Two Hunters, One Buck. Who's deer is it?

My dad and cousin both shot the same buck. I believe it went down like this: Dad draws first blood, but cousin knocks it down. They worked it out amicably, but what is the standard for this occurrence?




Here's my Dad's version, in his own unique prose. https://wp.me/p3bCKM-10d

I'd always heard with big game it was first blood drawn, but with small it was whoever puts the killing shot on the animal. What are your thoughts?

Assuming the first shot was a kill shot and deer would have died shortly after. Id go with first one and thank the cousin for stopping it

Whybwere they hunting so close to one another?

First blood drawn does not equal a kill except on a package hunt. Did your Dad fire and your cousin fire immediately thereafter? As in they were together with your cousin shooting back-up? If so, I'd say it's 50/50. If the deer could have escaped after your Dad shot him, he's your cousin's buck.

Good question. They had plenty of room. Don't really know.

Sounds good to me.

Who tagged it? That's all the GW is going to care about.

This.....

After reading your dad's account of the hunt, I would say it is both their deer to be shared 50/50.

It’s always been whoever drew first blood with me. I’ve put down a lot of deer that were wounded. I never thought to claim one.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^ we have always gone with first blood.

Man, they were hunting close to each other.

Robert Earl Keen and his brother once shot the same deer. They had it mounted, then cut in half, and each got a side. Nice Hill Country 10 pointer.....true story.

That is an idea that you'll get a hell of a laugh out of.

Or, you could just both be in the picture and enjoy it forever!!

There would be a come to Jesus meeting if somebody was shooting at the deer I'm still killing.

This works for me, too.

He shoulda killed him faster......

If the first hit was not fatal, then it belongs to whoever put it down.

+1

I was on a public draw hunt a few years back and heard a shot and a few minutes later see a deer running towards me. I pulled up my rifle and when the deer stop I almost pulled the trigger. However I could see a thin line of blood running down it's leg so I waited. The deer ran about another 20-30 yrds, stopped, and then laid down. I watched it for about 30 minutes. Ranger came to pick me up and I told him where the deer was. We came back after picking everyone up and the deer had expired. The ranger told me if I had shot it then the deer would have been mine. If it had gotten up again I would have put it down but that was not the case here.

Arm wrestle.......

Interesting but kind of wacky. From your dads account on the link there were multiple shots at the deer by both of them. In this type of scenario with a friend or family member I would give it to the first shooter. If a wounded deer walked out in my field that was shot by someone I did not know or like then it is my deer if I so choose

From your dads account:



When he says "I let the big dog bark." I assume he means that he fired a shot. From that account he fired the last shot, if it can reasonably be determined that shot hit the deer, which if the deer was coming head on should be pretty easy from the holes in it. Then the deer is your dads. If I'm reading that wrong and your dad did not fire the last shot, and your cousin hit the deer with his shot, ie there are 2 killing shots in the deer, then the deer is your cousins.

Here is a good article on the subject with cases that have gone to court. They basically say whoever killed the deer gets to keep it. So if you shoot a deer, it runs off, someone else shoots it and puts it down, it is their deer.

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/whitetail-deer/whose-deer-is-it/

Sounds like a 8 year old and ten year old argument. I'd stay away from them shooters. Might shoot you.

That's not necessarily true. The Game Warden will be very interested in knowing who shot the deer and more important, they are going to want to know who put the last shot in the animal. That is always considered the fatal shot and therefore the person who shot the animal last is the one who will be responsible for the kill.

Had a similar thing happen once. My BIL calls and said he shot a buck but can't find it. I drive out to help and find what looks like someone had a small pill bottle worth of blood that they threw on the ground. We looked for a long time and he could not tell me exactly where he shot it. He was walking to hunt my stand and before he could get in it the buck appeared and he shot. Exactly one week later I was hunting in the same area and shots nice 10. As I was field dressing the deer the warden showed up and was looking it over when he discovered a bullet hole through the nose. It was the same deer that BIL shot the week before but somehow hit the nose. In that case, I don't think first blood applies, it sure didn't for us. If the first shot is fatal and someone shot it as it went to die then probably first shot but I don't want to be in the middle of that debate for sure.

Depends on how big the deer is...