tsoc

First lethal hit claims the animal.Why someone would ever take a shot at a running deer with archery equipment is beyond me!!!That is pathetic and most definitely an embarrassment to the rest of the bowhunting community!

Monie

With me and my friends, who ever makes the killing shot gets the deer, The second guy made the killing shot. He should get the deer.

That being said, in my opinion, neither one should have shot at a running deer.

liquidorange

when i was hunting antelope a guy hit one in the femur artery in the leg. it went 60 yards and died quickly.

121553

I don't know if I totally agree with you on this one Rob. The first guy would be a slob for shooting a running deer but I think the second hunter had an ethical obligation in putting a wounded deer with an arrow sticking out its rump down, weather its running or not. Thats the only time that a running shot should be taken, only when its wounded.
But to answer the original question, its like an unwritten law up here, whom ever makes the killing shot gets the animal. A hindquarter/leg/pounch, ect.is not a killing shot and why should anyone be rewarded for wounding an animal, if anything, you should have that bow wrapped side your head. [:@]

Bobby

Big Country

While I completely agree that taking bow shots at running deer is just asking for trouble, and I personally will not do it regardless of the size, sex, or species(excluding coyotes)..........

You guys do realize that Howard Hill and Fred Bear attempted this very thing many times. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not successfully.

Of course, Fred Bear raised his effective kill percentage by using poison pod.

Not throwing stones at anyone here, but I always find it odd how some folks denounce acts like this in one breath, and extol the virtures of some of our early pioneers of the sport with their next breath.

Personally, I will pass on running shots with a bow. A brisk walk gets a pass as well.

chiefks

Ido not shoot at running game with a bow, I am picky about the shots I take. I don't even attempt shots and running game with a rifle. I am simply not that good, nor do I know how much to lead the animal. That being said...

There is one thing that is bothering me about this thread. We owe it the animals we hunt make clean ethical kills. That is our goal when we shoot an animal. Some times things happen and the animal gets wounded. Now this is what bothers me. Wounded deer, and not one person in here is willing to take a shot to try and anchor the deer or get a marginal hit to slow it down so it can be put down???? You guys would rather let that animal suffer than try to put it down? I don't quite understand why you won't shoot at that point.

I'd kick the guys butt who turned the first arrow loose, but I think his friend was in the right trying to anchor that deer. Even if he was lucky and got the job done, he was still trying to bring down a wounded deer.

nwthunderstick

how about this...........the second guys tags the deer. You share the meat between the three of you and you vow to.......

NEVER EVER TAKEA RUNNING SHOT AGAIN!!!!!

JimmyMo32

yeah i havent takin many running shots but i admit ive done it before.. actually the one who hit it in the hindquarter claimed the deer.. i didnt agree with it and mos tof our hunting buddies didnt agree either.. but we let them resolve it.. and the first shot claimed it.. neither one of these guys is unethical and slobs.. and i think you need to watch your choice of words... because i guarantee you when you get in that zone and a deer of that stature runs by you.. you wont just let it run by

davidmil

YUP, I figure they could make it a law and state the first guy to hit the deer owns it, but two yahoos slinging arrows at a galloping bambi are still going to argue over it.

Aside from the preaching, first leathal hit claims the deer. I will say, that if the guy squared the ham and got the artery, the deer would bleed like a stuck pig and drop withing a couple hundred yards. He'd find it, but since someone got to it first with a more killing shot it's his. That said, I saw a guy try to walk up on a deer that was down and shoot it through the heart to claim he killed it. Problem was, someone was in a tree telling him don't shoot that deer.... don't shoot that deer. He did anyway and the arguement was on, at least until the scum bag dead deer shooter became out numbered. Nope... I wasn't involved. I just came along in time to hear all the fuss.

vikesfan353

I've had this happen before! I took down a nice 8pt about 3 years ago!(Rifle season.)As I walk up to where the deer dropped, I noticed he already had been bleeding and had a halfdecent blood trail!(Shot right up the arse, but no vitals were hit.)The last shot I heard was about a half hour before and a ways off!(Turned out to be just about a mile.) Well about the time I finished field dressing the buck, here come aboy and his dad up the blood trail! Soon as they see me the oldman says, "Did you get him?". I said, "yes I did!" He then said, "Thank you." I said "I even gutted him for ya." We then shared a Hershey's bar, a story, and a 1/4 mile drag back to the road!!

Point being, first blood, as long as it's followable and they follow it to the deer!

It's just a deer, there's more! It's not worth fighting over!