Robbing a kid

[smarandr]

Had my 12 year old out for the deer opener on Saurday with an antlerless tag in his pocket. ID let's youth hunt antlerless deer in certain units to increase the odds of notching a tag at a younger age. I quite like the program, and wish they had it when I was a kid. Anyway, like everything else this year there were too many people out and about, but since the Boy had an antlerless tag and everyone else we could see was and adult (ie holding antlered tags) I didn't figure we were really in competition with one another.

We saw a few doe/fawn pairs early in the moring, some in range and some out of range, but my son didn't want to take a doe that had a fawn with her (he decided that all on his own without any coaching from me). Then, finally mid-morning we see a doe all by herself within range and we start getting my son set up for a shot. Unfortunately, as we get set up I can see that the deer was in the same general direction as another hunter (not wearing a stitch of blaze orange), so I tell my son he has to hold off.

I was hoping the deer would see/hear/smell the other guy and take off in a direction that was safe to shoot, so I told my son to keep on the rifle and wait things out. However, once the other guy sees us getting set up he decided that he's missing something and needs to get in on the action too, and starts trying to hunt the same deer. Of course his movement does get the deer moving, but not in a safe direction for us to shoot, and then it goes over the hill out of sight.

At first I thought, "thems the breaks" when hunting on public land in the covid-19 era, but the more I got to thinking about it the more upset I got because the other hunter could damn well see it was a kid getting set up. Seems pretty low to me to try and shoot a deer out from under a kid.

Still got a few days left in the antlerless season, so I'll take him out of school at least one day to try and get the job done without as many people around.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Unfortunately that's what happens quite a bit on public land. Although he probably didn't know it was a kid and may have figured the same as you did, that perhaps the deer would move in his direction for a shot.

 

[Red Fox]

It was crazy on Saturday, I had spent the week scouting but it was all for nothing as there were over a dozen rigs and even more guys out. I don't understand when you see someone getting ready for a shot you would try and mess it up for them.

Maybe they thought there was a buck, hard to say. I plan to hunt during the week

 

[marshman]

I am pretty saddened sometimes at the general lack of ethics you see out of some people in the field.
I remember a few instances of this when i was a kid, in the 70's so it is not anything new. Use as a teaching moment for your son.

 

[Werty]

Nobody was robbed, that deer is still out there. Looks like a great lesson was missed. Things don't always go as planned, buckle down and work harder.
Nobody is entitled to anything, that's the problem with this country.
I wish you luck on your next outing

 

[seeth07]

Unfortunately, as we get set up I can see that the deer was in the same general direction as another hunter (not wearing a stitch of blaze orange)

Blaze orange isn't required to be worn in ID...

 

[Steiny]

I can envision that scenario in the crowded midwest but find it hard to understand in Idaho?
Surely you can find some public ground out there that's a bit less crowded for your next hunt(s).

 

[3855WIN]

If the fawn is no longer nursing, no reason not to kill a doe. Season structures are developed where game departments are fine with the doe being killed.
Kudos to you for getting your son out.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I interpret the situation differently. If I’m the other guy I’m positioning myself to get an opportunity if you choose to pass, or I’ll position myself to cover a predicted escape route. I’m not going to walk past you to make a move, or carelessly spook the animal.

Your kid did get “robbed” of an opportunity to learn from you about how to use other hunters to your advantage when hunting highly pressured public ground. Maybe consider teaching him about this the next time you go out.

If my daughter’s coach assigns my kid to warm the bench the entire season I’ll buy the coach a steak dinner for teaching a valuable lesson in humility. And if my kid whines I’ll encourage her to practice harder to try and earn what she wants since no one is entitled to anything.

 

[Pucky Freak]

There is also a fine lesson here to teach your kid about the pros and cons of being selective in which animals are going to be killed and which ones are going get the pass. Is his reason for passing on a doe with fawns that he doesn’t want Bambi to be lonely? Or is he thinking he’s making a lesser impact on the deer population by taking a “dry doe”? Sharing some info on biology can help him make an informed decision. Hint: Bambi will be just fine and dry doe is a myth.

My 1st opportunity to kill a big game animal was a doe and 3 fawns together. I balked. They walked over a hill and a shot rang out. That was our party’s only opportunity to harvest that year.

 

[Stocker]

I’ve seen a lot on public land, I think it’s a good lesson for your kid to get used to some nonsense.

 

[Otto Matic]

One reason I refuse to hunt "public" land!
But Texas and Oklahoma aren't like out west with millions of acres of NFS land.