Bitter or Sweet

[bobthebowhunter]

I have a hard time with a situation like this. I don't want to come of as a complainer, but need to vent this one off.

I've been on a nice 8pt all season long. I have seen the deer three times. I had a shot at this deer with a rifle and opted not to shoot because I wanted to get him with my bow.

I haven't been to camp in awhile, which was intentional so as not to presure the deer. So I get word from another lease member they he had shot what I considered to be my deer.(with a rifle!!!!) The man was hunting with in 80yds of the stand I had placed and been seeing the deer out of.

My first and lingering reaction is extreme disapointment. I am very jealous and somewhat agervated that some one that doesn't scout and what not can just plop down somewhere and take an animal that I had been diligently hunting. I even have match set of sheds from last year for cryin out loud.

I realize that on a lease like that it is everyman for himself, but how do you handle a situation like this. I don't feel like the man broke any rules or intentionally wronged me. I should be happy for the guy, but I am having a hard time doing so.

BTW I posted this here trying not to tick off too many rilfe hunters.

 

[Buckblaster]

I would be sorta mad. You dont do that unless he asks and you give him permission.
Did he know you had been hunting that stand? If so that is kinda sorry.

Did he know you had been seeing that deer out of that stand and waiting to kill it then he went in there and shot it? If so, that is really sorry.

 

[bobthebowhunter]

I would be sorta mad. You dont do that unless he asks and you give him permission.
Did he know you had been hunting that stand? If so that is kinda sorry.

Did he know you had been seeing that deer out of that stand and waiting to kill it then he went in there and shot it? If so, that is really sorry.

I tried to keep quited, but I think word got around camp that I had been seeing that deer.

On our lease we don't have enogh room for one person (me in this instance) to "claim" an area or deer. So it if you don't show up then some one can throw a climber on to a tree right next to yours. Not to mention I am one of the lower ranked guys on the lease. So I'm not completely mad at the guy, but the whole situaton just really makes me want to throw my hands up.

 

[Radar]

I'd be happy for the guy . It's as much his right to shoot the deer as it is your right . As long as he did it within the club rules and followed the game laws , he did nothing wrong .You have to realize that it's not your buck , they are out there for everyone to hunt .
One thing I join a club for is the fellowship between hunters , not to be by myself . I have put more friends on deer than I can count , and I am as happy for them as I would be if I had killed a deer .

 

[CopperHead77]

It's easy to get attached to certain deer,I get pics of the same deer yr after yr and give them names and such but I keep reminding myself that they're free game for everyone just like Radar said. Be happy for the guy and just be thankful you did get to see that buck all those times and even found his sheds!

 

[Bertman]

that's part of it.

 

[POSSUM HUNTER]

SORRY BOBBY

I HAD THAT SAME THING HAPPEN AT A FARM WE HUNT WERE IT BOW ONLY WATCHED HIM JUMP A FENCE AND HEARD THE END RESULT

IT SUCKS!!!!!!!

 

[LCU]

Take it when you see it, or it may not be there for you later.

 

[BowGuy84]

I think bitter sweet is a good description. Its just like that a lot with hunting now days, especially if you are a lower man.

Few years ago I went and hunted somewhere new on a property when no one was seeing deer. I passed a couple of does and was going back the next morning. One guy woke up and didnt wake the rest of us up and went and hunted where I saw the deer...

There is a difference between setting someone up on a deer, someone killing a deer you have seen, and someone moving in on where you have been hunting and killing deer you mentioned or whatever. IMO

 

[Radar]

If you feel like you are competing with others in the club for spots , maybe it's not the right club for you .
I like clubs that share hunting stories , but the members respect your spots . There aren't too many of those clubs left though , so you are left with the only option of keeping the deer sightings to yourself .

 

[bobthebowhunter]

If you feel like you are competing with others in the club for spots , maybe it's not the right club for you .
I like clubs that share hunting stories , but the members respect your spots . There aren't too many of those clubs left though , so you are left with the only option of keeping the deer sightings to yourself .

That is exactly what I intend to do for next year. I hate not being able to share the days stories to others, but I guess that's what I should have done.

I'd be happy for the guy . It's as much his right to shoot the deer as it is your right . As long as he did it within the club rules and followed the game laws , he did nothing wrong .You have to realize that it's not your buck , they are out there for everyone to hunt .
One thing I join a club for is the fellowship between hunters , not to be by myself . I have put more friends on deer than I can count , and I am as happy for them as I would be if I had killed a deer .

I agree 100% with what you're saying. Thats kind of what I meant by bitter or sweet. I am truley happy for the gentleman that shot the deer. I by no means hold a grudge against him because I know that the deer are there for anyone to kill. That is why I posted this thread just to vent a little knowing full well I really don't have the right. Even though some of you have to feel my pain here.

 

[bobthebowhunter]

Sorry but you should have shot the deer when you had the chance if you really wanted to kill that deer.if i wanted a deer that bad i would not care what i shot it with.on a lease with people like that you better not let one walk or you might not get another chance.

Tell me something I don't know.LOL
Well number one I personally don't like hunting with a rifle. I will get reamed for saying this, but IMO rifles make it too easy. (that is just my opinion, It doesn't bother me if others choose to hunt with rifles) That being said I will use a rifle in the event that I am trying to kill does to fill freezer and/or manage herd. That is what I was doing in this instance. Should have taken my bow with me. The deer probly only scored on the cusp of 130. So why shoot it with a rifle when you could possibley get a chance to shoot it with a bow and go on the books.

 

[Radar]

If you don't like hunting with a rifle , why would you even go hunting with a rifle ? I have hunted with a rifle and mz. in the past , but I prefer to bowhunt now regardless of the season .
You can't kill them with a bow if you are hunting with a rifle when given the opportunity to kill one .

 

[bobthebowhunter]

If you don't like hunting with a rifle , why would you even go hunting with a rifle ? I have hunted with a rifle and mz. in the past , but I prefer to bowhunt now regardless of the season .
You can't kill them with a bow if you are hunting with a rifle when given the opportunity to kill one .

Like I said I use the rifle to thin the does. Don't always get that opportunity with the bow, but is still needs to be done.

 

[bobthebowhunter]

Well I posted this on here to vent a little frustration and now I feel worse. I appreciate everybody picking apart every f'n thing I had to say. I have my reasons for hunting the way I do if folks don't understand that.....then oh well.

 

[Radar]

10-4 , I thin the does in bow season ,and focus on buck hunting in November . I passed up quite a few does during November I should have thinned out though . I just had enough meat in the freezer already .
Maybe there will be another good buck out there next season for you . Good luck ,and keep quiet about your sightings this time .

 

[Buck Assassin]

I kinda know what you mean. I missed a 6 point with my bow back in October and now I feel like that is my buck to get but realize that anybody out there has the right to take him just as much as me.

 

[JeepKuntry]

IMO he paid the same amount of dues as you, so he has as much of a right to hunt the area. Just because you've put a stand up there doesn't give you the sole hunting rights. That being said, I personally would have told you that I'd scouted around where you were hunting and intended to hunt it a few times when you weren't there.

 

[bobthebowhunter]

IMO he paid the same amount of dues as you, so he has as much of a right to hunt the area. Just because you've put a stand up there doesn't give you the sole hunting rights. That being said, I personally would have told you that I'd scouted around where you were hunting and intended to hunt it a few times when you weren't there.

I'll say it again. I hold no grudge against the man for hunting the area or killing the deer. On our lease if you're not there anyone can hunt your area. We are a tight group most of us family. I am just upset at my poor luck and needed to vent a little.

 

[POSSUM HUNTER]

SOME FOLKS WILL BLOW ANYTHING OUT OF PROPORTION