In your neck of the woods...

[jhjimbo]

Does the hunter who first shot the game animal own it, OR, is it the hunter that finishes it off ??

[MattM37]

I haven't encountered this firsthand, but the general opinion around here is that whoever put the first slug or bullet through the vitals is the owner of the deer.

[jcarlin]

Let's try again. I believe we have a legal statute that says its the guy who finishes it. In practice among guys in the same party, if your deer needed a follow up I don't know guys who are going to try to take it out from under you.

The reason a call on it was made as it's not uncommon for someone to poorly hit an animal, no matter how much we try and how much we like to think it doesn't. Often that animal gets shot by the next guy it passes a mile away. He's morally obligated to put down an injured animal. He's also obligated to make sure the meat doesn't go to waste. Which means if he so much as touches the animal, he has to tag it. He's not obligated to wait 6 hours while the deer bloats to see if shooter number 1 can track better than he shoots.
If you and your neighbors are shooting the same field, hopefully you can come to an agreement.
I know guys who've gotten into armed arguments with levelled guns over who shot a deer. I understand the territorial nature and ego come to the fore in such circumstances, but if you're willing to risk death or long term imprisonment over a deer, you're doing life wrong.

[MattM37]

I haven't encountered this firsthand, but the general opinion around here is that whoever put the first slug or bullet through the vitals is the owner of the deer.

Which isn't to say that guys don't work out fair deals between them. If I made a bad shot, say a gut-shot, that would have eventually killed the deer, but a another guy put it down, I'd certainly offer some sort of split. On the other hand, if I shot the deer through the vitals and someone else got a shot at it before it dropped, then it's my deer, period.

[bowhunter75richard]

I haven't encountered this firsthand, but the general opinion around here is that whoever put the first slug or bullet through the vitals is the owner of the deer.

This can be a very sticky situation and in some instances even dangerous. Unless you know the character of the other person involved, I would advise moving very slowly in the handling of the issue ! To me the determining factor of ownership would be the location of the initial shot and if the animal would not be able to survive without a secondary shot. But even that sometimes will not settle who tags the deer. When guns are involved, no deer is worth getting killed for. I would retreat and just be happy to be able to make another hunt later !

[MattM37]

I haven't encountered this firsthand, but the general opinion around here is that whoever put the first slug or bullet through the vitals is the owner of the deer.

Sure, I wouldn't risk anything serious if it looked to be that kind of situation. I say it'd be my deer, but I wouldn't risk injuring someone or getting injured, or going to jail, for the deer. If that was the way things looked, like you say, I'd shrug it off, tell the belligerent SOB, okay, whatever. Possibly we might get a warden to come by and join the discussion ... but if not, so be it.

Luckily, since I mostly hunt long-established family property, it's not likely to come up. There's a good level of respect within the family hunters, and with the neighboring landowners.

Only once have I ever heard of a tense situation. One of my cousins put a slug through the vitals of a buck, just alongside the fenceline we share with the neighbors. His buck made its death-dash right across the line -- where two guys over there immediately shot four or five slugs into it (including a couple in the hindquarters). Cousin calmly walked over, pointed at the hole behind the shoulder, and said, "That's me. I killed it." Then he grabbed the buck and dragged it back over the line. He said later that he could tell they were pissed off, but they didn't say anything.

Either they knew he was right and were basically decent guys themselves; or they were ashamed of their ridiculous shooting; or maybe they figured, Why argue over a deer with its best meat all shot to hell?

[Drahthaar Dan]

This hypothetical is dependent upon a number of factors and those would have a bearing on my opinion. That said, as hunters we owe our quarry the respect of being competent marksmen. I loath “hunters” that wound game and argue over ownership when the animal crosses boundaries. I understand it happens sometimes, but in that instance I’d hope we were more concerned with an ethical dispatch as opposed to arguing over ownership.

Who wants to argue that you wounded a trophy animal and therefore you should own the antlers?

[Treestand]

The Finished Product Or Killing Shot Owne's the Game Animal, That goes for Clubs & State Land Hunters in Fl.

[jhjimbo]

I haven't encountered this firsthand, but the general opinion around here is that whoever put the first slug or bullet through the vitals is the owner of the deer.

I had a experience where I dropped a buck right where it stood - stone cold dead. Another hunter got to it before I could get to it and at point blank range shot the deer in the neck. He was a young inexperienced hunter and when I explained the deer was already dead he apologized. He said he shot it because he thought it might get away.

[dewman]

Honestly around here it seems to be a matter of how big you are and how many of you : (

[jhjimbo]

It is not unheard of for a deer or bear with a fatal wound to run 100 or more yards. I have seen this with a heart shot animal full of Adrenalin - especially a bear. In that situation, I would say there should be mutual agreement when the extent of the wound is examined. If they are hit when they are moving the tendency is for them to go further than if they are shot standing still.

[bowhunter75richard]

Honestly around here it seems to be a matter of how big you are and how many of you : (

I think there is more truth in that issue than anything else !

[Treestand]

Honestly around here it seems to be a matter of how big you are and how many of you : (

WoW That's Gang mentality??

[Milldawg]

Honestly around here it seems to be a matter of how big you are and how many of you : (

Sad but true.

[Milldawg]

Let's try again. I believe we have a legal statute that says its the guy who finishes it. In practice among guys in the same party, if your deer needed a follow up I don't know guys who are going to try to take it out from under you.

The reason a call on it was made as it's not uncommon for someone to poorly hit an animal, no matter how much we try and how much we like to think it doesn't. Often that animal gets shot by the next guy it passes a mile away. He's morally obligated to put down an injured animal. He's also obligated to make sure the meat doesn't go to waste. Which means if he so much as touches the animal, he has to tag it. He's not obligated to wait 6 hours while the deer bloats to see if shooter number 1 can track better than he shoots.
If you and your neighbors are shooting the same field, hopefully you can come to an agreement.
I know guys who've gotten into armed arguments with levelled guns over who shot a deer. I understand the territorial nature and ego come to the fore in such circumstances, but if you're willing to risk death or long term imprisonment over a deer, you're doing life wrong.

Got called for jury duty years ago in a case like that. Got let go because I was hunter. Easiest payed 5 days I’ve ever had off work.