NEB.BuckHunter

I will get permission from surrounding landowners prior to hunting each and every season for the off-chance that it does happen. I also believe that it's a little bit of laziness and adrenaline that causes people to make poor shots on their quarry. If it's a huge buck, I may even shake before taking a good shot.

NY Bowhunter

**another example**

It's just about last light and you shoot a deer. Not exactly sure where it's hit but your feeling is not a great shot. There's probably 10 minutes of light left. You get down and check for blood. There is a decent amount of blood but definitely not pure lung blow out blood. You push on anyway because it's going to be dark soon. About 100 yards away you jump the deer. Can only find very little blood after that and never find the deer!

Is this being lazy or lack of education on what to do after the shot?

Backing out and coming back may involve too much effort for some people IMO. Again you have to make an extra trip back to your vehicle. Tracking at night with lights is too much of a burden to them. You have to go slower and it's not as easy. The person probably has plans that night or would rather be in a nice warm house watching TV.

3Ddepression

I´d blame the goverment!!!
The laws do not alwaysreflect the correct thing to do. If the animal has been hit it should tracked with whatever means that is available (read a good dog and agun) until it is killed. It can be easier with sound pragmatic rules.

NEB buckhunter and Timber creek both made the best solution IMO. Be out in advance and talk to your hunting negihbors. If you are a hunter you will sooner or later make a bad shot. the question is in what situation you would want to be then.

I made a poll on the forum (still runs "is it hunting to go after a wounded deer")and out of 30 answers 20 did not consider it hunting to go after it. Of theese 10 still thinks that the same ethical rules should apply that works inhunting in general.
10 answered thatgoing after a wounded deer is hunting and five of theese that this is part of what makes hunting interesting so even if this subject has been debated alot there still is a long way to go before there is even consensus around what the right thing to do is.

At risk of being hated I say: make hunting education mandatory for almost every hunter! If you know so much about hunting that you dont think you need this. Well then you could sleep through it and stillpass the test!

Jimmy S

I think maybe location may play into your scenerio. Since we don't have a large number of deer here in New England as compared to other states/provinces, we will do whatever it takes to find the deer and do it with the best possible chance. If that means waiting hours and looking with a light, amen. We have done that in the past.

I know no one here in NH that has hunted at least 15 yrs and has shot a deer every year. It's kinda like a batter in MLB, if you can do something successfully only 1/3 of the time, you're doing pretty good. That said, we will do whatever it takes to locate a wounded deer because it's the right thing to do but also, how many chances will we have in one season to shoot at a legal deer?

Maybe, just maybe, those who see and shoot deer every time out, do not have the same determination. When you see deer every day, maybe one becomes less intense on searching for a wounded deer. I mean, why look for a deer at night with a light, when you can always shoot another one tomorrow?

No finger pointing intended, just expresing my (well thought out ) feelings.

NY Bowhunter

3d-
blah blah blah blah here come the "you think you're holier than thou" comments. I knew that would be a matter of time for the reading comprhension impaired. Merely stating different scenarios and trying to understand where it all breaks down. Jimmy S just gave a good example of how it may be a state of mind rather than either of the reasons I pointed out. See there is educational value to this if you can stop being controversial to everything I say.

maybe I'm missing something, but isn't it mandatory you take a hunter education course to obtain a license? (serious question)

Or maybe I could be an instructor?

You're probably right about sleeping through it. The test is a joke IMO. That brings up a whole different topic, but I don't think the test has changed in NY in 50 years.

PSEsilverhawk55

sound all to familar, cause it happened this season. my dad did this exact thing. we seached for maybe an hour and half to 2 hours after we jump her and never found her. we did end up findin deer skeleton about 2 to 3 weeks later when we were movin one of his stands and the deer look liked it had bedded down and the worst par was that she was down in the wood and we were only 20 yrds from her when my dad said to hell with it and we went home. i think i felt worse about it than my dad did, but there was much i could have done. now that i am gettin my lic. thishopefully wont happen again cause if my dad gives up i wont have to course next year i will be huntin more by my self.

but back to the post i do believe that part if not most of it has to do with laziness. if some of the people who take up this sport were more respectfull and were not as lazy there may not be a tough as punishments or regulations as what we do have. becuase people would not take shots that they should not now i do know that u will make bad shots under the "heat of the moment" when that giant of a deer walks out but if u practice and know your limits this and make your self follow these limits then u shouldnt make bad shots., just my .10

Copper31

I think alot of the first issue is due to being lazy. Ask permission before season starts. I have 2 or three guys every year stop by my land if they see me outside and they are there to simply ask for permission to recover deer. It works both ways. I use that time to let them know where I will be hunting and I also ask permission to track deer on their land. Set some ground rules. For example check to see if there is a vehicle parked, if there is then there is a good chance someone is hunting there. Have the repect and wait until they are out of the woods. This system has worked well for us.

takedownfreak123

I hate them a few years back a poacher shot a nice 8 point buck on are farm. Some people may not like a dnr but this one did a great job. He wait till 10;30 and caught the guy. I have had many run in and that really bugs[:@]I got some people were they put there stands write on are propertyline. You no what happens.

BowHuntingFool

I would say laziness due to lack of education on what to do after a shot! Bow or Gun! Anyone one can pull the trigger and shoot! It what you do next which is very important! JMO!

BOWFANATIC

Laziness? Sometimes maybe. I'd bet the overall majority of time it's due to lack of experience combined with aprofound eagerness to find your deer imediately.