RE: What would you do?
 

I would not ruin a best friendship over a trigger happy buddy. If he IS your best friend and you are close - talk to him.

Bucks can be found every year - best friends can not.

JMO;)

RE: What would you do?
 

I've had similar situations happen to me, but worse......it was a brother-in-law.
You have only one choice......let him know you are very serious! Therefore, he will no longer have the priveledge of hunting on your property.
I have several rules on my property:
1.) (Most important) No one can hunt unless they do their part and helping me maintain the property by helping me in the off season. Mowing, cutting trees, planting food plots, maintaining feeders and stands, purchasing tree stands, etc. etc. Some people just don't realize just how expensive deer hunting can be when doing all of the above things, not including price of the property.
2.) They have to harvest a doe before they can even think about harvesting a buck. Sometimes.....it's two does. What I can't believe is that some people think that does are the easiest deer to shoot with a bow. I don't get it.......I've harvested 6 deer this year with my bow, only one being a mature 140" 11 point. He was the easiest of all of them. Come to my hunting woods and try getting the string back on a mature doe. Those that do.....appreciate the almighty "mature" doe much more once they do!!
3.) 8 Point or better! No exceptions! If they happen to mess up and shoot a seven or less......then their done! A bowhunter must have the patience and wisdom to KNOW without dought what they are shooting. If they don't, they don't shoot.
Once you enforce rules such as these, it makes the hunting better for everyone in many ways......most of all, it makes everyone better hunters and if they have a brain they will thank you for it, eventually!! Hopefully.

RE: What would you do?
 

I had the exact same thing this season with a buddy of mine. During bow season I passed on a suicide small 6 pointer just about every afternoon hunt for a week. He'd walk the same path EVERY afternoon at 4:00. 10 yard broadside every single time. We'd talk after every hunt about what we saw and where and all that. I told him about it everytime. We set the rules from the begining just like you did. So one afternoon i decided to go to a different stand where I've been watching a nice 10 pointer at night feeding in a soy bean field. My buddy goes to the other stand where I've seen the 6. He calls me on the radio at 4:15 and tells me he has a good hit on a buck. I was thrilled!!! I finished out the hunt and around 6:00 we tracked his buck. Yep the 6 pointer I've let walk all season!! I simply asked him why in the world do you think I let this deer walk about 10 different times? It was a tough situation because it was only his 2nd buck ever and he was excited but dam!!! Anyway he was tagged out and didn't hunt until gun season where he never had an opportunity to shoot a buck. So I don't know what the deal will be for next year. I love the kid like a brother, but me and my neighboring hunting parties have worked really hard at getting some nice bucks in the area. So I guess I don't know what to tell you lol cause I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

RE: What would you do?
 

How many times can you be nice about it. If it was my land I'd tell them exactly what the guidlines were for the property.Then if they decide to release an arrow on a deer that I asked them not to shoot, it be all on them. Guess you don't want to hunt the property anymore.

It's like a couple spots I hunt the property owners don't want gun hunting on their land. I watched a huge 10 pt at 40 yards during gun season with my bow in my hand, had to let him walk. Knew the guy was away for Thanksgiving, no one would have known if I had brought my Barretta that day.It's his land so I hunt by his rules,or I won't be on the land.