I have hunted on a friends land for the past 4 years along with a buddy of mine and whoever we invite out with us. After gun season, I put out a trail cam, standand feeder in an area that the other guys don't hunt with the objective of harvestinga doewith my bow.I am the only one who bow hunts this land. A couple of days prior to hunting the stand I asked the landowner to check my camera so I'd know ahead of time whether to hunt that stand or another in a different area. He calls and tells me about this nice buck on it. He also shares it my buddy who hunts out there and claims to have seen the same buck a week before while he was driving through the front gate. I called him and told him I was planning to hunt it on a particular morning, to which he replied he may hunt it before then. That ticked me off but I kept quiet. While in my stand that morning I see their headlights across a canyon from my setup. I was told afterwards that they wereplanning to drive thru the area trying to spot the buckbut saw my truck so turned around. Come to find out, they had been doing that ever since they saw the trail cam pic. That morning I found a dead doe 50 yds from my stand, dead from an apparent .22 shot to the head, but no one 'fessed up to it. I was freakin' irate over the situation and went back two days later and pulled every stand I had on the property. Right is right and wrong is wrong and that's JUST PLAIN WRONG!!! There are a couple of lessons I received from this experience. One, don't ever trust a poacher even if his activity hasn't affected you in the past. Two, don't share pics unless you REALLY trust someone.

It's not the sharing of the pics, it's the people you hunt with. I would find some better hunting partners, sounds like a bunch of road hunters to me.

thanks germ for putting them up

That stinks. [:'(]

Sorry to hear of the news. I agree with getting away from that group. It sounds as if they aren't going to change because you want them to. And in that case, not be associated with them or even around them would be best.

Have seen several frindships dissolve over a big buck over the years. I have a neighbor that is the best guy in the world, But dont let him know you seen a big buck on public land in any particular area or chances are one morning when it breaks daylight you will see him sitting about 50 yards from you.
I dont mind helping someone out when they ask, But I hunt alone!
I your case, sounds like your doing the right thing.

Just one of many reasons I prefer to hunt alone.


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Some people...

Agreed!