Ethics…..

I’d love to hear what you would do in this situation.

My brother shot a huge whitetail last fall during the bow season. It was a poor shot, which he shouldn’t have taken (yes, i reamed him a new ***). They never found it. The next week was gun season, and the adjoining landowner found the deer. He took the rack, and kept it. The buck was positively ID’d by my bro and his friend, as it still had his arrow in it. Mind you, this area is not hunted much, so the chances are slim to none that it was someone elses arrow.
I guess the deer is much bigger than the one my dad shot which was a 150 class deer. I haven’t seen the pics yet, but will post them if I get em.

So, if you found this rack, what would you do?

Keep it and describe it as a found item, or depending on how I felt that day I might give it to your brother? but not likely.

I would also note that there is likely a bit more information available on this event that may or may not change the decision?

Keep it and describe it as a found item, or depending on how I felt that day I might give it to your brother? but not likely.

I would also note that there is likely a bit more information available on this event that may or may not change the decision?

Interesting scenario….You and your brother could have never found the deer unless you knew it had crossed onto your neighbors land. Unless you obtain permission are you allowed to trespass to find the deer?

If i knew you personally I would probably give the rack back, (being a good neihbor and all) but if you were a stranger, i might think twice…and like you said, ream a new one for poor shot choice….

I guess you and your neighbor don’t get along??

Interesting scenario….You and your brother could have never found the deer unless you knew it had crossed onto your neighbors land. Unless you obtain permission are you allowed to trespass to find the deer?

If i knew you personally I would probably give the rack back, (being a good neihbor and all) but if you were a stranger, i might think twice…and like you said, ream a new one for poor shot choice….

I guess you and your neighbor don’t get along??

I don’t live down there, so I can’t comment on the relations between them.

I am going to try to be as unbiased as possible. I’m not real close with this brother (he can be a knucklehead to say the least)> That being said, I would have a hard time keeping the rack. I’m not sure why you would even want to keep someone else’s rack, especially if you had ID’d it. This not taking into consideration the shot, which shouldn’t have taken place.

I don’t live down there, so I can’t comment on the relations between them.

I am going to try to be as unbiased as possible. I’m not real close with this brother (he can be a knucklehead to say the least)> That being said, I would have a hard time keeping the rack. I’m not sure why you would even want to keep someone else’s rack, especially if you had ID’d it. This not taking into consideration the shot, which shouldn’t have taken place.

I guess I’d have to ask, “What value would this rack have to me if I didn’t shoot the deer?”. Ultimately any trophy, be it antlers, a stuffed fish, or a cup is really only meaningful to person who earned it. Finding a rack laying on the ground doesn’t mean much. I’d give it back to the brother, maybe every time he looked at it he would think hard about shot selection.

My .02

Rootski

I guess I’d have to ask, “What value would this rack have to me if I didn’t shoot the deer?”. Ultimately any trophy, be it antlers, a stuffed fish, or a cup is really only meaningful to person who earned it. Finding a rack laying on the ground doesn’t mean much. I’d give it back to the brother, maybe every time he looked at it he would think hard about shot selection.

My .02

Rootski

what if you came up on a buck that the coyotes had pulled down would you keep the rack then???? its not yours would you keep it??? your bro made a bad decision to shot a deer when he shouldnt have “his problem” the land owner found a deer some “knuckle head” shot and wounded and didnt find,
not a buck someone SHOT and KILLED. sorry for gettin right to the point but we really need to police ourselves because one bad choice make many bowhunters look bad in the eyes of a tree hugger. my .02

what if you came up on a buck that the coyotes had pulled down would you keep the rack then???? its not yours would you keep it??? your bro made a bad decision to shot a deer when he shouldnt have “his problem” the land owner found a deer some “knuckle head” shot and wounded and didnt find,
not a buck someone SHOT and KILLED. sorry for gettin right to the point but we really need to police ourselves because one bad choice make many bowhunters look bad in the eyes of a tree hugger. my .02

Well i’m curious….the deer did die, and the arrow was still in it, so was it a bad shot or not? or just poor tracking?

Well i’m curious….the deer did die, and the arrow was still in it, so was it a bad shot or not? or just poor tracking?

good question slop. according to the first post there was a week between the shot and the find. so if it was a very poor shot ie shoulder blade,leg,high in the neck,or some other non lethal shot. that is why a guy might think coyotes. or if it was a lethal shot then it might be just bad tracking. we also dont know the distance traveled from shot to find. all are important factors

good question slop. according to the first post there was a week between the shot and the find. so if it was a very poor shot ie shoulder blade,leg,high in the neck,or some other non lethal shot. that is why a guy might think coyotes. or if it was a lethal shot then it might be just bad tracking. we also dont know the distance traveled from shot to find. all are important factors

I think it’s the finder’s choice what’s done… either way. And I think both answers he may give are right and can be justified.

However, if I was the finder, I would give it to the shooter. In fact, I’d probably get his butt over to my place to drag the 1 week old carcass away… not my job to clean up his mess.

Afterall, what the heck do I want with some other guy’s kill? Am I going to put the horns on my wall? LOL

“Yeah — them horns there off a carcass I found… I met the shooter too.. he wanted them back but I kept them.” — get real!

I think it’s the finder’s choice what’s done… either way. And I think both answers he may give are right and can be justified.

However, if I was the finder, I would give it to the shooter. In fact, I’d probably get his butt over to my place to drag the 1 week old carcass away… not my job to clean up his mess.

Afterall, what the heck do I want with some other guy’s kill? Am I going to put the horns on my wall? LOL

“Yeah — them horns there off a carcass I found… I met the shooter too.. he wanted them back but I kept them.” — get real!

Slop,
The shot was behind the vitals. One thing I am certain of -he and his buddies were very diligent in trying to track it.

Slop,
The shot was behind the vitals. One thing I am certain of -he and his buddies were very diligent in trying to track it.

If I was walking through the woods and found a nice rack, I would keep it. Just for the sole purpose of decoration.

However, if a buddy or neighbor of mine lost an animal, I would tell them and give them the rack, if I knew they shot it. For the reason I couldn’t keep something that my neighbor or friend shot……That isn’t being neighborly or friendly.

If I was walking through the woods and found a nice rack, I would keep it. Just for the sole purpose of decoration.

However, if a buddy or neighbor of mine lost an animal, I would tell them and give them the rack, if I knew they shot it. For the reason I couldn’t keep something that my neighbor or friend shot……That isn’t being neighborly or friendly.

I’m not doubting you or your bro at all, sounds like it might have nicked the vitals, thus giving the deer more time to escape, and make it harder to track…Shot placement is at question? YES, but i still disagree with the neighbor in keeping the rack/deer. I just don’t see the point???

IMO–take out your neighbor

I’m not doubting you or your bro at all, sounds like it might have nicked the vitals, thus giving the deer more time to escape, and make it harder to track…Shot placement is at question? YES, but i still disagree with the neighbor in keeping the rack/deer. I just don’t see the point???

IMO–take out your neighbor

Ethical neighbor behavor or a lesson on ethical shooting? I think that’s the question. Personally, I’d give them too him, but I guess it’s up to the person who finds them. I found a skull one time with a decent set of antlers on the top. Probably wouldn’t give those back if someone tried to claim ’em.

Ethical neighbor behavor or a lesson on ethical shooting? I think that’s the question. Personally, I’d give them too him, but I guess it’s up to the person who finds them. I found a skull one time with a decent set of antlers on the top. Probably wouldn’t give those back if someone tried to claim ’em.

Nubbin, If your bro was “behind” the vitals, to me it seems it would be kind of harsh the come down on him so hard. The reason I say this is, with that shot placement he evidently had the yardage right, him shooting back may have been something as simple as “Buck Fever” and not taking his time or not paying attention to his anchor point, both of those can definitely make an arrow stray. One thing alot of bowhunters don’t do enough of is PRACTICE! I personaly try to find mine and the bows limitations, and at what range I feel sure I can put it in the vitals. I know guys that practice out to 60 yards and can put it in a pie plate at that range consistantly, granted they will probably never shoot that far at a deer but they know what they and their bow are capable of, and find a comfort zone. That being said back to the neighbor. That was probably just his way of “paying your brother back” so to speak. He probably had some choice words for “those bowhunters” when he came upon it and it made him mad. Although I don’t agree with his decision I understand it. Nobody’s perfect,I’ve even seen “the pro’s” miss. You can bet it’s chalked up in your bro’s head as one of lifes lessons.

Nubbin, If your bro was “behind” the vitals, to me it seems it would be kind of harsh the come down on him so hard. The reason I say this is, with that shot placement he evidently had the yardage right, him shooting back may have been something as simple as “Buck Fever” and not taking his time or not paying attention to his anchor point, both of those can definitely make an arrow stray. One thing alot of bowhunters don’t do enough of is PRACTICE! I personaly try to find mine and the bows limitations, and at what range I feel sure I can put it in the vitals. I know guys that practice out to 60 yards and can put it in a pie plate at that range consistantly, granted they will probably never shoot that far at a deer but they know what they and their bow are capable of, and find a comfort zone. That being said back to the neighbor. That was probably just his way of “paying your brother back” so to speak. He probably had some choice words for “those bowhunters” when he came upon it and it made him mad. Although I don’t agree with his decision I understand it. Nobody’s perfect,I’ve even seen “the pro’s” miss. You can bet it’s chalked up in your bro’s head as one of lifes lessons.

Hard one to make a judgement on until you are in the situation I guess. Talking a book (pope and young) deer or by the sounds of it even a boone and crockett maybe. Like Muskyman said, it might of been a little pay-back since he found it laying dead with a arrow inside. Me personally I don’t know what I would do. Kind of like the deer I had been watching for 3 years and I found it in the ditch not more than 100 yards from my stand with a small .22 bullet size hole in its body. Like to see the punk that did this come back and try and claim it. Would not be a pretty sight I will tell ya that.

Hard one to make a judgement on until you are in the situation I guess. Talking a book (pope and young) deer or by the sounds of it even a boone and crockett maybe. Like Muskyman said, it might of been a little pay-back since he found it laying dead with a arrow inside. Me personally I don’t know what I would do. Kind of like the deer I had been watching for 3 years and I found it in the ditch not more than 100 yards from my stand with a small .22 bullet size hole in its body. Like to see the punk that did this come back and try and claim it. Would not be a pretty sight I will tell ya that.

Stupid question, and maybe I didn’t see it in all the writing………….

But, did your brother just explain the situation to the neighbor and ask for the antlers?????