I'm giving some thought to hunting from a treestand we haven't used in a few years. Last time my FIL used it, hunters on neighboring property wounded a big buck (on their property) hobbling it (i.e., it was clearly limping) and FIL killed it on our property. FIL could see the hunters pursuing the deer and taking multiple shots at it and missing (could see the rounds impacting the ground). FIL killed the deer because it was about to make it to heavy cover and would likely never be found. In this case, FIL allowed the other hunter to take the deer because he had children with him who were excited about Dad getting the buck.
Last year there was a blind on the neighboring property about 200 yards from this same stand (each is about 100 yards from the property line). So a similar situation is possible if I choose to hunt there. I've always had the same view as my FIL, that whoever kills the deer takes possession, but I was curious what others think. My internet search turned up the following, which indicates the law sees it the same way, but some of the commenters disagree.
https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/whitetail-deer/whose-deer-is-it
So, after some thought my view is that the animal belongs to whomever kills it, with the exception if the "killing shot" was merely a finishing shot on animal that was almost certainly going to die AND would have been recovered without significant difficulty.
What do you all think? What etiquette do you abide? How did you resolve the issue if you've been in a similar situation?
Last year there was a blind on the neighboring property about 200 yards from this same stand (each is about 100 yards from the property line). So a similar situation is possible if I choose to hunt there. I've always had the same view as my FIL, that whoever kills the deer takes possession, but I was curious what others think. My internet search turned up the following, which indicates the law sees it the same way, but some of the commenters disagree.
https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/whitetail-deer/whose-deer-is-it
So, after some thought my view is that the animal belongs to whomever kills it, with the exception if the "killing shot" was merely a finishing shot on animal that was almost certainly going to die AND would have been recovered without significant difficulty.
What do you all think? What etiquette do you abide? How did you resolve the issue if you've been in a similar situation?