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What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

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What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 06 22, 2018 •  [Post 1]

Date: Late October
Time: Mid-Morning
State: An elk state
Season: Modern Firearm
Tag: Bull only; 3 PT or better
Solo Hunt
Hunting Pressure: Minimal on the hillside you’re hunting but you did hear one shot way, way up on the ridge above you right after daylight.

You park your truck on a landing ½ way in on an old skid road and walk the rest of the way (about ½ mile) in the dark to the end of the old road. From there, you head up the side hill, over the ridge, drop down and now are side hilling back the other side of the mountain in the direction you’ve parked on the other side. As mentioned above, right after daylight you hear one shot up on the ridge probably 1/3 of a mile ahead of you. Around 0830, you detect movement up to your right, moving down the side hill. Bull, nice one! Once he steps into a decent shooting lane, you pull the trigger and the elk stumbles and falls down the hill side. Approaching cautiously, you find the nice 6 point is down for the count and prepare to get busy on dressing him out. WTH? You see an obvious bullet hole in one of his sides and upon further examination, it’s not from your shot (your shot went in behind the left shoulder and exited high on the right shoulder). “Hey, hey, coming down” (you hear a hunter shout). It appears another hunter had gotten a bad hit on this bull right after daylight and was attempting to track him when he heard you shoot and headed down your way. He now saying the bull is his as he shot it first and was in the process of tracking it. What should/do you do? Is this bull his or yours? The other hunter is adamant about claiming/tagging this bull since he shot it first.
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

Postby Tigger » 06 22, 2018 •  [Post 2]

My rule is first killing shot where the animal will be found. I don't buy the "first blood" thing. No way should some guy who shoots a leg off get the bull. I would need to know more about where this bull was shot. The hardest ownership scenarios are gut shot animals. yes, it will kill the bull but odds are it wont be found.

Things to consider:
was there snow?
was there a blood trail?
have I eaten my last PB&J sandwich yet?
would the hunter reasonably have found the bull (if so, it should be his)?
How fresh is the wound?
for sure shot today?
Can we backtrack the bull to see where it came from?
Can we negotiate (ie half the meat each or you get the horns and I get the meat or vice versa?)?
No bull is worth fighting over.
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

Postby ElkNut1 » 06 22, 2018 •  [Post 3]

100% his bull, I'd shake the ole boys hand & let him know I was glad to be in the area to assist in finishing off his bull. I'd push on & keep hunting! I would ask him if there was another bull in the possible group & what direction did they head.

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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

Postby Fozziebear2000 » 06 22, 2018 •  [Post 4]

I’m pretty confident in saying that I would try to get a read on the personality and attitude of the other hunter, and if I was not immediately put off I would ask if he wanted to dress the critter out together.

Based on the scenario we might be passed this point from the start. But if not and things went well, we would discover the whole story together and have a natural conversation about who’s elk we were processing etc.

If the other hunter’s shot was actually going to do the job and the hunter was apparently succeeding in tracking his kill, I’d probably offer to help haul meat and congratulate the hunter for his success.

If the other hunter’s shot was a bad one, chances are good that I’d be happy to split the work of hauling and split the meat. If he wanted to tag out, I would have half an elk headed to my freezer and a clean tag to continue my hunt. If he wanted to keep his tag and was a likeable sort, I might tag out and split the meat anyway.

If things are as described and other guy had botched the job but wanted all the meat, I’m guessing that would put me off. I’d likely be inclined to disagree outright. If he didn’t adjust his attitude I hope that I would give him the stink eye until he looked away, then ask him how he really feels.

My preference would be to do the field dressing together, to give the facts a chance to sink in before debating the kill.

In any event, I’d stand ready to just move along. I’m not one for escalating back country confict with strangers. This might be the perfect opportunity to legally kill two bulls with one tag ;-)


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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

Postby Elkhunttoo » 06 22, 2018 •  [Post 5]

Good scenario...

If the guy comes along that quick it sounds to me like he would of had a good chance of finding the bull/catching up to him. Sure my shot would of maybe helped him locate this bull but he was still close. I would let him know I didn't know the bull was hit when I shot and that he is his bull (Had to make it a nice bull for the scenario didn't ya :( ). Sure, he could of made a better shot but things happen and I have done my share of tracking before too...in my mind his bull... I absolutely love hunting and I have no reason to argue over an elk that could cause issues in the back country, I'm hunting on
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Re: What Should You Do 2018; Scenario #5

Postby Swede » 06 22, 2018 •  [Post 6]

I'm with those that would let it go. It looks like it is legally and ethically his bull.
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