Shoot? Or Don't Shoot? What would you do?
 

This is just a hypothetical question for everyone and I want your opinions.

You are hunting a stand of mature hardwoods in the early part of deer season with a high power rifle. It is mid-morning and you are sitting in a stand right along the edge of a river crossing. The river is also the property line. No fence or posted signs. A hefty 8 point appears on the other side, but does not apper to be crossing. He is checking a scrape line that runs parallel to the river, and is headed towards a bedding area. It is an old overgrown clear cut just 60 yards past the river. You have never seen or met anyone that hunts the other side, nor seen any stands. But you do hear the occasional ATV over there.

Would you take the shot ?

Would you tell your friends if you did?

Please be honest folks. We all know what the right thing to do is.
But that's not necessarily what we always do... including myself.
I would have a really hard time not taking that shot.

If you are a poacher then shoot. If you are a hunter that abides by the game laws then keep watching your legal hunting property. Later on you can find out who is the owner of the property across the river and seek legal permission to hunt there.

Three years ago I had a herd of elk that were within a hundred yards of me for hours. They finanlly moved on and bedded down about 500 yards from me. We could not shoot them because they were over the fence line. This one is a no brainer. You either have ethics and abide by the law or you or a criminal and a poacher and you don't. It's black and white.

I would shoot.I don't mean to imply the lack of posted signs is somehow a welcome one and all from the owner but there's a difference between shooting a deer on the line of un posted property and hunting all over the property as if it were your own.If the land is posted elsewhere-say along road frontage I would not shoot any deer anywhere as the owners intent on trespass is clearly known to me regardless of the lack of signs on the back/sides.

But the question was "Would YOU take the shot?" .


As stated before, we all know what is the right thing to do. I just want an idea of how alike some of us are.

Ethics. How about Hunter Ethics. Suppose you have ONE tag left and shoot a VERY nice 8 pointer. Your best deer ever. Before you can climb down from the stand, a HUGE 12 pointer walks up and stands over the downed 8 point. You know that this buck will make B&C. Do you shoot???

You only had 1 tag. If you shoot, what do you do with the "other" deer? You now have an illegal deer. Do you then lie to B&C to have it entered?

I know that my example was different than yours, but it still boils down to ETHICS !!! The true test of a man is "what he will do when no one is watching and he knows that no one will ever know but HIMSELF" !!!

well i know according to michigan law you can go onto unmarked private land you just if asked you have to tell the property owners who you are and leave if asked to leave so i guess according to michigans trespassing law you could take the shot

If I knew <as in your scenerio> the deer was not on the side of the river he/she's suppose to be on for me to legally shoot it, I would not shoot it. I believe that's what I would do, even if I was the only one to know.

I feel like this...

If I take the dirty shot once, what will stop me from taking another, even dirtier shot next time I'm out? I don't want to find out, even if I walk out of the woods empty handed.

I know I'm new to this sport and don't have the experience others here have but when I decided I wanted to hunt, being ethical was one of the first things the instructors taught me just last weekend. You don't shoot if it's possible the deer will die on private property and if it does, you call the game commision. That's your responsibility to the game, the private land owners and the sport.

That's my honest answer. :s4:

I would qualify you as a dumb hunter that set his stand up in a location that effectivly limits the amount of ground you are able to actually hunt. There are situations that maybe hungting a fence line is the only way you can hunt (my situation) but you said you were hunting a mature satnd of timber. In my opinion if a hunter puts his stand in a position where shooting on other property is an option when the hunter had other areas he could have put the stand that would not cause the situation to arise, then he willl most likely intends to take a shot if it is the right deer. You may not like the answer but that is my veiw of human nature.

Ethics and sportsmanship play a key role in what type of hunter or person you are. Taking the shot is just plain wrong.

This morning I've thought about this and was about to say what teedub just said. X2

I have an agreement with my adjoining landowner...No permanent stands within 200 yards of the property line. This was for safety reasons. It also eliminates the "shooting across the line" issue.

In the OP's question, the stand should have never been placed where it was to begin with.

You would need more information in any situation before you label someone a dumb hunter. You don't know what other factors are in play. Not saying your calling anyone a dumb hunter or anything. But I do agree with the last part you said.

WOW !! Ease up there people ! First, I asked for a simple "Would you shoot or not?". Please read the original question !!!!

This is a hypothetical (that means 'possible' for those who are assuming this has already occurred!) situation with no cause to start flaming someone.

Simply say "No, I wouldn't shoot" . And then feel free to say why. Or say "Yes, I would take the shot". Then explain if you want to.

As stated in original post !!!! WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS !!

I DON'T NEED AN ETHICS LESSON . BUT A FEW OF YOU COULD USE SOME COMPRHENSION SKILLS.

Remember, this has not happened! It is a completely made-up, but possible, situation. I only want to know how many would take the shot versus how many wouldn't.

This is not an answer. You did not read the post at all. You scanned it and assumed I was poaching and called me a dumb hunter. Please reread the post and come back when you have something worthwhile to contribute.

Simply " Would you shoot or not? "

If you don't like the situation, then say "No, I wouldn't shoot" And give a little insight.

not my land I don't shoot. Sometimes even though it's a monster it's fun to watch the grace of the animal.

The sitituation I presented to everyone remains as is.

ONLY THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED IS KNOWN !!

If you disagree with the set-up, then say "No, I wouldn't shoot. I would move my stand to a different location to prevent that from happening again". Or " I would not hunt a stand that close to the property line".

PLEASE READ THE ORIGINAL POST BEFORE YOU REPLY !!!

As the questioned is stated - no. The only way to say yes would to be willing to be a poacher. I am not.

To answer the original question ..... NO I would NOT shoot ! I don't shoot onto property that I don't have permission to hunt on . I have a conscience ....

This is a dumb ass question. You are asking a bunch of ethical hunters if they would break the law for a nice dear. Everyone with a brain is going to answer no, they would not take the shot. Even if someone here was dumb enough to take the shot, I doubt he would answer yes in front of his peers. Everyone who has hunted for any length of time at all has had easy shots at illegal animals. You just don't take the shot unless you have zero ethics, you are a complete dumbass or your kids are starving. No, I would not take the shot and I wouldn't hunt with anyone that would.

I'd say most would probably shoot. I know myself and I know people in general, most people will push the limits of every law out there. Most would hope the buck would turn after being shot and cross the creek but that won't happen. The buck would just either drop there or run off into the trees. I asked myself the question and thought if I did that would I do it over and over until i'm caught. Is one animal worth a lifetime of hunting rights lost?

The answer is no, not if you like to hunt. I see great big monster elk and deer after season and I'm not a poacher because I've been presented with the opportunity to kill monster animals but I can't brag about them nor could I feel good knowing I cheated at the game. Playing hunting chess by all the rules is what makes it a hunt. If it were not for the rules it would be simply shooting to me. I can do that at the range any day of the week. So to me it's all the rules and what if's that make hunting a sport and a challenge.

Meat can be bought at the grocery store.
A nice rack can be acquired from hunting high fenced area's.

So I think it's the game of ethics that gives honest hunters bragging rights.

I knew this was a hypothetical question. I read the whole post. I never once thought you poached. My answer should have said something about the hypothetical hunter being dumb, so as not to get your panties in a bind. I still stand by my answer (that you feel is not an answer) that the hunter is not all that smart for placing a stand in position that limits his effective harvest area to 1/2 of what it would be if the stand is in another location. No one would intentionally do that, so in the back of that hunters mind, he/she will take the shot if it presents itself.

Me, yeah, I probably would (as would the majority hunters once the got off their moral highground, I am sure to get flamed for this). But as my post tried to illustrate, I would not erect a stand in a place that would even make this an issue. So while I say yes I would, in reality it would not happen in one of my setups.

Point taken. Thank you for your input. I feel pretty much the same way you do in your last paragraph. Given the temptation, I might fold. I even said that in the original post. I was curious to know who else could admit that and I've got some really good answers. It's important to not have that kind of temptation or dangerous situation, yet it does occur. Just doing my part to make sure it doesn't happen on my lease.

My panties are officially unbinded.:)

I always make it a point to know which neighbors property I can hunt and which I can't hunt before the season starts . Also if there are areas they would rather not have hunted . Saves a lot of time and isn't that much trouble to know where you stand at all times . Why wait and then aybe cause a lot of bad feelings .

My hunting rights mean more to me than one lousy deer. Hunting on someone else's property just one time (without permission)can lose you your rights for up to 5 years. FOR JUST ONE OFFENSE! So if one of you are dumb enough to lose your rights over shooting one deer go ahead.

The ones of you that would take the shot are the same ones that give hunters a bad name. If you would knowingly break that law you would break another. If your a law breaker than your a crook and aren't trust worthy at all. I wouldn't hunt with you, run with you and you sure as hell wouldn't be allowed around my stuff or on my property.

There's no moral high ground, you either have ethics or you don't. Which one are you?

No.

Besides it would make a great "you should have seen the one that got away" story:)

I wouldn't nearly have the guts to make the shot because I can't imagine the confrontation and consequenses if the whole thing goes south...

Would not shoot but would be calling my a$$ off.

Timber and Ridge got it right !!!


+1

It would be tempting, but I think I would watch him close, if he steps in the river he is going down. I wouldn't shoot unless he becomes fair game.

Now this would be a hard one...I believe to be honest I would shoot if the deer was that big! hopefully my son or buddy has an empty tag for the other deer....you said be honest!

As for shooting across the river or property line, no I wouldnt, not if I didnt have permission to hunt that area.

not sure what the difference is but there seems to be one?

Absolutely not. I sit in a very particulart situation year after year and let many nice bucks walk. I know nobody hunts across the river from where my rifle stand is on opening weekend but that doesnt mean im going to shoot whats over there. If the deer would happen to cross and get up on the small island on the river, its fair game as thats county/state property. Most times out of none, that is what happens. If they cross in the right spot and the river is low enough. I know where I can shoot. But I will not shoot a deer thats on someone elses property POSTED or NOT POSTED. unless given permission. You do not have to have your land posted private property in WI. Not sure about other states.

If you don't want an ethics lesson, then why ask a question, that you already said you know the correct answer to? Poaching is poaching. No, I would not shoot an animal on somebody else's property without their permission.

If I saw him across property lines I would bust him(I would try to drop him though for certain reasons)................no i tAKe this back I might only be 14 but last yeat I was hunting 35 yards away from some1 elses propert(youth season so no one was hunting besides me at the time)all of a sudden a 9 point steps out I had seen him during bow season and knew he was a 115-123 inch buck but I held off thinking he might jump the fence cause I was situated right about 50 yards away from a scrape line on our side of the fence but I had to watch him walk within 70 yards of me asken myself...."He is a big buck,by far my biggest,if I shoot my dad wont care but what if Joe(the neighbor) steps out?"So I decided to wait today I wish I would have shot him but I didnt....my dad says he is proud but I also think if it were him he would shot the buck but who know's?

I don't think I would. It's one buck, and there will be others. I don't think I could deal with myself and the guilt knowing I had taken it my illegal means. I can also take no pride in the kill. To lose all that for a single buck, not worth it.

how do YOU know that we're ethical hunters,we could be the biggest bunch of criminals in the world. this is why i hate using made up names on the internet,everyone would be more likely to answer truthfully on these forums if they had post there real name and address. i've seen a few forums that won't let you post if you don't use your real name. the net is full of liars. most i bet,would shoot if they thought they could get the deer and get away fast.........

x2 Just facing reality

Damn you must not have any friends or hunting buddies. Everyone cheats on their taxes which is a crime (and I mean everyone). Everyone also has sped at one time or another or rolled through a stop which is illegal. The vast majority of Americans have also consumed alcohol while underage which also is illegal. By your definition everyone is now a crook that can't be trusted, but I am sure that you want to exempt these broken laws from your ethics argument.

I have no clue what your personal ethics are but I know there are a lot of ethical hunters on here. I've hunted with a bunch of them. I also know there are morons with no ethics at all. They would shoot that deer in a minute and leave the gut pile for the land owner to find and then bitch because the land owners won't let them hunt their property. Everyone here knows what they would do if they were in the situation described. If someones answer is yes, I would take the shot. Then that person has labeled himself a no good poacher.

Your argument is as lame and pathetic as any argument I've ever read on the internet. If you don't see the wrong in it then you never will.

I do not cheat on my taxes either. Here's just a few of my hunting buddies. I've know and hunted with all these guys for 5 to 20 years. They are all good ethical guys that wouldn't poach if you paid them. I'd post more but I think you get the message.

I have been in the position where I shot a decent 8 and then a huge 8 came along not 10 minutes later and I didn't shoot.
Im thinking right now if a booner came out and I had a shot and he was 10' feet on the wrong side of the fence/creek/whatever.........PA-YOW ! But I know me so I would PROBABLY wait and hope he crossed the fence..........