you are both upset. Some things happen that we cannot controland this one. At least it wasnt a big buck. I know it was just like a buck to him.

Jerry I have to agree that you done the right thing by waiting. I can't imagine the feeling of following a good blood trail only to see that some had taken your deer. I think your next step should be to explain to your nephew why you waited, if you haven't already, so that in the future when he hunts by himself he knows how to handle that type of shot. It may take alot of explaing to make him understand but hopefully he will. It really sucks to do everything by the "book" and something like that end up happening. Tell your nephew I wish him the best of luck the next time on stand.

Ok, say your hunting in the same area. At 9am you get finishing hunting and start walking back to your vehicle. Along the way you find some blood and follow it to a dead deer. After waiting a while and looking around for another hunter if no one is to be found I'm claiming the deer. You can't blame, or anyone else, for it. If, on the way out, someone approaches me claiming the deer I have no problem giving it to them.

I think some conclusions were jumped on pretty fast in this story.

T in PA, what you just described is 100% illegal in NH.

Personally I would sit on the deer for a bit, then backtrack the blood trail to try and find the person who shot it. If nothing could be found I would NOT take the deer, I didn't shoot it, I don't want it. I would call F&G as the law says to.

--Bob

I think that is the most ethical thing that could have been done.

This is mystifying to me. How desperate are you to get a deer? Maybe someone is coming back that evening or even the next morning to get their deer? Maybe the wife called and said the baby is sick; get your ass home right now.

You should never, ever take a deer you didn't shoot. If you want to pick up road kill go ahead. There is plenty of that and no one will be affected by your choice to do that other than a perhaps a few buzzards.

That's crap. In Maine and I would thing in most states it's illegal to tag a deer you didn't shoot. Basically the law would lable you a poacher if you did this. I guess that would be an appropiate lable for this jerk.

Things go around and I hope the person responcable for stealing the kids deer experiences the longest drought know to any bowhunter who's ever entered the woods. Jerks![:@]

T_in_PA2, im with alot of these guys. If had i run into a similar situation, im back trailing the deer making every effort to find out who shot it, before i would ever claim it. I would never tag someone elses deer especially if i just stumbled upon it in the woods.

I always call the landowner of my hunting site and tell him that I've downed and animal in such and such area, so don't let anyone enter that area. He does so, gladly to help me out.

I too feel sorryfor your nephew. After a reasonable time searching for the person who made the kill, I would have taken the situation even further as a true sportsman--field dress the deer, and wait some time hoping to congratulate the lucky archer.