akbound

Hi mainehunt,

No...you're not the only one to wonder.....but the only one to ask. I was hoping, given the time, he'd explain. I suspect that having seen he had a "wounded animal" on his hands....and not quite the stomach to finish it...chose to give it "space" and let it die. The closer a human is to wild animals...the more distressed they become. (I know, that is not what most of us would do. Nor, do I condone it. But many new hunters on "seeing the reality" the first time or two....hesitate to do what they should. Which is to quickly and humanely dispatch the animal.)

And with that you will find disagreement some times over the method. Where legal....a small to mid-intensity handgun does it quickly, efficiently, and with little additional distress to the game. A rifle bullet through the neck, near the back of the head does the same...but with a much bigger mess. And I know of people that will "cut the throat".....as in butchering. But that is not very instantaneous.....definitely stresses the animal....and many people do not have the stomach for it. (Personally, I prefer NOT to cut the throat on an animal that is just wounded. It is different when you are butchering. Because you usually have just "stunned" the animal....so it is not aware. And it was a domesticated animal so your initial approach did not "cause distress". And you do it to well bleed the animal. Truth of the matter is on most big game....if they have been either lung...or heart...shot...they have already "bled out internally". Which is effectually the same as bleeding out externally.) My own preference is the handgun which I usually try to have available. Otherwise I will use the rifle. (Only once...or twice....when I was much younger did I cut the throat. After seeing the additional unnecessary stress it caused the animal....I discontinued that practice.) Of course if the animal was truly stunned....like a head shot pig...it wouldn't make any difference!

Not a pleasant subject to many....but necessary none the less. Thank you mainehunt for bringing it up!

Dave

Huntsalotey

To answer the question since it seems to be an issue I want to give you the full story. i try not to make post to long especially when their already long enough like this initial post, but since you do want the rest here it is.

The one particular deer that you are wondering about that I let lay before I went to get it was killed on property that was not mine nor anyone that I was hunting with. Just happened to be passing by and saw the deer and in my excitement pulled off, pulled the rifle out, checked for people and commenced to shoot the deer. I know, that was immature, well sometimes even a 40 year old man still gets excited over a good deer. It was an open field and there was an office complex on the end of the field behind where I drove past. Needless to say, I did not want to be seen with my rifle in hand in the middle of that field, and especially blasting more shots to draw attention if anyone was around or in that office complex. So when I saw it was down and knew I hit it in the two places that I did because I could see the blood on its body, then I drove off and away to let things queiten down and settle, knowing that the deer would be there in the knee hight grass. Then in about 30 minutes came back calmly and without a rifle went straight to the deer or where i thought until I looked to see it had moved another 40 or 50 yards before it expired and threw it in the back of the truck, drove to public hunting land and commenced to field dress the deer.
As far as squirmishness goes, I killed a doe with a bow about 4 years ago that had a fawn with it. When I went to it, it was still living and crying out, and the fawn would not leave. The fawn was actually close enough that I could have touched it. Did I get sick? No. I even thought about taking the fawn too. But I took my knife and finished the doe, drug it away and shued the fawn off eventually.
Many of you all may read this and think that I give hunting a bad name, I can't help but believe that I am no different than alot of you all in the right situation. this I know because of the others that I hunt with. No one is above deer fever reaction if it is the right deer and hits you at the right time. Be careful. I hope this explains what you needed to know. Thanks

GordonGekko

Huntsalotey, I don't mean to be harsh but you, in my mind, have committed two VERY UNETHICAL ACTS!!! Trespass and poaching, not to mention killing a doe with fawn (although I sincerely hope that you didn't know that the fawn was with here, and simply made an honest mistake when you shot her). I hope that you have grown as a hunter, and realize that the kill isn't what makes you a hunter, it's the hunt. I really don't want to lecture you but I'm taken aback and hope to impress upon you that while I can't speak for the others, I have never poached or trespassed, and think I'm in the great majority, big buck or not. I don't believe that anyone that cares about the future of our sport would consider these behaviors acceptable! I don't want to drive you away but I hope to steer you in a more ethical direction. The instances you just discribed in your post does nothing but give fuel to the anti hunters. As my father always told me, "you can't afford a mis-step when you represent others" and like it or not we hunters are all representative to the non-hunting public. I sincerely hope you have learned from your past and will not walk that road again.

Quilly

huntsalotey..

first off welcome to the board !!!!

i own (2) 30-06sprg's and now i only one (1) 308win. every deer i have shot either not knowing i was there or being pushed to me always did something differant when hit.
i have found that the 308win and the 30-06sprg are almost identical except that the 30-06sprg shoots heavier bullets better out to farther distances do to extra powder capacity.
i too have also liked both of these calibers. ( maybe because the ammo can be found everywhere and can be cheap and good selections of factory bullets ). i would pick a bullet that works well.

.... i have found the 165gr. sierra gameking's soft point boat tails works great on deer in either the 308win or 30-06sprg. took a buck at 40yds broadside shot and the deer ran 20-30yds after the hit. only downfall was that i did not see blood on the initial hit untill about 5-10yds away. but when it did bleed he blead alot !! i was like someone dropping a 120z. glass everytime he breathed out or landed fro him jumping.
unless you hit them in the shoulders or spine that is the only way i hear will drop them in there tracks.
you ant something differant go with a 35rem they seem to drop them in there tracks all the time.

bigcountry

Hey, you know, I don't think anyone should get on here and start blasting this guy. I mean, they guy has done more than most people I have seen on this board, and admitted his faults to everyone to see and seems to be very honest. He has to live with his mistakes. I have made several myself. Some people get on this page and act like they never made a mistake. If you took there words for it, they always drive consiouensouly, never speed, kiss there mother every day, never jay walk, and never tear the federal tags off thier matress's. Yea right.

I do understand this guy. Why, cause I am from Mingo Country, WV area. Moved a decade ago though. People don't get into this "spirit of the wild" indian stuff there. Most of my family just see's steaks or a nice rack. For most of them, its a significant food source. Since then I have succeeded somewhat and don't need deer meat as a primary food source. I now have the luxury and time to think about putting them down ethically. Now have the vacation time to actually pick out deer I want. If this guy was anything like I was when I was back there, you don't get to pick your vacation time. You might get 1 week a year, and have to struggle to get out a few days here and there on the weekends. I worked in the coal mines as alot does there. Now, I sit in an office, get 5 weeks a year. And if i let a deer walk, I could care less. As far as killing a doe with a fawn, good for you huntsalotey. I wonder why some people have this mentality that you got to kill only bucks and never fawns? After moving to MD, I saw why its good to thin out the Does. I see on average in MD 1 buck for every 3 doe. In WV and Ky, I saw 20 doe or more for every buck. So every year, in my county, I take my one buck, and two does. And for the does, I prefer the young ones. Good eatin.

Huntsalotey

Thanks for the understanding Big Country. You are right about getting time off down here and when you do get a chance to go hunting, which you think about all through the year and barely get to go when that time does come, then you just about have to take what you see when you see it because more than likely you won't get another chance to see anymore. Thanks again.

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frizzellr

I don't think GordonGekko was casting stones. I think he was calling a spade a spade. There is no excuse for unethical practices and learn from your mistakes. If that is throwing stones then so be it. It needed to be said.

mainehunt

Akbound,
I agree with every word you wrote.

GordonGecko,
"Atta-boy!"

Frizzellr,
I agrre with you.

Huntsalotey,
I agree with you too, that is,........You're right. You are giving hunting a bad name. if you get excited like that again and make a mistake. Just learn by it and not broadcast it all over the net for the antis to use for their campaigns.

JagMagMan

Huntsalotey, I too really hope that you have learned from your mistakes!What you did was POACHING!, Not hunting!
However, don't compound the deed by trying to justify it by saying "most of us would do the same thing in that situation!"
I've heard this type of excuse too many times! Don't try to drag in other "hunters" to justify poaching!
Neither taking an illegal shot just because it is a "buck of a lifetime," or "everyone else would do it," does not come close to making it right!
I would NOT do it, and any sportman would not do it either!
As I said, I hope you have learned from your mistakes, and use a little good judgement and discipline next time!