Hunting ethics-What would you do

[Markleo21377]

I ran into a unique but not uncommon situation this year on my buddies wife’s 5B late rifle bull hunt. Opening morning we turned up 2 bulls first light at 1100 yards. Her effective range is about 600 yards so we needed to drop off the ridge and onto a spine between us and the elk.

As we made our way there we heard a side by side coming in. I told my buddy to continue on and I would let them know what we were doing. It ended up being two guys from Washington, one with a tag. They too had seen the bulls and were in pursuit. I told them since two bulls were in there we should work together and we can make a final decision on shooter once in position. They were agreeable so we eased in. We got to 600 yards and had the biggest bull in plain site bedded. The other was bedded in thick junipers. My buddies wife had never killed a bull and neither had this gentleman. 
 

Despite my gut telling me “ladies first” I knew they had just as much right to the bulls as us, so we agreed to flip for it. Well, she lost. So we got her in position in the event the second bull popped out and helped him with distance, windage and execution. He made a perfect shot and the other bull slipped out just giving us brief glimpses but never long enough for a new hunter. It was disappointing and exciting all at once. Bull was a tank and scored 351”. 
 

Super solid dudes and even offered tons of assistance trying to help her connect over the next few days but she could never quite put it together. On day 2 I found her the bull of a lifetime, conservatively 370” and had her at 400 yards from him but she couldn’t get him in her scope in the thick cedars before he bedded. I had to go home but they saw him two more times and no shot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sure love mentoring new hunters but after killing lots of animals for 35 years it is easy to forget the newbie mistakes that occur over and over again that we made and is so glaring when someone else does it. Test of patience, kindness, and humility for sure!
 

Here is the bull they killed 351”
 

 

 

 

 

[CatfishKev]

I think you played it very fair. Lots of turds out there and just be glad you are not one of them. 

[PRDATR]

Do you think they should have conceded to her? I think you did what any other hunter would have done.

[Markleo21377]

16 minutes ago, PRDATR said:

Do you think they should have conceded to her? I think you did what any other hunter would have done.

I think we did what many ethical hunters would do but I have hunted here 15 years now and seen an unbelievable amount of people turn into monsters for an animal 

[trphyhntr]

In your situation I don’t think there was any other option than what you did, other than let them have them entirely, 
 

if it was me solo, I’m acting like I didn’t see them 350. 
 

Concede a 351 cuz it’s a chick, absolutely not. Maybe if it was a little kid. Not a grown woman. Maybe it’s not the case with your friend, but I would immediately think her old man probably applied her anyway so he had more opportunity to hunt.

[Markleo21377]

4 minutes ago, trphyhntr said:

In your situation I don’t think there was any other option than what you did, other than let them have them entirely, 
 

if it was me solo, I’m acting like I didn’t see them 350. 
 

Concede a 351 cuz it’s a chick, absolutely not. Maybe if it was a little kid. Not a grown woman. Maybe it’s not the case with your friend, but I would immediately think her old man probably applied her anyway so he had more opportunity to hunt.

Agree, I am solo I’m to the bull already by the time buggy arrives but new hunter different story 👍

[Lucafu1]

Washington? Eww....

[Flatlander]

You were pretty fair. I’d of sent her up the hill to get set while I tried to run them off the road 😂 

And, to be honest, what most hunters would have done is made a stink about it and got on social media to complain about road hunters ruining everything.

No animal is worth a bunch of drama. Hunting is supposed to be fun or a way to separate from our day to day. Not something to be even more stressful and dramatic.

[EarlyBronco]

If you were headed to them first I definitely would have TOLD them she would be shooting first and they could shoot once she shot whether she hit or missed the first shot, especially for an out of stater, they can stay out of state lol

[Markleo21377]

14 minutes ago, Flatlander said:

You were pretty fair. I’d of sent her up the hill to get set while I tried to run them off the road 😂 

And, to be honest, what most hunters would have done is made a stink about it and got on social media to complain about road hunters ruining everything.

No animal is worth a bunch of drama. Hunting is supposed to be fun or a way to separate from our day to day. Not something to be even more stressful and dramatic.

💯 

[HyNoon]

I think you guys handled it very well. I think paper, rock, Scissors would be funner.