Finders Keepers?

B

Bella

New member
Let's say you wing a pheasant and it flies across the field. You see someone else's dog grab the wounded bird and retrieve it to its owner. Who should rightfully have it?

You are deer hunting and shoot one and it drops on the spot. As you are examining it you see a leg that was injured by someone else's shot. That person shows up and claims he had wounded the animal. Who should take possession of it?

Are there laws governing this or is a matter of ethics?
 
Basically it's ethics. Have had both happen to me more than once and have been on both sides. Generally a wounded pheasant that flies clear across the field into another group of hunters is their bird, IMHO. If it drops dead outta the sky and it's just that another dog beats your dog to it, I'd consider it your bird. As for the deer, to me it depends on who shot it and where it was hit. If it's a kid and it's a first or second deer, he gets it....period. If it was mortally wounded with the first shot and the second hunter basically put it outta it's misery, I believe it belongs to the first shooter. If it was a wound that was not mortal and the deer would not have been easily retrieved without an second shot, then I believe it belongs to the second shooter. Others are free to disagree. Generally, I do not argue over possession in most cases, as the animal is not worth it. I also generally don't argue with folks that have a loaded weapon in their hands. I have heard stories of hunters calling in a warden to determine who's deer it was when the argument got heated.
 
In the case of the pheasant, I would say if the bird is shot and down then it is your bird. Of course if it flew 300 yards then no. If it was one of those sailing down deals your bird. Especially if no one from the other group shot it.

Deer...

Archery it belongs to the person that first stuck the deer. Unless it is just some terrible shot.

Guns on deer it goes to who drops it. If someone shoots a deer and it runs, who knows how far it will run. Who knows if it will be found. If it runs by another hunter and they drop it then it should be their deer. Now that said, I don't like hunting within several hundred yards of other people unless they are the people I am hunting with. Hunting with friends makes that a lot easier.

I agree with buck460XVR....if it is a young kid and it is their first or second deer then they get that deer. I walk away felling good that I got the assist and they recovered their deer.
 
If it was a pheasant and someone else claimed it, they are welcome to it, not that big a deal. Deer can get heated among some, me personally if someone shoots and hits a deer drawing "first blood" and I finish it off (lets say it has a leg wound), and they track it to where I dropped it, its theirs they shot it first. Heck if I shot it first and they shoot it again and claim it, its just not that big a deal to me, if they want it that bad heck I'll help them get it out of the woods. I don't think there is any law on who it belongs to around here.
 
Lots of deer survive being shot and wounded on a yearly basis. The person that delivers the kill shot is the one with the right to possession. Same on the bird
 
You see someone else's dog grab the wounded bird and retrieve it to its owner. Who should rightfully have it?
Click to expand...

I've had this happen to me with ducks. If the person offers it to me I'll take it but if he puts it on his string I don't have an issue with it either. I've chased, and lost, to many birds across the pond/lake/river and know that that bird has a chance to escape if I've only winged it.

You are deer hunting and shoot one and it drops on the spot. As you are examining it you see a leg that was injured by someone else's shot. That person shows up and claims he had wounded the animal. Who should take possession of it?
Click to expand...

In a case like this I would not have a problem giving up the deer. I agree that the kill shot should be the rightful owner, but that is my belief and others believe it's first blood that gets to tag the animal.

Bottom line is I'm out there to have a good time, same as the next hunter is. Is arguing over a duck, pheasant, or even a deer worth wrecking that for?
 
Here in Arizona the law says if someone shoots a deer, elk, antelope, whatever and another person's shot brings it to bag, it belongs to the one who brings it to bag, not the person who first shot it. It's been about 36 years since I lived in Nevada but IIRC, they also had a similar law. Usually, I just let the guy/gal who shot it first have it but technically if a Game Warden sees that, I'd get a ticket here in AZ. :(
Paul B.
 
Not worth any argument !!!

Basically it's ethics. Have had both happen to me more than once and have been on both sides.
Click to expand...
If you hunt long enough, you will encounter situations lke this. In fact, during the ehtics portion of our Hunter Ed Class, we bring up at least four such examples and it's surprising so see the different attitudes.

Suggest that before it turns into a "spitting contest", you let the oudest voice have the game as it's really not worth it. On one pheasant hunt, I shot busted some feathers and the bird glided down to some other hunters. Their dog retireved the bird, to it to it's handler. Was pleased to see that hunter walk over to the fence and handed it to me. I thanked him, shook his hand and that added to a pleasant day !!! ..... :)
On one Deer dispute, both shooters agreed to flip a coin. .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
On the subject of retrieval, isn't a birddog suppose to take game to his owner no matter who downed it?
 
That is how it's "suppose" to work !!! ???

On the subject of retrieval, isn't a birddog suppose to take game to his owner no matter who downed it?
Click to expand...
That has been my experience and that is why I listed the term, handler. I have worked behind some excellent dogs but can't say I've ever seen one that was so smart, that he/she, knew who shot the bird. .... :confused:

On a realated note, we were once hunting Pheasants and met up with another group, at a fence line. They had three dogs with them and one of them decided, he would rather hunt with us. Worked out pretty good for us and later caught up with it's owner at the local watering hole. ..... :)

Be Safe !!!
 
Hey Dummy; over here !!!

Yes, but they seem to know who misses the bird.
Click to expand...
WOW !!!
You've got that right and they have their own special look that they give you !! How bout the look they give you when they are on-pont. .... :confused:

Be Safe !!!
 
Pahoo and Bella, you guys might not be old enough to remember but one of the big 3 hunting/fishing magazines of yesteryear (Sports Afield, Field&Stream, Outdoor Life) used to run a regular cartoon pic featuring a hunter and kind of goofy looking dog. The dog was always giving the hunter the stink eye for missing.
 
It likely depends on the state. I know if my dog brought a bird someone else shot i would probably make an effort to find them and give them their bird. Ive killed all manner of animals which were wounded earlier on and its not fun having to tag an animal that has half the meat ruined already. If i shot an animal and someone else had already blown a leg off and wanted their animal id go ahead and let them slap their tag on it. I hunt for meat.
 
Yes, but they seem to know who misses the bird.
Click to expand...

and even worse in their eyes if they serve up a good animal and you don't even shoot!

we hunt moose with dogs and there are tons of stories of dogs bringing game to a hunter in a blind and barking them out when they fail to shoot it:D

first shooter gets the trophy imo,

doesn't the area factor in for you guys? because if we shoot an animal and it walks over to someone elses lease and drops dead they can claim it, most often people don't and we are allowed to go in and take it or put it down
 
Husqvarna: every time you post I want to go off and hunt in Sweden. It sounds immensely fun.

I too, am interested in how dogs scare up Moose. Do you worry about the moose turning the tables on the dogs? Moose are huge!

Funny story though, I can see an annoyed dog complaining to his hunter now.

Personally, I would cede any game to the person who spotted in / took the first shot.
 
moose are generally timid unless they think they can take you and you give them a reason, more than one on one and they usually will choose flight over fight. I believe the hounds are also more for tracking than flushing and chasing.
 
The dogs (mostly spitz type breeds) find tracks of moose while roaming free with a handler in tow (nowadays we have gps on the dog so it is a little bit easier

the dog barks at the moose when he/she finds it and either the moose will front the dog called a stand or bay

there is a walking stand where the moose is walking of with the dog barking in tow

or the moose will run away and the dog will follow

here is an example (not me)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SecrEgYZQl8

Most often the hunting with the dog is combined with people in blinds all over the lease, we are about 20 people that hunt together, atleast for the first week. we don't have individual tags but the lease does and we divy up the meat amonst everybody

Moose is alright, lean. ours are not the size of the canadian/alaskan ones
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top