Dead buck found, who's should it be?
 

I have some pics on my game camera at night of people walking and it looks like they are tracking a deer. I assume this is the buck they shot and couldnt find. It's a shame, because he would have been really nice next year.

What happend though... Invited a friend of mine deer hunting on the property I lease and paid for MYSELF during the last anterless season and he found a dead buck. Backing up a bit... The last morning of our hunt, he gets down out of his tree, walks in the area on the property I have designated a sancuary, kicks up a doe and shoots at it running, supposidly missing it... While he is in there, he finds this buck dead and claims it. I tell him I thought it was mine and he said I should have been walking around out there and found it. I told him, he should have paid for the property and he could have kept anything he found. Am I being too harsh? He didnt even ask me if he could keep it, he just assumed it was his.

I was going to let him go in half on my lease for next year, but with his attitude, there is no way... I dont like the fact that he walked into the area I am trying to stay out of. I dont like the fact that he shot at a running doe. I've known him for 20 years, but all of this has strained our relationship.

I say a dead buck that neither of you shot is not worth losing a friend over. However, I would be very upset with him for walking through the area you told him was off limits. For this reason I would not share the lease with him. If he does not respect or listen to you when you are the sole leaser and in charge, he will definitely not respect or listen to you when he pays half.

I wouldn't argue about the dead buck, but I don't think he would recieve an invite to come back based on his actions so far.

The walking into the sanctuary area would be my only concern. Were the sanctuary lines well delineated/understood? Neither of you shot the buck and the antlers aren't worth a squable.

I agree it's not worth a losing a friend, If you went over your rules and asked him not to go in certain area's then that's on him. I'm guessing if he told you that he shot at a doe and found this buck in an area you asked him not to go in, either he is disrespectful or had no idea. I personally would let him take the buck and learn from it. "Don't let him hunt anymore on your lease" That's his bad. Obviously he doesn't know a good friend when he see's one. I agree a "Sancuary" shouldn't be touched but if you have a good pair of rubber boots that are scent free you could find some pretty amazing dead things. This time of year sancuary's are the first place's I tromp through looking for sheds or whatever. Good Luck

Give him the antlers and send him on his way. He's already proved to you that he's not going to abide by any rules. You can still be friends, just not hunting friends.

Congratulations, you're plus one set of antlers, and minus one friend of 20 years, all over a deer that neither of you shot and a situation that was probably a simple misunderstanding. God knows those antlers are way more important than friends.

As for offering him half your lease, I don't think that's something you have to worry about, because he'd be crazy/stupid to go into such a venture with someone as petty as you appear to be. Enjoy hunting your land... alone.

Mike

I have known guys a long time that were not neccessarily good friends. Good friends think alike and never seem to have arguments they remember. Shooting in a designated no shoot area is a major no. He didnt respect it as a guest, it is unlikely you will have rules agreed upon as a partner. That he found the dead buck certainly should make it his, regardless, if you wouldnt have found it otherwise. If you take a partner, make sure you write out the rules (including no hunt zones, which you could flag lightly with ribbon or such, and give a walk around of), keeping yourself as the primary payor and manager of, so you can enforce the rules- fairly.

Sounds like you should choose your "hunting buddies" more carefully.:s4:

i have shot many deer on the run...all were dead in less than 20-60 yards.. as far as him findin the deer...he found it..you woulda never found it. as for as walkin in a sanctuary, i think he did right, if you take a shot at a deer, you should make every last ditch effort to find the deer, no matter where it mighta went..was your buddy allowed to shoot bucks? it just seems to me he shot that buck, and is just sayin he shot at a doe? who knows. 20 year relationship over a stupid deer aint worth it to me, there are buddies, and then there are huntin buddies!!