What would you do?

[Don Stenseth]

1 tag to fill and 2 Bucks locked together. Do you shoot or not? Why? How would you seperate them after the shot?

[HUNTER2]

Shoot the biggest one and call the game warden to tranquillize the other. Or get a bunch of friends to hold down the other one and saw off the horns.

[Bobby Bass]

I would not shoot either one, make the call to the CO and stay to help. No way is it safe to shoot one and then try to free the other.

[stevejedlenski]

i would call a buddy with a tag and tell him to get his arse over there. or if no tags were availible id call the co and shoot one while hes on his way and then get a chainsaw and saw off the others until they were free. ive seen it done before. or if you dont have a tag try this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZuiNsqJ7s&playnext_from=PL&feature=PlayList&p=4F00170BC6D94BC9&index=5

[backwoods]

I would say that absolute sportsmanlike thing to do would be to:

1) Not shoot
2) Contact the DNR officers, report the situation and offer to remain there to help

I cant see anything ethical about shooting a helpless buck that is held down by another one locked in its antlers.

[HUNTER2]

Steve, I must have something wrong with my puter. The video keeps getting bigger and smaller when I watch it.

[HUNTER2]

Hey backwoods, can you see anything ethical about shooting a buck that is chasing a hot doe?

[backwoods]

My ethics and other peoples are clearly different.  I grew up in a household where you ate what you shot, you shot what was a fair chase animal and you never ever hunted for antlers just so you would have bragging rights.

My theory is, if you need to shoot an animal just for its antlers, you shouldnt be allowed in the woods with a gun, because you aren't a sportsman.  (to me)

Honestly, I can't comprehend someone stating: shoot the locked animal that is bigger and saw its antlers off.    I couldn't hunt with someone with ethics like that if my life, my families life or my supper depended on it...its just wrong in my book.

[beeker]

I've seen deer battling before when i was bow hunting they were out of range and personally I don't think I would have shot either if they were in range, just because I felt priveledged to have witnessed such a battle.

but now you cant' tell me that bragging rights and trophys don't pop up in every deer camp... please that's just silly. how many people have passed on a small deer opening morning in hopes of the monster buck coming through? and then gone the rest of the season without seeing one.. I've done it. I hunt for many reasons and bagging a big trophy is one of em and I don't feel one bit unethical about it.

[HUNTER2]

I ment saw off the one that was still alive so he could come back next year.

[kingfisher1]

backwoods, since antler size isn't an issue, do you shoot the first buck that walks by?  Do you also fell your bonus antlerless tags, or is it unethical in your eyes to shoot does, too?

[renegade]

I'd try and find someone with a tag  or report to DNR. I wouldn't bother shooting unless the bucks were over 150" anyway. Nothing wrong with hunting for horns. If fact it is the only way I would get to hunt more than one day in a season. Hunting for trophies means many buck encounters during the fall which are always thrilling. If I need more meat in the freezer I'll take a doe. Of course any animal I harvest is not wasted.

[JCAMERON]

I would do my best to contact a CO or sheriff for some instructions. If I was told to shoot one I would. Only for the sake of the animals. Although the site would be an amazing act of nature, at this point it would no longer be hunting. 

[HD]

I wouldn't shoot.........

Nature has a way of working things out.
I'd sit back and watch the show for awhile.
But, I would still contact a CO though.


Hunter

[Go Big Red!]

I would say that absolute sportsmanlike thing to do would be to:

1) Not shoot
2) Contact the DNR officers, report the situation and offer to remain there to help

I cant see anything ethical about shooting a helpless buck that is held down by another one locked in its antlers.

I would do my best to contact a CO or sheriff for some instructions. If I was told to shoot one I would. Only for the sake of the animals. Although the site would be an amazing act of nature, at this point it would no longer be hunting. 

Can't shoot either deer, not ethical, not fair chance, etc.  I hunt for meat and I will shoot the first deer that I see regardless if antlered or not.  Still needs to have size though.

Just my opinion.

[MnDeerStalker]

Hard to say what I would do but I know I would sit back and watch the show for awile.

It would depent on alot of things if I shoot or not ( how much of the season is left, have I hunted hard and these are the only deer I have seen ) I dont think it is fair chase but if my freezer is empty and im alomst out of season  . Also would depent if I had my bow ( and 99% of the time that is the case ) or a firearm. In no way do I shoot with a bow just so many more factors to add.

[kenhuntin]

I am not sure how contacting a C.O. is ethical in regards to saving the deer. They put the animals down from what I understand. So there is some amount of suffering until they show up. If a C.O. is dispatched though they most likely will issue you possession tags for both animals.

[boogityn]

     This is a "no-brainer". I would enjoy the show for a while, at this time I would decide which animal has the higher scoring rack,( these animals won't be spikes or small baskets), put my sights on his shoulder and put one through the pump house! Rest assured, I would have no problem finding someone with a tag. Feed your family not the dogs, and one more thing,Why would you ever conact the DNR? Your asking for nothing but trouble.

[sjohnnie26]

If they are indeed locked together and not coming apart usually one or both of them will die from exhaustion, starvation, etc.  We've all seen pics of deer dead and frozen together after battling like this.

Not sure what I'd do.  If one was already exhausted or dead I'd shoot the other one to end the misery.  I would also call a friend for an extra tag if needed.  If no one was available I guess I'd call a CO.

[stevejedlenski]

i second that sjohnnie,
in my opinion the unethical thing would be to let these bucks die stuck together and their meat going to waste, sure the scavengers might get a meal out of it but they never eat the whole thing. id say take the one that looks weaker and set the other free when you can. chances are he will survive granted nothing unexpected happens. or you can try what the guy in that video did and try and shoot off the antlers. however that is more risky IMO you can cause severe damage to the skull with that bullet and kill it or both... id bet this happens alot more than you would think, do a search on youtube