Once while walking a fence line I turned a corner and two coyotes ran off. Then I saw a deer hung up in the fence. It was a small button buck. The coyotes had just ripped a hole the size of your fist in it's belly and it was bleeding everywhere. I shot it in the head and untangled it from the fence and left it laying on the ground. I did not tag it. That was 25 years ago and I would do the same thing today. If a GW gave me a ticket for doing that, then I would just pay the ticket, but I would do the same thing again. But that's just me, everyone has to do what they think is right, and many will disagree with what I did both by shooting it and not tagging it and with just leaving it there for the coyotes.

I bet the kid was excited and good yall are both on the same page now... nothing wrong with what you did.. that ticket don't cost much anyway

One thing that is not taught about being on a deer lease. Find out who your neighbors are and go meet them or at least give them a call. It will go a long way if you have to cross a fence to retrieve a deer.

Or at least give you a heads up on what kind of people they are.

OK, I am gonna muddy the water here again. I was our running around and I saw a game warden. I flagged him down and we had about an 5 minute conversation over this scenario.

First he was most concerned about the hunters coming across the fence onto private property. I told him how that was resolved, and he said that it was up to the landowner on how that would have proceeded. As far as shooting the wounded deer, he had no issue with that. He also said that things played out with no issue in the end. The deer was eventually tagged and there was agreement between hunters. He would have no issue with it.

HOWEVER, he said that it was highly dependent on the individual game warden. One that was full of spit and vinegar might write alot of tickets for everything. But he said that there are alot of older game wardens out there that would respect the choice of the hunters as long as the deer ended up tagged by a present party.

He could understand both sides of the argument on here and he actually asked what the opinion on here was. I told him that there were alot of people that felt things were done right, even though it might not be exactly right, and that there was also a contingent of people that felt that the deer needed to be tagged by the hunter that dispatched the doe and then a wildlife resource document completed. But there was no clear consensus overall.

The important thing is to get to know the game warden in the county that you are hunting and if it comes down to it, call him and ask him what he feels is necessary. Your game warden is going to be the one to bring the hammer down and each one has their own way of doing things and beliefs on how things should be done.

He did say that if the deer were a buck under AR and it was killed because it was wounded. The hunter killing the deer would be the one getting the ticket.

All in all, a good conversation.

Lol. Because you break the law doesn't mean "most people" do!!!

You never drive over the speed limit? Drove off from a gas station after being 1 penny over ? Shot before or after shooting hours? Forget hunting license at camp while hunting? Cross a fence without landowners permission? Not tag a deer? Use a family members tag? My bad Boone...Forgot your perfect....🙏👏👼💩

Bull, you did not muddy the waters, in fact you helped me out a lot, I don't know my GW and I'm going to call him this week and introduce myself. And as the GW said himself, "It all depends on what GW you get as to their thoughts on the law and what needed to be done in this situation..

I hate to say it, but he is probably right. One that immediately comes to mind is tagging a deer or antelope before it's moved or gutted. I suspect very few people follow that law to the letter. Yes, some do, but I'd be willing to bet it's the minority of hunters.

when "immediately comes to my mind" I had better get to the toilet.

The answer to all of your questions except for the speed limit is no! I was just asking Rancher what he was talking about by saying we all break the law every time we hunt! But if you feel ok with breaking all of those laws then more power to you. Don't get butt hurt at me because I don't.

But that's not virtually every time we hunt. That's why I am confused!

You shouldn't hate agreeing with me. It's a pretty safe position to take.

Folks who don't know they break a law everyday simply don't know the laws. They say it's bliss.

Please elaborate Rancher!

What do you want me to elaborate on?

I just came in from a dove hunt and can't think of a single law I violated while hunting. As for the speed limit thing, I wasn't hunting, I was driving.

My question was for Rancher. Mr.T feel free to elaborate on anything that is amusing or educational.

I'm sure Rancher will let you know what you did wrong! I'm sure it's some silly "blue law" or something similarly stupid that he is mouthing about!