11 y/o looses buck to a coin flip...

[Tcarlson]

I would've been happy to give the kid the buck. This was an not only opportunity of recruitment and retention but to live the hunt through the eyes of a child. While we all know the importance of ethical kills I think it's unrealistic to expect young hunters to be so perfect. I think a situation like this opens the door for guy's like us to share our passion for the sport and helps insure that kid doesn't , one day, become that guy.

[dirt nap giver]

Like others have said, for recruitment purposes, I would have given it to the kid. Not everyone is on the same stage of deer/ buck hunting I am on though. Just because I have a few nice bucks on the wall doesn't mean another Hunter does. Yes there is more to life than another big buck.
The "winner" of the coin toss might not have any nice bucks on the wall. Paying the passion forward is more important.
The dad is a cry baby in my opinion.

2 years ago I shot a buck that died on private land. I went to the owner and asked permission to recover. I was denied, but the owners son went out and tagged the buck as well as thinkin that I had crossed the property line and calls the CO.
The CO arrived by the time I made it back to my truck, asked me some questions and also asked to see where I was hunting and shot the deer, so I showed him. We followed my footprints to the property line as well as where I had stopped.
Long story short, the owners son had no right to make the "trespassing" call because he didn't know the property line. I wasn't tresspassing and didn't recieve any citation because I hadn't done anything wrong.
The owners son on the other hand received a citation for an illegally tagged animal and the CO took the deer. Karma!
Got a phone call later that day and added to the venison in the freezer.
In Michigan, the land owner has the right to reject access, but he also can't tag the deer because he didn't kill it.

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[JoeRE]

Well, to me it would boil down to if the deer was probably fatally hit or not. If that could not be determined yea a coin flip is as good a way as any to figure out.

Whoever first fatally hit the deer has the right to tag it. If they then want to give it to a kid just because they were a kid, thats OK too.

The boys dad doesn't get much sympathy from me though...making an agreement then trying to back out of it is a pretty poor thing to model to your kid. Guess who is going to grow up just like dad.

The bigger a bucks antlers the less honest most folks become. Sad.

[rutnbuck]

It's one of many lessons learned in life. I think kids today are given the silver spoon to much and getting trophy just for participating in anything these days. Take the age out of this and it is what it is. Fair or not...we have to quit giving excuses for everything. Learn from it and move on. Our youth are the ones going to suffer in the long run if they aren't held accountable. The hands our held way to long in my opinion. When I was growing up you mentored and learned for a short period and then you had to get it done on your own and learned many valuable traits that I think today's youth is missing.

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[E72]

I remember when Rat Slayer shot his 1st buck... We snuck into a buck bedding area and an 8 point satellite buck got up 20 yards from us and just stood there staring. He shot it in the guts and it ran right into a feild surrounded with orange, and guys shooting from every direction. We could hear shooting for about 2 or 3 minutes getting father and farther away... He wanted to go track the buck. I said Jamie, there is no way you will get that buck. There are probably about 20 people arguing about whose it is right now, and there will likely only be a gut pile when we get to the end of the track... I found out later from a guy in town that he shot the buck in the field and was racing others to track it and that other guys knocked it over further down... On public land, you simply need to make sure you knock the buck over or someone else is going to get it...

Me personally? I would of gave it to the kid... But, I also feel the kids Dad should not have gone to the media, and should of explained to the kid how it is.

Rat Slayer got the ultimate Karma that day... Cause shortly after that buck ran off, a bigger 9 point got out of a bed 75 yards away and Rat slayer nailed him.

Agree with this Dan. The dad needs to make this a good lesson for his son. Keep hunting hard, make a better shot and good things will come.

[wiscbowhntr]

It's one of many lessons learned in life. I think kids today are given the silver spoon to much and getting trophy just for participating in anything these days. Take the age out of this and it is what it is. Fair or not...we have to quit giving excuses for everything. Learn from it and move on. Our youth are the ones going to suffer in the long run if they aren't held accountable. The hands our held way to long in my opinion. When I was growing up you mentored and learned for a short period and then you had to get it done on your own and learned many valuable traits that I think today's youth is missing.

[ Post made via Android ]

Amen

[Dhurtubise]

I bet I speak for most of the guys on this site......I'd have shook the kids hand and said congrats, here's your buck!

Yes.

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[Dhurtubise]

Let the kid have it, it would likely mean way more to him. Its a kid, man up dude and do the right thing.

I disagree, that dad isn't teaching his son anything valuable by going to the news and throwing a fit about it.

I think this a case of two wrongs not making things right. At least I agree with Haus that the man most in the wrong is the father.

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[Dhurtubise]

Turn the deer into two bucks.....

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[JoeRE]

The first time I saw a deer get shot, my dad took me out for a walk during deer season. I was probably 7 or 8. We jumped a wounded buck, small basket rack, and I watched him shoot it as it tried to run away. I have no idea where it was hit but remember it seemed to be hurt pretty bad. A couple guys came over the hill and my dad said - your deer is over there. They were so thankful they dropped off a bunch of meat at our house the next day when they butchered it.

I was only a kid but thought the whole experience was pretty cool.

[DEERSLAYER]

Does it make a difference that the kid shot him in the leg? I'd definitely give the deer to the kid if it was mortally wounded, for example, shot in the guts. I don't believe they were going to recover him if it wasn't for the neighbor (based on the video). He gets a valuable life lesson, and he shouldn't get a trophy for participating, just because he's a kid. A lot worse things will happen in that kid's life. Also, don't go to the news after you lost a coin flip that you agreed to. Don't get me wrong, I'm a nice guy and I like kids!

I agree. I'm not saying I might not end up giving the deer to the kid, but I would try to do what I think is the right thing and NOT give it to him. I think the lesson learned is more important than the short term instant gratification.

Having said that, I think it's also important that the guy who took the deer consider whether or not he would have had the chance to shoot it if the deer wasn't hit in the first place.

[whitetailassasin]

I was 14 yrs old and was pushing woods with our crew. Had a 6pt come by me and I took a shot hit it but it kept running till on of our sitters(my cousin) shot it and put it down. Without an argument i gave up my claim to the deer and said it was his. I had never shot a buck ever and wanted it real bad, but I was raised that you have to earn what you shoot and also the value of sportsmanship to other hunters. It caused me to one practice harder, and two it helped me fuel the drive I carry today. The father should have done a better job teaching his kid what was most important. That kid will see how his dad handled the situation and it will stick in his mind and no doubt play into future decisions. The kid lost out twice in my opinion, could have been a good learning and growing experience.

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[Dewey]

It's one of many lessons learned in life. I think kids today are given the silver spoon to much and getting trophy just for participating in anything these days. Take the age out of this and it is what it is. Fair or not...we have to quit giving excuses for everything. Learn from it and move on. Our youth are the ones going to suffer in the long run if they aren't held accountable. The hands our held way to long in my opinion. When I was growing up you mentored and learned for a short period and then you had to get it done on your own and learned many valuable traits that I think today's youth is missing.

[ Post made via Android ]

I agree. Took me 8 years to kill my first deer. I think the long learning process made me appreciate everything much more once sucess started and made me a better hunter In the end.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[goldtip5575]

It's one of many lessons learned in life. I think kids today are given the silver spoon to much and getting trophy just for participating in anything these days. Take the age out of this and it is what it is. Fair or not...we have to quit giving excuses for everything. Learn from it and move on. Our youth are the ones going to suffer in the long run if they aren't held accountable. The hands our held way to long in my opinion. When I was growing up you mentored and learned for a short period and then you had to get it done on your own and learned many valuable traits that I think today's youth is missing.

[ Post made via Android ]

I agree nothing brings out the liberal in a hardcore republican more than deer hunting.

[Wapiti]

Well, to me it would boil down to if the deer was probably fatally hit or not. If that could not be determined yea a coin flip is as good a way as any to figure out.

Whoever first fatally hit the deer has the right to tag it. If they then want to give it to a kid just because they were a kid, thats OK too.

X2. First fatal hit should get the deer.

If I was the private land owner in this situation, and could not determine if my hit was the first fatal hit, then I would have just given the deer to the kid.