[flatliner]

Last year I found a 8pt rack on a piece of ground I hunt. It's a decent buck, grossed 122". While keeping up on the surrounding landowners this week, one told me a hunter on their place shot one he couldn't find. The guy who shot it came to see me at work today. Should I give him the rack?

 

[cfuhrer]

NO!
If he didn't care enough about the rack (let alone the deer ) to keep looking for it once he shot it... forget him!!

 

[Tronjo]

if you think he did shoot it, I would give it to him. jmo

 

[joshuahodges]

First ask im if he tagged another deer that year if he did Dont give it to him. Then ask him to describe the buck he shot, if its the one and this guy is a nice guy then i say give it to him.

 

[Rchr]

Give it back

If you think the guy is sincere. Maybe he did not find it because it went into someone elses property. Maybe he lost the trail and had no clue where else to look. If he genuinly looked for it then I feel bad for the guy I have had that happen to me. It probably means more to him than you might know.

 

[Canzoni]

Dont give it to him, its yours fair and square.

 

[sagecreek]

If he could describe it to you, I would let him have it.

 

[flatliner]

Hmmm...Well, he was able to describe the rack and he did lose the blood trail. Seems about 50/50 so far.

 

[waveone]

I'm of the opinion that if he can describe it, and he did due diligence searching for the deer then I would probably give it to him. Let him do the talking.

If your sense he is being honest ,forthright and humble then by all means.Otherwise you under no obligation to give anything to anyone w/ out proper justification

 

[Bobmuley]

It is yours fair and square; however, if someone lost their wallet on the property and could identify, wouldn't you return it? Seems like the right thing to do, even if you don't have to.

 

[Cmarti]

My friend's 14 year old daughter shot a big 10 point last year, and we spent that night and the whole next day tracking. His neighbor found it in January,
and would not give the rack to this young lady. It is not always from a lack
of effort and skill that a deer is not recovered. She was disappointed for quite some time when we did not recover that buck. I thought it would have been a nice gesture.

 

[rembrandt]

I would give it to him. I have a friend who shot a big antelope with long horns and we both searched hard for several hours before giving up. The game warden found it the next day and it is in the Hall Of Horns in San Antonio. I think the state finally called him and offered it back to him. Don't know if he has it or not. It was a Texas record buck antelope I think.

 

[gmbellew]

Hmmm...Well, he was able to describe the rack and he did lose the blood trail. Seems about 50/50 so far.

sounds to me like you answered your own question. you said he could describe the rack and tried to recover it. i see no reason not to give it back. plus if he is a hunter in the area, it never hurts to make friends/earn respect of nearby hunters.

 

[S4 300-60]

Yeah, I also think you should look at the bigger picture here as well. If the guy is or is a freind of a surrounding landowner, I would give it to him as an act of good faith. Who knows if next time you shoot a nice deer, if it goes onto this guys property, he may tell you to take a hike. If the guy did all he could what more could you ask for? Plus, how much meaning does the rack actually hold for you?

 

[deadeye270]

if he can describe it, give it back. What value does a found rack have to you? Especially when you put the shoe on the other foot. If you would have lost the buck yourself and a neighbor found it would you want it back?

 

[cfuhrer]

OK, some great points have been raised and some good examples given... I am convinced that my first post was wrong.
Under some of the above cited circumstances the rack should be returned to the hunter that claimed he harvested the buck.

 

[Meleagris1]

Sounds like this is most likely his rack. Personally, I would give it to this guy. Always treat others as you would like to be treated. I bet if you were in his shoes you would be very grateful that someone returned the rack.

Doing what's right isn't always easy, but it's always right! Good luck. :thumbs_up

 

[deadeye270]

cfurher-

I didn't say to give the rack back right away..... make him desribe it. If he tells you about 150" split brow tine, double droptine monster you can tell him thats not the one you found.

 

[cfuhrer]

cfurher-

I didn't say to give the rack back right away..... make him desribe it. If he tells you about 150" split brow tine, double droptine monster you can tell him thats not the one you found.

Oh of course, but my innitial flat out rejection wasn't warranted either.

 

[ladycarpenter]

Yes, the Golden Rule should apply here. I would certainly want it if it had been mine. We have found a couple of different sets on occasion after season, usually when mushroom hunting. We usually know who hunts a given area, and usually have heard if they shot a deer and lost it. When we find a set that we can attribute to a hunter, we give it to them.