gutshot

I was watching a bird hunting show last night on The Outdoor Channel, and these two cats were setting behind a brush blind and hammering every dove that flew by. Well then they went to commercial and when they came back they were pigeon hunting. This one pigeon flew by and they shot and hit it 4-5 times and the bird made it into the timber. Well the one ol' boy looks at the camera and says "And you think that these birds aren't tough, We just hit that one with 4-5 shots and it still flew off."
Well that got me to thinking about all of the post on here about doing absolutely everything that you possibly can to recover wounded deer. I don't know how many times that I've watched bird hunters shoot pheasants or ducks just to have the bird limp off and nobody go after it. So is it OK to wound birds and not try to recover them or am I the only one that sees something wrong with this.

Red Hawk

Sad to say not everyone will go after a wounded dove and i have done that before a few times in the past. Normally where i dove hunt is next to a fenced property (belonging to the state) and they have what i called the "AG Police" driving up and down when hunters are around. I've had several dove land within that property and when I went and try to get it, along with other hunters who have tried, the ag police always threaten to have us arrested for traspassing. Sometimes one of the nicer fellows of that group will let us go and get our birds but they won't let us hunt on that side of the fence. I know that is little off the topic of your question but I guess it would really depend on the location of where you are hunting.

burniegoeasily

I have done so myself. I have never just left them, but gave a good effort trying to find them. I live in West Texas and if you dont find the bird, there is a good chance a rattle snake has hauled it off under a bush, or other varmits.

RWK

Guys watch what we post, peta and others look at these sites to get ammo like you posted. We have to think a little. Rich

gutshot

Sorry Rich but I'm not PETA paranoid. I was just asking if it was a common practice.

NewbHunter

Not bashing on u or anything but u sound like we are hiding something which is not the case. So just dont stress it.

Red Hawk

That's pretty common around here too Burnie. In the area that i am at, there are alot of rattlers and despite that normally you would think they'd be gunshy, they actually seem to be out more when hunters are around because of an easy meal. Happy to say nobody has been bitten for awhile now. I make effort into looking for birds as well for the record.

As for looking for a wound large game animal, i would look all night if i had to

bigturk111

People need to realize that occasionaly a wounded animal will get away.This is not something that is done on purpose for the most part. As for those of you who would shoot an animal and not make a reasonable attemt to retrieve it you do not deserve to call yourself a hunter.

texaslonewolf

I have always tryed to recover the game that I have wounded. I once walked about a 1/4 of a mile to get a goose that glided down out there.It did not botherr me much though becouse I was at my limit and the otheree guyies needed a little while to get done. I think that ever one should do there best as long as it is in side the law to recover there game what ever it is. If some on does not make a good effort to recover there game while hunting with me it is there last time to hunt with me. One guy that was hunting with me shot a deer and it ran of he looked 20 min. and walked off. I asked where he was going and he said to find anouther. I hunted for the deer some more after he left. That night when he came to the truck I had his deer in the bed with my tag on it. He said why did I have my tag on his deer. I just got in the truck and told him to think about it and drove away. The good thing is he did not have to far to walk only about 10 miles . So he had plenty of time to think about it.

Good hunting,
Brian

bigboar23

As for me, you took the time to shoot him, now take the time to find him. If he's willing to give his life for the continuation of yours, the least you can do is put every effort into finding him. Size and species are irrelavant.