Found ! A shame !

[antharper]

So this morning I was turkey hunting on my local wma , it has trophy regs for deer .
I was slipping through a little Creek bottom heading towards a turkey I’d heard at daylight . Seen a deer carcass, looked up the hill 50 yards from it and see a climber on a tree . Still had his pack hanging on the stand , the woods have just been burned . Took just a minute to find an empty 243 casing under stand . And yes I’m sure the deer could have been shot and lost by someone else but it sure didn’t look like it . I think the buck would have been legal , he had 1 brow about an inch or so .
But it sure looked to me like whoever shot it freaked out and left everything , including the deer .
The pack was open and various items were on the ground . I cleaned up the trash and cans and put in pack , they even left their cigs and lighter .
Anyway I took the deer head out and ran into warden on the way out . Showed him , he asked me if I wanted stand to get it and wanted to know where it was at .

 

[4HAND]

So this morning I was turkey hunting on my local wma , it has trophy regs for deer .
I was slipping through a little Creek bottom heading towards a turkey I’d heard at daylight . Seen a deer carcass, looked up the hill 50 yards from it and see a climber on a tree . Still had his pack hanging on the stand , the woods have just been burned . Took just a minute to find an empty 243 under stand . And yes I’m sure the deer could have been shot and lost by someone else but it sure didn’t look like it . I think the buck would have been legal , he had 1 brow about an inch or so .
But it sure looked to me like whoever shot it freaked out and left everything , including the deer .
The pack was open and various items were on the ground . I cleaned up the trash and cans and put in pack , they even left their cigs and lighter .
Anyway I took the deer head out and ran into warden on the way out . Showed him , he asked me if I wanted stand to get it and wanted to know where it was at . View attachment 1366442View attachment 1366443

That's odd that someone would leave all of their stuff like that.
Even if they freaked out thinking it was an illegal kill, you would think they'd return later & get their gear.
I wonder if the hunter had a medical emergency after shooting the deer?

 

[antharper]

That's odd that someone would leave all of their stuff like that.
Even if they freaked out thinking it was an illegal kill, you would think they'd return later & get their gear.
I wonder if the hunter had a medical emergency after shooting the deer?

That also crossed my mind . They weren’t in a very remote or hard to get to area though . I actually found the spot last spring and said I was gonna give it a try during one of the deer hunts but didn’t

 

[Unavowed]

That’s odd. Nice stand and to just leave yer pack…. Too bad.

Even if he was abandoning deer, shoulda took his stuff out.

 

[Ruger#3]

That is so odd. I can’t imagine deliberately leaving the deer. I’ve only lost one after shooting and not finding that deer made me feel terrible.

 

[Big7]

Looks like an old school Summit.

Nice stand.

 

[kmckinnie]

They gave the intent of going back. Just never make it. I’m surprised that 243 dropped it so fast.

 

[J12]

Dang! Thought I missed.

 

[Long Cut]

I’ve been saying this for a while now. A lot of borderline legal bucks are shot and left in the woods to rot.

I’ve heard too many gunshots, only to see a small fraction checked in at the end of these hunts to think otherwise.

 

[Buford_Dawg]

I’ve been saying this for a while now. A lot of borderline legal bucks are shot and left in the woods to rot.

I’ve heard too many gunshots, only to see a small fraction checked in at the end of these hunts to think otherwise.

Was at a hunt on WestPoint WMA 30+ ago, bucks had to be specific antler size, had not one but two bucks come by me that AM that had been shoot, both running full blast with blood visually seen. Sit there for 3 more hours and no one came thru following the blood trails. Buddy and I went to station and advised DNR and they asked us to take them back there, found both bucks shortly thereafter. It happens all the time from what I have seen.

 

[Long Cut]

In my opinion, it plays out something like this;

Guy sees horns and immediately shoots. Quickly gets down and finds said buck, realizing it was a mistake. They panic and grab nothing/everything and hit the road ASAP.

They do this because :

A. There’s other hunters nearby that hear the gunshot and are curious who shot what and where.
B. Wardens drive around windows down listening for gunshots as well. They know this is happening.
C. They do not want to pay the fines.

Most folks on WMA hunts are good people that will offer to help track and drag a deer for you. It’s relatively easy to figure out who shot where once everyone meets up in the parking lots.

So that being said, somebody that kills an undersized deer wants to avoid any potential conflict and will leave before everybody gets down.

My thoughts anyways

 

[HughW2]

So this morning I was turkey hunting on my local wma , it has trophy regs for deer .
I was slipping through a little Creek bottom heading towards a turkey I’d heard at daylight . Seen a deer carcass, looked up the hill 50 yards from it and see a climber on a tree . Still had his pack hanging on the stand , the woods have just been burned . Took just a minute to find an empty 243 under stand . And yes I’m sure the deer could have been shot and lost by someone else but it sure didn’t look like it . I think the buck would have been legal , he had 1 brow about an inch or so .
But it sure looked to me like whoever shot it freaked out and left everything , including the deer .
The pack was open and various items were on the ground . I cleaned up the trash and cans and put in pack , they even left their cigs and lighter .
Anyway I took the deer head out and ran into warden on the way out . Showed him , he asked me if I wanted stand to get it and wanted to know where it was at . View attachment 1366442View attachment 1366443

So the nimrod left the deer, a pretty nice tree stand and his essentials bag in the tree; because he was worried his buck wouldn’t be legal and he might get a ticket? Lame.

 

[Pig Predator]

Stand looks like an awesome lightweight aluminum viper. I couldn't imagine anyone just leaving it. They break down and pack up pretty quick and easy.

 

[antharper]

So the nimrod left the deer, a pretty nice tree stand and his essentials bag in the tree; because he was worried his buck wouldn’t be legal and he might get a ticket? Lame.

I hope not but that’s sure what it looked like .

 

[antharper]

Stand looks like an awesome lightweight aluminum viper. I couldn't imagine anyone just leaving it. They break down and pack up pretty quick and easy.

Yeah I feel the same way . I’m not messing with it , hopefully they’ll come back for it .
I gave the warden directions to it so it’s possible they’ll remove it

 

[Jim Thompson]

A lot of possibilities here. Maybe even went back to the truck to get some help dragging and something happened from there causing him to not go back.

Even as crazy as it sounds he went out to get a sled or cart or something from the truck and then couldnt find his way back to where he was hunting. Yeah I know how crazy that sounds, but I as bad as my sense of direction is I can definitely see it happening.

 

[JustUs4All]

Thanks @Jim Thompson, we are frequently all too ready to jump on the worst case possible solution.

Leaving the stand and bag indicates to me the intent to return. Something must have intervened to give the hunter reason not to. It might have been a good reason or a bad one. This is another of those "We don't have enough information yet" situations.

 

[buckpasser]

A lot of possibilities here. Maybe even went back to the truck to get some help dragging and something happened from there causing him to not go back.

Even as crazy as it sounds he went out to get a sled or cart or something from the truck and then couldnt find his way back to where he was hunting. Yeah I know how crazy that sounds, but I as bad as my sense of direction is I can definitely see it happening.

Add daylight turning dark and you might be spot on. There’s a bunch of people that get lost easy and/or are scared of the dark.

 

[Raylander]

Dang! Thought I missed.

Whyd you leave the rifle?

 

[Raylander]

Mighta seen a TOAd on the walk out?