What do the other Ranchs do ?

[Buff]

I have a group here this weekend from Missouri, mostly killing hogs.
They have had a big weekend and have killed 8 good pigs.
One fellow decided to shoot a Waterbuck and managed to hit it in the shoulder with a rage from a X-bow.
We followed it with the dog for 4 hours. I was afraid to turn her loose to run it down as Im pretty sure it could and would kill her.
We all spent the rest of the day trying to find it with none of us every seeing it again.
He now has to pay a bunch of money for an animal he is not going to get to take home with him, which is just awful.
I offered to let him come back and hunt it again in a couple of weeks if it turns back up but he cant get back down here.
He said he may just have me shoot it after they are gone and put it in the taxi for him.
I dont think I would want it on my wall if someone else shot it two weeks after I left but I suppose if it is what he wants I can do it.

Im just wondering how the other ranchs handle this kind of thing.

[Skinny]

What do the other Ranchs do ?

Interesting. Surprised you haven't experienced this yet.

I'm sure there are some certain factor involved, but I always thought that if you drew blood then that's considered a kill. Heck the thing may die...and if you find it then go from there.

If it lives and someone else shoots it and pays up then you've made a little more profit off that animal.

Sounds logical in my mind anyway.

[Buff]

Interesting. Surprised you haven't experienced this yet.

I'm sure there are some certain factor involved, but I always thought that if you drew blood then that's considered a kill. Heck the thing may die...and if you find it then go from there.

If it lives and someone else shoots it and pays up then you've made a little more profit off that animal.

Sounds logical in my mind anyway.

We have been lucky and I have a really, really good dog. We are able to get 95% of the deer folks shoot. The dog would have ran the Waterbuck down but it is a 500 pound animal with 2 big spikes on it head so that was just not a option.

[miket]

I would probably tell him you will keep an eye out for it and, if you see it, and it looks like its in bad shape and will die you will finish it off, if it looks healthy it gets to live. Its just one of those things where there probably is no perfect solution.



( there is still the chance you see it and believe its healthy but it still dies, I dont think you should have to take that financial hit, hence the rule requiring payment if blood is drawn )

[BTLowry]

Always been my understanding that if you draw blood then it is yours. If it survives then you luck out and either let him come redeem himself or let it go. If it dies and the hunter lucks out and you find it quick enough he can have it mounted and salvage the situation.

I guess if I was running the place and the guy had payed for the critter and wanted me to finish it off and get it to the taxi I would do that. He already payed. On the other hand I would not quit everything to hunt the critter down for the next 3 days either.

I am thinking if you tracked with a good dog for 4hrs then the critter will survive if it does not get a bad infection

Sucks for the hunter but that is part of hunting

[IDAHO_BOWMEN]

I hate when stuff like that happens.. I always feel bad...

[az2tx]

If he wounds it, he bought it that simple. If it shows up and is obviously hurt I would shoot it gat him the cape and horns. My guess is this time of year with it being warmer it probably get infected

[Mike Murphey]

I Agree if a hunter shoots the animal and draws blood it it theirs, if you find the animal dead send the head / horns to the hunter. If it lives let someone else hunt it

[cantexduck]

Never fun to charge someone in this situation. Hunter pays the kill fee, if you see the animal wounded ,kill it. If you find the Buck doing good mark him off limits and wait until the guy can come back. Not many places will do the second option .

[J-J Matt]

I absolutely hate when that happens too. In my experience with it, what he suggested really is the best option I think. Even if the hit wasn't in the vitals to kill him now, infection could sure get him later and then you both loose the animal. He planned on spending the money when he pulled the trigger and as bad as it sucks to make a bad shot, he's the one responsible for it. He needs to pay and then you should shoot the animal as soon as you see him if you do, even if he doesn't look hurt bad. I've had it happened before. Had a guy shoot an animal, pay for it and tell me to shoot it if I saw it. I saw him and he didn't look too bad so we waited and tried to get a date where he could come back. Before he could get here, infection killed the animal and by the time we found it, the cape was ruined. Hate being in that position, hope he turns up for you guys. Good luck.

[az2tx]

I Agree if a hunter shoots the animal and draws blood it it theirs, if you find the animal dead send the head / horns to the hunter. If it lives let someone else hunt it

I have an ethical issue with letting someone take and pay for an animal that someone else has already wounded and paid for

[Shurshot]

I Agree if a hunter shoots the animal and draws blood it it theirs, if you find the animal dead send the head / horns to the hunter. If it lives let someone else hunt it

Exactly

[Boonerorbust]

If the guy paid for it then i think it should be his. Why let someone else shoot it and pay you again unless you are goin to give him his money back. If he is ok with you finishing it off then thats what i would do.

[Encinal]

I have an ethical issue with letting someone take and pay for an animal that someone else has already wounded and paid for

My rule is... We find it that year, it's yours. It goes a year, it's back in gen pop anyone's....

[Txbownut]

I'm not sure how other ranches handle it, other than the couple I have been to have policies that if you wound it, you buy it. Not sure about a waterbuck, but whitetails can take a heck of a wound and survive. Difficult call for sure. If he is wounded and I saw him, I think I would have to finish him off and send the guy the cape and horns. Can't stand the thought of an animal suffering. As far as charging the guy, policy is policy, but I think it would depend on the guy's attitude. Mistakes happen to all of us, and sometimes even with a good shot, the animal just doesn't do what we think it should. Maybe you could cut him a deal on a later hunt, half price or something substantial enough that he becomes an ambassador for your ranch. The best advertising is word of mouth. It's hunting, but in your case, it is business too. Good call on not letting the dog go, it could have been worse than a lost waterbuck.