Had a strange day today.. 2nd day of Michigan deer firearm season hunting on my uncle's farm. My dad hunts at their family camp and me and my brother stay around home and hunt on the farm property. We have this one neighbor who is a big hunter too and we've always suspected him of shooting deer out of the farm field. Although every year he always asks permission from my uncleto enter the property to "track" stray wounded deer.Last year he put up a big shack on the north line of his 40 right by the south endof ourfields. We always put a shack in the back field to deter him from possibly shooting any deer on our property. My brother has been scouting a nice buck crossing there and chasing does in the mornings so I felt it was a good place to sit this year. It faced north because I didnt want to make the neighbor think I would shoot in his direction. Anyway, this morning I spoted a nice buck tending a doe about 200 yards north of me. It was too far a shot with the gun I had so I was patient and hoping the doe would get moving. I could see the neighbor behind me also watching this buck! After a half hour a loud shot, then 3 more!!!The buck hunched over and staggered! I looked back and was shocked to see him drawing his gun out from the window. He was in an elevated shack and nearly was shooting over me some 250 yards to the buck. I was scared and left the gun in my shack as I walked back to my atv. I drove up to the barn to tell my uncle about what happened and how he shot a deer from the property. Next I looked with binoculars to see the deer bedded in the filed still, so I went back to my shack, got my gun and put it out of its misery as it struggled to get up. The neighbor then walked over appologizing saying he didnt know I was in the shack and actuallybeing pretty nice. He had no argument in me tagging the big deer, and I was damn sure not going to let him have it! This was the biggest buck I ever tagged, but its a shame how I feel about it. Its such a bad experience and the feeling of a tarnished hunt. I felt if it was wrong to shoot and tag someone elses wounded animal... but then he had no right to shoot it on someone elses property. I don't know, but its hard to believe that this guy could have been doing this for years and getting away with it. This time he was caught red-handed. But I cant sit every day and babysit this area of the field to make sure he dont do it again. Im not sure if I should grow a hedge or what.... Its too bad how some people so disregard ethics like that.

I would have called the warden. I dontthink theresany problem with you finishing that deer and tagging it when it was on your property the entire time.

Like he said except I would have made HIM tag it and sign the tag over to you, same as if someone shoots a deer and gives it to someone else for the meat. Sorry you had to waste a tag on a deer shot by someone else illegally. Plus from the sound of your story, I think you probably would have ended up getting him if the other guy didn't shoot first. Just sad people are like this.

I myself would let the poacher have the rack or maybe give it to my uncle, but not sure I would waste my tag on it. Maybe a call to the DNR is best. I would keep the meat. I have no use for a rack someone else shot. It is a shame. But the way it is.

Its your uncle's farm and unless he wanted to call the game warden it sounds like nothing can or should be done. Sometimes having good neighbors (and that is your uncle's call) is worth more than a couple of deer. You and your dad need to have a good conversation about the incident, but remember it is his land.