SchuLace

He has permission to hunt the land, his rules. But, he is an idiot for doing that. We have quite a few people hunt our land every year. There have been alot of deer taken from there that I would have loved to take, but at least it went to someone who I know and respect. I would be pretty angry if someone did to me what happened to the OP.

obsessed bowhunter

That's what I would do. And find someone else to hunt with.

hillbillyhunter1

I own land and am always asking my friends to go with me. While with me they have carte blanche to shoot whatever they want (as long as its legal).

One situation I have is I myself don't shoot small bucks (and of course, because of that, many years I don't shoot any bucks). I have some friends that can't resist shooting anything with a horn. While sometimes I shake my head and laugh when I see them draggin some sort of scraggly 3 point out of the woods ( for the hundreth time in their life...lol), I would never tell them to stop...as they love hunting and love to have fun....and I surely would never tell them to refrain from shooting a good buck....

Someone that would, has either a lack of character or they're simply immature. I don't see at all how a real man could reasonably put any stipulations on his hunting partners (especially if he himself was not subject to them). So, I'd either stay or go if I was you, but if I'd stay, I'd shoot whatever I wanted (within the law)and let the chips fall where they may.

...and yes, many hunters hunt for reasons other than to kill a big buck, but still encounters with big animals can sometimes define the most memorable experiences in the woods.

Ohboy

what a prick! why does he want you to go with him if you cant kill a big buck? what if there is a bigger buck yall see together? is he going to keep telling you that you cant shoot a big buck? I say let it go and go hunting with him and if you get the chance at the buck, shoot him, then deal with your cousin later.

uncle matt

Well your cousin best clarify things alot better than he has.

He doesn't want you to shoot that particular buck? He thinks it will definately be back and he wants his chance at it? Ok fine.

What about another buck that comes along? A bigger one? Did he say not to shoot that one? What about a huge fat doe? Is that reseved for him, too?

Just what can you shoot without infringing on him?

I mean, yeah, he got the permission and you are an extended guest so he gets to make the decisions. And he has. He has made the decision (IMO) to be a stroke.

uncle matt

Just where are the cut off limits for what anyone other than your cousin can shoot? Are you allowed a 10 pointer? An 8 pointer? What about a six pointer? Heck can you even shoot anything with antlers? Best clarify that with him.

But for now in respect for what he specifically said to not shoot that deer (the 11-pointer) that you both saw - so shoot a bigger one (12, 14 pointer?) and when he cries about it just tell him you did exactly what he said and didn't shoot that 11-pointer.

ipscshooter

These types of issues are things that should get worked out in advance. If you discuss it beforehand, it doesn't become an issue later... I hunt as a guest on a good friend's lease. There are 15 guys on the lease. They have a management plan in place. i.e. Each member is allotted 3 bucks and 5 does per year (most members don't take their full allotment). You do NOT shoot a "trophy" type buck that is 3 1/2 years old or younger. If you shoot a doe, you don't shoot a doe with twins. You don't shoot a buck with broken antlers. Cull/Management bucks have to be videotaped and approved before you can shoot, etc. I'm not sure that any of their rules actually WORK, as it's a low fence ranch, and I doubt that the neighbors operate under the same restrictions. But, if you don't abide by the rules, you don't get to come back... The first time out with him, he told me I could take a doe. I was perfectly fine with that... I didn't have a place to hunt, and the ranch he's on is in prime deer habitat. LOTS of deer. I followed the rules, and have been invited back every year for the last 7 years, and have been told that I am the only "guest" who is allowed to shoot a trophy buck without prior approval...

Not sure how this really relates to the OP, other than to say, it's too bad you didn't discuss the expectations in advance.

Wheatley

Nothing sticky about this. It's all about greed. Either one of you should be happy for the other if you are friends. I would not tell someone that they couldn't shoot a certain animal. That is just plain ignorant. I would go find somewhere else to hunt and someone else for a friend. It's a deer, not worth ruining a friendship over, it should have never come to this.

Valentine

If you don't own; have permission from the owners or leasees; are a lease member or have a personal right to freely hunt; then you are a guest subject to their rules; the rules of who invited you.

You hunt where you can and pick the best places to hunt. The preceding may not include relatives.

jklink

From what I understood from your post is this. Your cousin got permission to hunt on family land, right? If your his cousin that would mean it is your family's land too, right? And you have permission to hunt the land too, because your cousin gave you permission. If there are several places to hunt and he wants to act like that, I'd tell him that he can hunt the place you saw the big buck and you will hunt one of the other places. If he chooses to hunt somewhere else, he obviously doesn't want to shoot the big buck and you should do it.