hunting license for either animal, he trespassed on private land, he only took the horns & very little meat from either animal.
His total fine for both animals came to a total of $660.00 Plus legal fees. His fine for poaching both animals came to a smaller amount that it would have cost him to buy the hunting tags for both animals. If he would have bought the tags for the animals & done it the legal way it would have cost him $700.00 So you see crime really does pay.
Until we get tough on poachers & hit them with hugh fines & mandatory jail time they will remain a constant problem.