LENNY191

THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER LAST NIGHT THAT A BOWHUNTER FOUND TWO MONSTER BUCKS LOCKED TOGETHER IN THE HORICON MARSH. ONE OF THE BUCKS (A HUGE 15 POINTER) WAS DEAD AND STARTING TO DECOMPOSE. THE OTHER BUCK WAS ALIVE AND WAS A HUGE TEN POINTER. THE GUY SHOT THE ALIVE BUCK AND IS GOING TO GET THEM BOTH MOUNTED LOCKED TOGETHER. QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK OF THIS. IF YOU FOUND TWO LOCKED UP WOULD YOU WALK UP TO THEM AND SHOOT THEM, OR TRY TO SAVE THE ONE THAT IS ALIVE?

buckmine

I have actually thought about this and I would side with letting it go. I respect the animal to much to just go up and shoot it.

LENNY191

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU BUCKMINE. IN FACT, ON TUESDAY NIGHT MY BROTHER FOUND TWO BIG BUCKS LOCKED UP. THEY WERE BOTH ALIVE AND WE CALLED THE WARDEN AND HE CAME OUT AND BLEW OFF THE MAIN BEAM ON ONE OF THE BUCKS WITH A 12 GUAGE SLUG. THEY BOTH SURVIVED AND RAN AWAY. THE ONE WAS ABOUT A 140" TEN POINT AND THE OTHER ONE WAS ABOUT A 130" TEN POINT. MY YOUNGER BROTHER (19 YEARS OLD) COULD HAVE VERY EASILY WALKED UP TO THEM WITH HIS BOW AND SHOT THEM. I GIVE HIM A LOT OF CREDIT FOR NOT KILLING THEM. INSTEAD HE WENT HOME AND CALLED ME AND WE WENT BACK OUT AND VIDEO TAPED THEM AND CALLED THE WARDEN. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THE SAME RESPECT FOR THE ANIMALS THEY HUNT.

bearklr

I agree totally. That deer fought extremely hard to stay alive and the least it deserves is a second chance. Besides, it doesn' t really seem like you earn it if you just stumble accross it and it can' t even get away. It' s like finding a buck tied to a tree and shooting it. Not much sport in that.

Aught Six

Amen!

thegreatmarton

Boy, my brain tells me the same, but I don' t know......I might try to get them released then, shoot ' em as they run off...... lol

little indian

Alot of times the survivor will die of exhaustion. You need to keep your eyes & ears open for scavangers.

Solax

Well let' s see, it' s totally legal on the one side. On the other it' s not very sporting. I always like ask myself when bowhunting WWID, What Would Indians Do? They would probably harvest the animal(s) and be happy about it. Let' s face it, it' s their misfortune that put them in that spot. They would have died anyway if you didn' t find them so at least their meat is going to good use this way. It' s a tough one. I' m not ready to jump on the " Respect the Animal" band wagon just yet.

I' ll have to think about it.

SCRIDER1

I agree with trying to help the buck survive. That animal deserves better than getting shot by some jackass that just stumbled upon him. Besides that, a buck of that quality...that didnt just defeat a larger buck but actually killed him, and then fought for that long to survive...is a buck I want breeding on my property for as long as I can have him.
Sad end for a warrior.
SC in LR

Allen Denton

If it looks as if the buck that is still living is in good enough shape to make it I would say let he go. In this case the other deer is already decomposing and if this buck has been dragging around the carcus of another buck he might not make it. I think you look at the situation and and go from there.