I would not shoot him while he is in the water. First, since he broke through the ice, i would probably do the same. This would make the recovery dangerous and not worth the risk to self or others. Second, when he gets on the bank, I should have plenty of time while he shakes off water and recovers from his exertions to take a clear shot where recovery should be much safer. I hunt right along a river tributary used by deer as a passage and have considered this scenario before.

I would take the opportunity to set up with a good rest and keep the cross hairs on him until he started to emerge from the water. You can see that he is tired so he is not likely to come out of the water at a dead run. The danger of falling in and freezing to death in the river is an even better reason to wait. I would probably take the shot just as he hit dry ground. With his feet still in the water he will stay on a predictable course making your shot a little easier.

Another thought to consider is Hunter’s Safety 101: don’t shoot at water. If the river has any depth, there probably isn’t much buck to shoot at.

I would definitely not try to shoot the animal while it is in the water, even if you make a good shot on it the river may take your trophy from you. The only option other than letting the animal walk out of your life is by trying to get a good shot on it once it reaches the shore line and tries to gather it's wits about it, that would be your best time to try and harvest this buck.
Personally I may let the thing walk since I just watched the trauma it went through to get to the other side of the river, I still have the night to hunt before my hunt is over.

I would shoot when he gets to the shore. Yet I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him, going thou all that trouble just to get shot when he finely gets out of the water.

Well first I would make sure I have a ladder ready in the event I would have to rescue him. Once I get him I would wrap him in a blanket and make a fire to dry him out, maybe some chicken soup too. Once he is dried out , relaxed and rested, then I would blast him. The only answer is to wait for him to cross, then the question should be asked is it sporting to shoot and animal that has been so weakened by crossing the river, or do you let him walk away. Is he strong enough to make the cold weather ahead or will he die do to the strain and energy loss. As I stated before I hope they have alot of scents packs to give away, because the answers are all going to be the same. However, first I think you need to make sure that the deer comes out on your side of the property line and make sure your background is clear, there could be kyakers or fisherman around lol.

P.S. If you do shoot him once he gets out of the water, chances are he will run back from where he came and then you need to get your waders out, brrr. So wait til he walks away from the shoreline then shoot.

I might just be in the minority on this issue. I would not consider shooting this deer under these circumstances. Even after it (hopefully) gets out of the river and shakes itself off. Even if it is standing there, broadside and shivering. You see, I am a meat hunter. I can't eat antlers, no matter how nice they look. After the shock of crashing through the ice, the adrenaline rush, and then the high lactic acid buildup from the exertion of slowly swimming through the icy water, this meat isn't going to taste as good as it could. I'm going to watch this swim play out, and see what happens.
Now, if this deer makes it through the river to my side, I will be watching to see where it goes. If it is tired enough, it should bed down in some nearby cover. After giving it time to recover, I will attempt to stalk to the other side of the cover and see if I can't catch this buck in his bedroom. I grew up hunting in the wetlands and swamps of public land in Central Wisconsin, stalking a buck in heavy brush isn't as hard as it sounds. Once the sun has had a chance to melt the frost from this morning's cold snap, all the wet grass will really muffle my footsteps. I should be able to sneak within 100 yards, then use my Nikon Buckmaster scope to find my target. The TC Venture (30-.06) loaded with Federal Fusion 165 grain bullets will keep this deer from trying to swim across any more rivers.
Ok, yes, that was three shameless plugs in quick succession. But this is my real setup, and over the past 3 years I have taken 3 shots at 3 deer. All of them have been shots inside of 50 yards. None of them have run more than 20 feet. I don't like blood trailing, so I simply make sure I don't have to. :-)

vic 02/09/2012
I thing The Thing to do is to give him a a pass after getting out of the
River he will be exhausted and it would not real sporting to shoot him at this time. I still have all day.

I wouldn't shoot the animal in the water and risk both a richocet or losing him to the river. Only when he is on solid ground and well away from the shore would I even attempt a shot. He will slow way down when exitting the river to gain his composure, shake the chill from his hide and then regain his thoughts about continuing his travels. Since it is the last day of my hunt and maybe not the hunting season I would take him when a solid shot offered itself. 5x5 and backstraps are a great reqard for keeping the herds in check.

I am truly surprized that even those against shooting this monster in the water cited many reasons for NOT taking the shot EXCEPT the obvious one...anywhere I have ever hunted it is against the law to shoot game while it is in water. Once out of the predicament it is true that the adrenalin surge to the muscle would not provide optimal table fare. I would also wait, watch the scenario unfold and attempt a possible stalk or maybe even get lucky enough to have it stick around and bed down for a rest right there. I'm unexposed and undetected so the advantage is mine so far. His being cold and shivering is very unlikely due to the coat of insulating hair but he will be in the mood for a regroup and settling down a bit after his ordeal so who knows...watch, wait, and plan accordingly.

I would not shoot at all. I would be thankful to have witnessed the buck fight mother nature and win, at least this battle. I'd have to tip my hat to him on this day.

I'm in the field for more then harvesting an animal and he has already more then fulfilled why I am there with the effort he put forth. I'd be satisfied with the Sundae and pass up the cherry on top.

An animal submerged into an icy river would prove both a difficult shot as the animal's movements would be unpredictable and make recovery all the more dangerous to hunter. Waiting until he came out of the river I would then need to make sure that the animal has presented the best opportunity for a harvest.

He would get a pass from me on this encounter. Laws or not, I wouldn't shoot into the water unless I knew he was losing the battle. It may be the last day of my hunt, but a filled tag is not everything. Witnessing such a display of nature would be enough for me to consider this a successful hunt. Hopefully we meet again next year when we are both a year wiser.

I've shot lots of deer so not shooting this one wouldn't matter I injoy the outdoors and the serenity of mother nature more then the kill. This deer has won his fight with mother nature and has earned the right to live and fight another day. I would pass.

Watching this magnificent animal survive would be a once in a lifetime experience. Hopefully, I would be able to get some good pictiures. To me, this is not fair chase so I would not take the shot. Aside from this, I would expect the meat to be tough and gamey from all the adrenaline that has just surged through the animal. The outdoors and the hunt is only a small portion of the pleasure of hunting, tasty meat is what it is all about. Game care is extremely important, ya know.

All the somments say pretty much the same thing and I am going to disagree with most of them. I do not get the opportunity to harvest monster deer such as this one very often due to time and places to go. This will change as the years go by but not now.

I'm hunting antlers by this time having taken a few does already and I don't care how good the meat will be, it is going to be a tough old buck anyway, made into mostly sausage. As soon as I believe the deer won't fall back into the water I would take the shot, I would also shoot the buck in the neck to prevent him running back into the water which is where he would go. Trophy down.

I would wait for him to reach my side and get on his feet. Then I would take aim and send an arrow through his vitals without hesitation!

I would wait until the buck gets on solid ground. Then I take him.

No. Not only won't but can't anchor him in the ice depths. First it is against the law to shoot a swimming deer (it says so in the little book on the sporting goods store's counter) Second, If it were legal: Where to aim? His head is hardly still and his vitals are underwater? If a shot was successful, how could the deer be retrieved? I would not send my dog into an ice flow to retrieve a duck, so there is no way I'm going to try and earn my polar bear swimming stripes today and risk joining him in an icy grave.
When he clears the water we have an entirely different situation. I would not hesitate to shoot a deer that just was fighting with another deer, or one that looked winded, or wet on any other occasion. So I have no reservations about letting him clear the water, and should an opportunity present itself, take the shot.... Now the sights are nestled in right behind his shoulder as he is slightly quartering away, going towards what brought him here. Still sure I am going to be shooting but, thoughts about going home with the memory are getting stronger -I still have a few seconds to decide.

I would not shoot at the buck while he is in the water for a couple of reasons. First, I do not think that it is ethical. Second, I don't think that it's responsible. If you did hit it what guarantee do you have that you could ever retrieve it? Third, it's not a safe shot. If you were to miss there is a good likely hood that the bullet could ricochet off the open water. Fourth, I am not even sure that it us legal to shoot at an animal swimming in the water.

I'll wait until the buck clears the water and gets on shore.

I would wait on him to reach the banks of my side and shake the water off. If it is a wide stretch of river his body tempature has dropped slightly so his reaction times will be slower. So as I sit in my tree stand watching with scope and hoping for the best for him and me I am also setting up and planning my shot. Once he is on the shore line and all the shaking is done and normal activity comes back such as feeding or walking up the trail I will be taking my kill shot then.

First to shoot a swimming animal is not really in the spirit of fair chase. Second if this wonderful animal is struggling to get across the river - what makes me think I could do a better job? No, I too would wait until he has crossed to my side of the river, and far enough away that he wouldn't fall back in before I would shoot.

In Pa. it is illegal to shoot an animal in the water. If the buck made his way to shore, I can't honestly say if I would shoot him or not. Nobody can say for sure until the opportunity presented itself. You can't know how your mind would react at that instant. I would like to say I would shoot him but I am getting up in years and it just isn't important as it was in my youth to shoot such a beautiful animal.

Would not shoot him in the water but would take him for sure when he got on the bank (especially if I had no venison in the freezer at that time!).

I guess for myself, I would have to wait untill the Buck is out of the water for two reasons, first I dont feel it would be right. I,have also been told it is not safe to shoot into water due to a riccoceting bullets. If the animal dies in the water now I have to risk my safety to get him out. Hypothermia is a killer. I enjoy my hunting to much to take the risk.

no i would not shoot this deer ,it would not be a fair situation

The question was is this an act of nature and would I take advantage of this moment. God has provided some amazing things for us on this earth. One of those are the animals we share it with. I always carry rope in my ruck sack and I know without a doubt what I would have done. Checking the ice with my body weight at 140 I would have found a strong point in the ice and made the move to cross.
Once on the other side I would have affixed my rope into a large slipknot. I would have used a tree as an anchor point to get leverage and began to help pull the buck up and out of the ice.

If I were not there at that time would the buck have made it on his own? Maybe not, however sometimes we are called upon to check our morals and ethics when we least expect it.

I would have not had a thought in my mind at that point to take a shot, saving this animal would have been my mission.

If the rescue would have allowed this buck to live then it would have lived after that point and I would choose not to hunt that area. As hunters we do not just kill, we are often faced with making several decisions about nature and our surroundings.

Respecting nature is number #1

Personally I would not shoot this buck. He went through enough to get out of the ice. I'd let him go for now. My grandfather taught me that there is always next time.

20 years ago I would have introduced him to a shot from my trusted 30-06 once he got on the bank. Today; however, I would let him pass. I know I had him, he would know I had him, so the thrill of the hunt was satisfied.

i would definately not shoot him. if he just won the fight for his life, who am i to take away his vicory. plus the thought that u let a struggling animal thrive is a trophy enough.

I wouldn't shoot the animal for two reasons. The first would be out of respect for the animal. I'd be to amazed at what I just witnessed. If this animal was strong enough to survive a plunge in icy water and still make it out, my hat's off to him. I hope he lives a long life. The second reason I would not shoot is the river. If the deer wasn't able to make it across, how am I suppose to be able to not only make it across to get the animal, but how would I be able to make it back WITH the animal. I'd rather go home to my family safe, than perish trying to harvest a deer that I've wanted. There's always next year, and since I know where the buck hangs out. I'll be watching.

1st I watch and if he need help, I would have made sure he made it to shore, I would not shoot him! I have ate deer meat when the animal has been stress out. Not a good thing! I would stay there after he was safe and watch his back trail to see what was pushing him so hard. An if it was coyotes. I'd elimated them. I'd return the next season to harvest him. He should even be bigger next year.

I'd watch him to see if he makes it to my side of the river. If he appeared to be in good shape at that point, not completely spent where I could walk up to him and shoot him at close range, I would then take the shot.

If he didn't make it and drowned in the river, that would tell me I would have done the same if I had shot him out there and tried to retrieve him. In a lot of states it's illegal to shoot a deer in water, but even if it's legal, it's not safe and constitutes unsportsman like behavior.

First off shooting a deer in water is illegal in many states. That being said the question becomes: Do you shoot him when he reaches shore? The answer again should be no. As hard as it seems to pass on a big rack there are a couple reasons to pass:

1.) The stress of the situation would likely degrade the venison.
2.) If you did make the shot as the deer made it to shore there is a good chance of the deer spinning around and going right back into the creek. No rack is worth an icy swim to recover.
3.) Ethically speaking, I think this is one of those days that you admire the buck for his will, tip your cap to him and hope to see him under better, more fair, conditions.

I would not shoot the buck at all. There is nothing like watching deer in the wild and to have seen that and watched him make it threw would have been better then having him hanging on my wall. Also what ending to the story would you rather hear from someone? After all of that. Would you rather hear them say they tipped their hat to the buck and watched him walk away. Or that after all of that they shot the buck while he was worn out and disoriented and had just won a fight for his life? And what would you take more pride in shooting him or being big enough to not kick him while hes down? For me it would be the latter. How could i tell a story to my friends that ended with me shooting a buck under those circumstances?

i would wait till he comes ashore grunt and see if he gives me a look! then i would put the crosshairs of my bushnell scope on his vitals and slowlly squeeze the trigger of my british .303 and let the 180 grain round warm his tired little heart! :)

It would depend on how the Buck looks after reaching the other side. If he looks like he may not recover from the shock and if I have a clean shot. Yes I would take the shot. But if he looks to be fine, given the fact that he may run back into the river. Then I would not. Because if I were to miss, I have no idead who or what is in the brush on the other bank. To add to the what if. I was hunting along a river in CT November 20,2010. I had a 6 1/2 year old cross the river. He made it about half way across and lost his footing. He actually went under. I had been after this guy for 2 years now, My heart sunk as I watched. He regaind his footing and did make it across. I was set up 80 yards or so into the timber. He ran straight to my Doe Bleat and Doe in Estrus and checked one of his scrapes. He had stopped 11 yards in front of me. With my heart still pounding from watching his near drowning. I let my arrow fly. 209LB Ct 6 1/2 year old 8 point Beast.

Friday, February 10 2012 8:10 PM
I would wait till he gets across the river and when he is around thirty yards on shore then I would take him and then I would go and celibrate.

I would not shoot the buck while he is in the water, being that it is illegal to shoot a swimming deer. I would wait to see which side of the river he ends up on after he gets out of the water. If he ends up on the same bank that I am on then I would take the shot. If he ends up on the other side then it's his day to live, being that if I were to shoot him on the other side of the river there is the chance that I would also fall in through the ice while recovering him.

After he clears the water I would take him. Some years I don't even get a chance to hunt deer. I've been wet and frozen plenty of times and not 1 deer showed up at my door to volunteer to fill my jars. And There are ways to cook meat so it isn't strong. Seeing his rack on my wall will let help me relive the moment.

The

The taking of any game during a hunting experience is only the frosting on the cake. Being involved in the above experience would come very few times, if any, in a life time of hunting. Being able to be in the woods and being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time to witness this deer win his battle would be more than the frosting on the cake it would include the candles and all the decorations. When he had reached the bank of the river I would put the cross hairs of my 7mm mag on his shoulder say "bang", give thanks for having the opportunity for our chance meeting, and know in my heart that he deserved, at least from me, to add another candle to his birthday cake.

Interesting senario; since I always carry rope in my pack, I would wait until the buck reaches his furthest point he can. When he can go no further I would rope an antler and drag him to shore. I would then let slack in the rope and work to remove it from his head. If he is tired enough, go up and remove the rope.

After helping him regain land and releasing him, I would be perfectly happy to let him walk away and look for a chance later in the day or wait till next year. Although this may seem dumb to some, I believe that good deeds do not go unrewareded.

If the buck makes it to shore without my help, then I still let him go. I have a standard as a hunter and sportsman that does not allow me to take an animal that is not at peak. The idea of taking advantage of those, (animal or human), when at a disadvantage is for a lesser person.

watching him walk away and live after watching his fight for life does more for me than taking the hard faught victory away.

I would not shoot him while in the ice and water- just not fair chase in my mind. When he emerged, after he shook himself off, I might shoot. If he was able to regain his natural abilities to run and defend himself, I would shoot. If he could not, I probably would not shoot. If he was badly injured in the crossing, I would shoot.

I'm a ethical hunter. After seeing him fight for his life and making to the river bank without any help I would let him go to live another day. Just the right thing to do, he earned it.

In the scenerio given the buck makes shore...good for him! But I have a question. Did the buck injure himself? Ice can as sharp as broken glass. Is he cut up good enough to be leaving blood as he "crawls" away? If he is injured there is little doubt any "ethical" hunter leaves him to suffer more than he already did. I know for myself if I see any indication of injury he is dead. I would rather end his suffering quick and nearly painless like than to let him go only to be tracked down by a pack of hungry coyotes just so already lamed he can attempt to fight for his life again...surely a losing battle the second go around. But like many others if he does not appear injured beyond just the exhaustion from his "initiation into the polar bear club" then I have no problems letting him walk. I obviously know there is a large buck here, if I dont get the chance to come back this year then I will try very hard to return the following and hope he made it through the winter.

I would let him get on solid ground and at the first oppurtunity to make a good clean shot I would anchor him on the spot.

I am a firm believer of fare chase and i follow the law. i would not take the shot not even after he came to shore. i would wait till he recoverd and if i still had a shot then i would take it. remember its a sport if you hunting for the rack. so fare chase is everything and we must follow the law at ALL times even when no one is looking. and besides if you let him pass chances are that next year he will be BIGGER

I would activate my camcorder and record this epic struggle. After the deer reached the shore and appeared to recover if he hadn't spotted me I would pursue him on terms where he was not disadvantaged by the struggle to cross the stream. Knowing this buck exists gives me a lot of future opportunities for shed hunting and a possible clean shot next season. Hunting is about more that just shooting a trophy under any circumstances. There is also the experience that is a once in a life time occurrence that makes for fireside stories and future pursuits. Prey that is at a disadvantage from natural occurrences is not fair game and requires nothing more than being there to score. Applied hunting skills is the mark of a hunter and sportsman.

I would have my cellphone out recording the whole deer struggle. If it does happens to make it out and to shore. I should have enough time to make a good shot.But if not I will have video and good story to share with my Nort American Hunters and my family and friends...

The struggle that I would be watching between the buck and nature is one that few get to experience. It is that struggle that helps to control the balance of nature. The strong will survive and live to see another day, those that are week will either be weeded out by nature or hunting. I would have to pass on this buck if he makes it to ground. His brush with nature's proccesses would have weekend him. Is it really fair chase at that point? I beleive not. I would however relish the fact that I was able to witness this battle and stow it away with all my other great memories of hunts past. After all, I do have the rest of the day to hunt!

I'd have to pass on this one. Shooting an exhausted animal just wouldn't be ethical. Even after he gets out. If he rested a while on the bank and then worked his way closer to me I'd rethink things.

no I would not shoot him in the water that is not fair chase I would let him get to shore far enough away from the water so he would"nt run back in then I would take the shot

I would run to my truck and grab an extention cord (carpenter) make a lasso,lasso him, tie the cord to a tree,pull him in and then shoot him.
Piece of cake

Wait for him to make it to the shore and take the shot while he recovers as he will surely be winded and as tired as if he had run a couple of miles. This would most assuredly be an easy kill.

Why cause yourself unnecessary work. Shooting him in the water means you have to drag him out, getting yourself wet in the process. Since he is making headway for getting out, wait until he is out and shoot him then. He has to rest from the struggle. He will do so before bolting off. If he just can't make it, then do the humaine thing and shoot him, get wet and enjoy the fruits of some well- earned labor.

I think that I would let him pass,after all he went through to get across I think he earned the right to live another day.There is always next year.Maybe he will be bigger and you can get him in the early part of next season

First of all, anyone who would shoot at any animal that had just gone through what that deer went through, should not be calling himself or herself a sportsman. I would be giving that buck a pass just for sheer tenacity he showed to get across the river. you would be foolish to shoot him in the river and then have to risk trying to retreive him. remember guys and gals there is a thing called fair chase.

I have had the pleasure of seeing two bucks enduore this type of scenario up here in northeast wi and i have to say believe it or not both animals hit the bank moving and never looked back. given the situation again when he hit the bank I would wait a second to see if he collected himself and if so maybe he would fall there, or just possibly it is altogether his day.

Absolutely not. Hunting, at its core, is about sport and you vs. whatever game you are after. In this scenario, even though you have an overwhelming advantage, you would violate the spirit of the hunt if you took advantage of this buck's predicament. That being said, nothing would stop you from keeping you sights locked on him and taking your shot after he had reached solid ground. If all hunting scenarios were that easy, it would be called "getting" not "hunting." Clear difference.

1) It`s illegal to shoot a deer in water here in NY.
2) Have to think about my safety.
3) I don`t think it`s ethical.
I would clearly wait for him to cross the creek. Use this time to calm my nerves and concentrate. Once he hits the bank, it would be game over.

It would be too risky shooting the deer in the water. Just shooting a deer because he is in this type of situation is not, in my opinion, real hunting. Besides, you stand a good chance losing him anyway if you do shoot.

I would wait until he is on the bank to shoot him. To dangerous to try to recover him from the river. Should have plenty of time for a shot once he is on the bank, and with the struggle he just went through, he will most likely fall right in his tracks.

I think the # of emotions i would be going through would have been high. I would not have shot when he was in the water it is just not a safe shot with all the kicking. Shooting a deer in that situation with a bow like i use not a good thing. the only shooting while he was strugeling would be with my video camera and then have good footage to share and isnt that what the hunt is about it shouldnt be about the kill shoot all the time

I have questions about the sceniero. First, how deep is (was) the water? Second, how wide was the river? Third, how far away from shore did the ice extend? Forth, how strong was the current? A deer can swim excedingly well. Providing the ice did not tire him out, a Buck that big would have a large strength reserve. I'm sure the river is in his home range and that he had swam it many times before. Unless it is a river such as the Missouri or Mississippi the deer would not have been overly tired.
In my state, a deer cannot be shot while in a body of water (that includes the land between the actual water and the "high water mark")
No hunter should be so close to a crossing as to be able to witness this episode anyway. Why have to resist the temptation of should I shoot or let him go?

I would have to wait until he made it to the other side and out of the water. To shoot him in the water and lose him would be a total waste. That is not what we should be about. We should only do fair chase. We would also be able to get over the buck fever. Happy Hunting.

An animal taking refuge in the water is not a legal target. you would have to wait till he is out of the water. Once out of the water he is fair game. BOOOOM! he would be mine.

dbldroptine
Sunday,February 12,2012 7:21 AM
I personally would let the buck cross completely to my side of the river and if I was given a clean unrushed shot I'd take it. I would never shoot at water frozen or not, it's unsafe and makes for a dangerous recovery. When I say a clean and unrushed shot I mean you don't know what that buck will do, if he'll be tired still or have an adrenaline burst once he hits solid ground. Don't forget there is still acold,crisp evening to hunt and you know at least one bruiser is out there.

not fair to the deer

I would wait until he was on solid ground, and hope I would get an ethical shot on him. Don't want to upset our hunting God!!

i all ready made a comment i was # 47 but i am a little stinker and submitting again and being a little stinker i really really need the scent control system :) so i am posting again talk to you tomorrow :)

This strikes me as an emotion filled experience, one that you may only witness once in a lifetime. So, I'd pass on the shot completely. The determination of this mature buck should be rewarded, his survival mode should not be snuffed out as he emerges from the water. I know there will be other opportunities for me, and him. I will still enjoy my time afield, even without this one hanging from a post.

Iwould not shoot at all. i enjoy watching nature too much. He has fought for his life and for this season he should keep it. However next season all bets are off. when I see him and I have a good shot I will put him down. On a second point being a hunter safety instructor I'm happy to see so many comments on not shooting in an usafe situation.

A buck this nice is the tophy of a lifetime in Pennsylvania for sure! As soon as the buck gets across and is on my side of the creek he's toast! Nothing to be ashamed of here!

no i would not shoot him,i would have to pass on the shot.he is tired from trying to keep from freezing and that in my book is not fair chase
ldailey1

I would not Shoot him in the water , neither would shot him when he gets to shore, The reason is the trama he went through would make the meat tuff and he earned the right to live another day. If I get to havest one later so be it other wise I had a good experience.

As soon as he is safely away from the river he's done . I don't have much time to hunt and there are few trophy deer in PA. at least the areas I hunt. I rarely hunt by a river that large so I don't think it will happen to me anyway.

letting him reach the shoreline is a must, odds are that he would bed down almost immediately to recover from his hastey decision. taking such a shot would not making the kill all that sporting. i would have to say, "let the buck, buck", go home with one hell of a story and a smile on my brain to get me through till next season.

I would not shoot him no matter how big he was,his fight with the river would give him another day to live .I would however take as many pictures and video with my Iphone as possible.That in itself would be more rewarding than killing him.

absolutely not!!!! it's all about being safe and ethical....right? why risk harm to yourself (or others, if they're trying to rescue you from the same river)....and the whole scenario, in my mind, would not be ethical!!!

I wouldn't shoot. He earned his right to pass. Let him go and see what he looks like next year.

I would not be able to take the shot. After watching him struggle and make it through the icey cold water to safety that would earn him a pass. I might even speak outloud to let him know I would see him next year.

No shot. Why would you shoot a deer in the water? Unsporting!!Are you going in the frigid water after him? Probably not. He lives to chase does another day :)

I would pass up the opportunity to take this deer. AFter all the struggling he did to get through the ice to the shore he earns the right to live.

no i would not shoot if he made it out of the ice he should live another day

I personally would not take the shot. Part of what I enjoy about hunting deer is watching that nice buck walk towards you, slowly setting you up for the perfect opportunity to take the shot. Its what gets my blood pumping, the adrenaline running. It is the thrill of the hunt. After seeing this buck nearly die, then use every ounce of his being to survive the river, the excitement and enjoyment for me would be out of the hunt. I would have more a sense of fulfillment to allow this buck to survive, take the night to recoup. I would then spend the next day trying to track and hunt this buck in an exciting way.

Out of respect for the animal and the sport that I love, I would definately pass on the shot. I believe taking the shot would be unethical, unfair, and unsportman's like. Hunting and harvesting such a nice buck should be done in the upmost ethical way. Shooting the animal while it struggles through the icy river would be illegal in most states, not to mention, cheating the sport in which most hunters fairly and ethically support. Whether you're hunting for a trophy or not, and no matter what the hunt may entail, I believe every hunter should exercise good ethical decisions and demonstrate thier love and respect for the sport and the specific game in which hunt.

While in the water I think the shot would be dangerous, and not worth the risk. After the buck comes ashore and presents a good clean shot I see no problem taking the shot. Even though the buck is exhausted and moving slowly, it would be the same as during the rut when he is chasing does and fighting other buck. Yes he is tired and slower moving but he is still alive and able to wind you and flee, or pick up on your movements and flee.

I would reward his efforts, when he reached "dry land" with a merciful death from a double lung shot. He will most likely linger to compose himself, after his arduous task of reaching my side of the icy river, so, I too will be ready to make that shot shortly after he shakes the water from his fur !!!
I will celebrate this deer with a skyward glance and "thank you" to the Almighty and treasure, both, my good fortune and the reward of a fine trophy 5X5.

Get a gooset up nad rest and wait till he gets back on land to shot him. If you take the shot in the water your chance of retrieve him are slim. Cared away by current and a high chance of you falling in the river and endangering your self is high.

I do not shoot the buck in the water for a couple of reasons. First the water and ice will make it hard to place the shot for a clean ethical kill and may just wound him more, making it impossible for his to get to the shore. Secondly how on earth would I get a dead mature buck out of the water/ice, probably wouldn't without falling myself. Finally assuming the buck does indeed make it to shore he is going to be worn out and probably won't go very far before stopping and resting, which will inturn give you plenty of time to make a good quick CLEAN kill shot.

Two sides to the coin. One, wait to shoot him after he has recovered and got out of the water. After having exerted himself and him struggling in cold water, he may succumb to the cold anyway. Shooting him at this point might actually shorten some suffering he has, depending on how cold the water was and how cold the air is that day.

On the other side, if I am hunting for meat as well, will this be an animal that I want to shoot? If he's been struggling, his body is going to be surging with adrenaline. If that's the case, this may not be a good eating deer. Perhaps let him go, let him recover, and enjoy the chance to hunt him next year.

If the river is choked with frozen ice so bad that a live mature buck is having trouble crossing, how am I going to be able to go in the river after him? If I wait until he gets back on shore I may not get a shot at him. If I shoot him in the river the current will take him away and I will probably never recover him. I would rather let him get on shore. He will be tired from crossing and probably stop long enough to shake and get his senses back, giving me a good chance at a shot. If he doesn't than I know he is still alive and I may get another encounter with him later on. Shot him in the river and he is gone forever.

Well i guess i'll probably be the haeartless one in this post. I would definatly let the buck cross to my side of the creek where i'd settle the pin and send my arrow. God knows i've watched a couple whitetail expire in creeks and have to go in after them,but where they go after you shoot them is anyones guess. This deer has probably had it's fair share of trials and hardships but hunting is hunting,and meat in the freezer is better than none.

This particular buck would get a pass if I was on stand in this situation.
The answer is a simple moral decision. Not whether or not I could retrieve him but rather...is it fair chase. Hunting is more that a trophy down in my house. We are hunting majestic creatures which ignore the odds against them and outsmart even the most seasoned veterans year after year. Nature threw this buck a curve ball, just so happens it was ball four. Now he gets the walk. Who knows he may be better next year.

Taking the buck in the water would be foolish. Not only is there the possibility of loosing a nice deer but you could loose your life in the process. Shooting it in the water doesn't give that deer the respect it deserves, be patient and wait till it gets to dry land then take it.

No I personally would not shoot the deer while it was in the water. I would wait untill he got onto the bank and when i have a clear shot, i would take it. It would be absolutly pointless to shoot it in the water because the deer could possibly drown and it would be a hard chore to get the deer out of the icy water.

I woukd wait till the buck escapes the ice and drop him as soon as he steps on tera firma with a single well placed shot.

i would wait until the deer get on shore. because he would be tired and he would be standing there for a while. then i could get a clear shot for the shoulders. so he wont be going back in to the river where he came from.

I probably would wait for another deer. One, it would be unethical to shoot this buck midstream. Second, it would be harder to recover. Third, you wouldn't have a very sure shot at the lungs and heart area. Finally, his meat would be stressed and strong flavored. After such exertion, even if I waited until he got to the riverbank, he would still have all of the hormones and such going through him, which would give a poor flavor and undesireable quality to the meat.

I would have to let him walk and give thanks for getting to witness
him win this time in his struggle for life.Hopefully next year the terms
will be better.

I would let him get out of the water for the obvious reason that it is not safe to recover him from the thin ice which has already broke under his wieght. I agree to let him get a bit away from the shoreline to avoid the water recovery in case he runs back towards the water. We do not hunt to kill, but rather to harvest animals, and it is vital to recover the game we kill.

I would have to pass on this one and wait for another deer. Since he won his struggle with mother nature he deserves to live another day and hopefully we can match wits with one another next year on a more even playing field. I would also apprciate the fact that I was able to witness this awesome scene and take the hunting story back to camp with me for many seasons of telling.

I would not take the shot! He is in the ice and if you did shoot him the recovery would be dangorous and not worth getting someone hurt. I would wait till he gets o land and since he is going to be slow I would then take the shot. When we kill animals we kill them for meat and to harvest them not to let them get back into the water and not be able to get the deer back. I would let him walk away from the shore and them plug him.

I think that it would not be a fare chase and would not shoot him yet I would wait till next year and keep a eye on him

i would not shoot it in the water but wait for it to make it solid ground and observe its condition first before shooting.

i would wait and see if he came on my side of of the bank and then shot him as soon as he gave me a clean shot and no one is behind him . if he would turn back to where he came from i would let him live to see another day

no, i would let him go and come back next season . he earned the right threw my eyes!

Wait for him to get out of the water !!!!!! I don't know about other states, but here in Michigan it is against the law to shoot him while he is in the water. Know your state game laws first.

I would wait until he reached the other side and made it out onto shore before I would shoot him. Here in WV it is illegal to shoot a deer while it is in the water or crossing same.

Ethnically I wouldnt kill this buck, it has went through enough and it obviously wasn't gods will for it to die. Secondly, Im all about fair chase and who is to say the buck doesn't have damage from the fall and can't get away fast enough. Maybe a bigger buck is just off the trail.

I would not shoot the animal while he was in the water. I would wait for him to get up onto the bank and dry land. He will be tired so he will most likely stop to catch his breath. That will give me a shot at him while he's standing still. I'll aim for the shoulder to anchor him so he doesn't try to go back across the river.

No shot! Not only for safety, but legally many states outlaw harvesting game while in water.

Here in Montana you dont get to see this very offten so enjoy the show and then enjoy the venison!!! Which means get that buck on the ground asap!!

As stated in previous comments,I would not kill this buck. First of all in my great state of New York it is not legal to shoot a swimming dear. And second, I think he deserves A second chance after A hard fight in the water.

This deer gets a PASS from me after his fight with mother nature he will be weak and it would be like shooting a Deer at a petting zoo no sport in that!

I would never shoot him while he is in the water. I would wait until he is out of the water and safely on the bank and moving away from the water. The chances are very great that after shooting him, he would take his last steps back into the water. I'm not a member of the polar bear club, so forget about going into the water to retrive him.
I once shot a buck as he was walking down to take a drink in a small pond, although I shot him in the neck/throat he took two more steps and landed in middle of the pond. The water was only about 12 inches deep but the mud under the water was at least another 12 inches. Fortunately his antlers was out of the water and we lassoed it and pulled him out.

i would not shot the buck even after he got out of the water.i have passed on a similar situation.he would still be weak not really running its just would not feel right and the buck would really not be aware of his surrondings.so i would pass its not easy to see a hugh buck and not pull the trigger but i think the hunting story alone would be gratifying.

No, I would not shoot. I would watch and silently cheer him on.
He must have a good reason for doing something so stupid (Like maybe a doe on my side of the river) If he did make it across I would let him live to breed another day, he would deserve it!

Wednesday, Feb 15,2012 11:36 am
No, I would not shoot. I would let him crawl out and let it try to get away. I think it is unsportsman like to shoot a deer that has almost drowned. The buck does not even have the energy to run away. Yes, it will be hard passing up a 5x5 buck, but you have to give it atleast another chance of surviving. If it made it out of a frozen river by itself it deserves a second chance.

well im from louisiana but i definetly would not shoot the deer on the icy water.purly not to lose the deer or put myself in danger but wait for the deer to clear itself from the water and wait a minute let the deer compose itself because clearly the deer will be tramatized then take my shot with a 1958 mosin naugant the a smile and bring my deer home


my meat home

I wait. Headed my way he should be mine. He's winning the battle with the ice. If he begins to falter, or loses the battle, then I would re-asses the "risk-reward" question.

Wait for him to hit shore if he makes it

Definately shoot when he is out of the water, as long as it is legal property and I have a way to get to the other side. If I'm there in the first place all shuold be thuoght of. As for not shooting because he made it out, why? you planned on ending his life if he made it across!

The big guy gets a pass! No shot at all. The excitement of hunting is using the preparation, equipment, training, and skills to capture the beast. If you would take the shot on a sure thing, I guess you would field dress the road kill on the side of the highway. This is like shooting fish in a bucket.

There's always next year and now you Know where he crosses.Patience wins this one as does fair play.

I would wait, seems as though you would not have much of a target while he is in the water. You should have plenty of time as he clears the water and with each paddle he closes the distance making an easier shot.

If I saw that buck in Florida I'd shoot it in a hart beat but if it was up north i would let it go and hope and came back next year

i would at least wait until next year to see if he survise the winter it is a tough time for deer this time of year and you dont have to kill everone you see at least you got to see him next year they will be another one to take his place if you dont see him he will pass on his genes

I would watch the buck after it is away from the shore. If it runs off into the distance, I would let it go. But if it find some place to rest for a while near by, I will sit there and watch it for a little while. So that the adrenalin that built up from the fight with the river lowers, and then I would try to get me a deer. But only after it rested for at least an hour. And if shooting hours are still good...

From a Marine perspective , If I sat there and watched this warrior battle the ice to make it to my side I would have a lot of respect for his strength and endurance. I can always wait till next year.

I would not shoot a deer in water, no matter how big it's rack is. If I did decide to shoot this buck I would wait for him to reach the shore. There is plenty of time to find a rest and make a lethal one shot kill. My gun of choice is a Remington 673 Guide Gun chambered in 350 Remington Magnum with a 3.5 X 10 X 50 Kahles scope, loaded with 225 grain Nosler Partition handloads. Good luck hunting to you all.

No, I would not shoot him in the water. As a sportsman, I feel that it is unethical to shoot a deer in the water. If he survives the swim, I would anchor him with my Remington .300SAUM provided that I am able to get a good kill angle at an appropriate distance. Then I would hang his head on the wall while I am cooking up the back straps listening to "Uncle Ted" playing on the stereo. If the ethical shot doesn't present itself, I will be hunting for more years in the same spot and I can always try again next year. By then, he would be either bigger, or have passed on even more genes. Good Hunting.....

People are talking about unfair advantage to shoot the deer after the distress. It isn't quite fair to shoot one with a rifle any way since the rifle gives the hunter the advantage at just about any given time. But, all things aside from that, I will be another to admit that I would take the shot once it clears my side of the river with no chance of losing it to the river. Not bad mouthing anybody who hunts with a gun. I do also. Just stating the facts. Happy hunting to all of you.

Not only would I not shoot him in the water, I would let him walk once he made it to shore. The buck has had enough for one day.

While the opportunity may have presented itself for a shot after the buck exited the water, chances may also be, that after the shot, he would retreat wounded back onto the ice, into the water, again making recovery unsafe, if not impossible. In good sportsman like conscience, I'd pass on the shot, hoping for another encounter with the buck. Were the buck trackable, I might follow, allow him a rest period after the trauma of the river, and encounter him later for a valid shot.

xcampcatx
I love hunting deer a lot and although big horns are important,
this bucks struggles to survive will give him a pass from me.
The Good Lord will give me another chance later and if not, thats
why its called hunting.Besides I have never heard of grilling horns.

I would wait until he makes it to the bank and is in a position away
from the river so that he would not roll back into it after being shot.
And I have never seen a deer with HORNS.

I love to hunt and it would be hard to pass up this buck. But, I believe in being fair and this guy already had his major fight with Mother Nature so I would let him live for another time. I wouldn't take advantage of him. Also vert dangerous to shoot into the water as you may be the head hanging on the deers den.

life is tough enough already for a whitetail buck, so in this case he would get a free pass from me. I've let deer pass before for less so why not now? as a younger man it was all about body count or filling my tags, but now i respect more than just the kill. Its the whole experience that keeps me in the woods. see you next year, godspeed!

wait for him to exit the icy waters and then drop him in his tracks with a good shot.. You do not want to have to deal with the icy cold waters at all.

just wait him out then get the shot off

Its a no brainer for me. I would not shoot this deer at this time. I would continue to hunt for him later though.

Shooting ANY animal in such a situation is wrong. I will not shoot geese on the ground and I will not shoot a deer that is swimming---ice or no. The principle of fair chase requires me to leave the deer alone while it is in the water. Once the deer exists the water on my side, the deer is fair game. Even if it means I do not get a shot and must wait till next year, I will not shoot an animal that is compromised unless it is to end its suffering if for example it was caught in a fence and it was mortally wounded.

I would wait until the buck is safely across the river. By the time he does get there, you will already have your cross hairs lined up and he will be tired by the time he gets across and wont be in any hurry. Take the shot when he clearly gets out of the river.

I would not shoot him in the water, but once he clears the ice it's game on!!

I would never take this shot while the deer was still in the water! Once back on dry land - well that's a whole different conversation. I can almost taste that bacon wrapped backstap w/jalepeno slices now!

Not a safe shot to take while he's in the water, Hunter Safety 101 at it's finest. I'd wait until he was out of the ice and safely on land. Then the internal struggle would begin for me. I just watched him struggle for his life, do I really want to take it now? I would probably have to wait for another opportunity.

I would shoot him where he is dead!! then i will do what i have to to get him.. it would be like frog giggin only more meat. not shooting him would be like saying he wasnt good enough to shoot. mother nature is rough but i am more rough

I don't think I morally could shoot until he clears the water. Not only could I not shoot for my own ethical reasons, it is not a safe situation until he is clearly on my shoreline. Once he reaches my side, I think he is fair game.

This is a no brainer..... wait for the deer to exit the water... during his recovery and shaking to remove the excess water.... let the hammer drop...BOOM!. He won't risk going back and if he flees odds are he will take the easiest route across land.

I would definently wait until the deer makes it out of the water. Shooting a deer in water in my eyes is not an ethical shot. I would wait until the deer gets out of the water and walks a little bit. The deer will probably take some time to collect itself. Also, if you shoot right away its a good chance the deer will run where it came from, so i would wait until it gets up the trail more before i shot.

P.S. Also, safety is a factor. You do not want to shoot the deer in the cold fridgid waters or you dont want him to run back where he came from and have to track him and go across the river yourself. While your hunting SAFETY FIRST should alwas go through your head. So, be smart and hunt smart!

I would not shoot him he just beat mother nature and deserves another day. just to witness the strenghth of heart would have made my hunting trip.

To shoot any game animal while it is swimming in water is completely unethical and irresponsible regardless of legality. It is also ILLEGAL! To me every deer is a trophy regardless of sex or rack size. I consider myself blessed to be able to experience the wild outdoors regard of whether I am able to fill a game tag or not. I would have to pass up the shot even once he exited the water and pray for a shot to present itself at a later time under better conditions.

This is kinda a no-brainer, guys. I'm a meat hunter. But even if I was shooting for the trophy, don't really want to kill him just to lose him in the water. Popping him in the drink just turned from the "buck of a life time" story, to the "one that I threw back" fishing story.
"So, there I was, 50 yard rifle shot on THE BIGGEST TEN POINT I'VE EVER SEEN!..."
"What happened?"
"Oh, I threw him back, figured somebody else might enjoy reeling him in on day."
"Riiiggghht... That sounds completely plausible, Bill..."
Lol!

After he's well out of the water I would take the shot...however when I say well out I mean pretty far away from the edge...No way do I want him to bolt back to the water after my shot...imagine trying to drag a waterlogged 250lb deer waist deep in freezing cold water....no, not for an old guy like me...so I would wait until he was well clear of it to harvest.

I would take a picture and journal what I saw and go after him later in the hunting season or next year

No shooting while the buck is in the water. Here in Michigan it is illegal to shoot a swimming deer. Even if he gets his feet down in the shallows, I would not shoot until he gets to dry land. I wouldn't feel too bad about shooting him if he's worn out from the struggle since he may not survive in the cold air anyway.

I wouldn't take the shot. I think that the trauma he endured to rescue himself was enough for one day. Yes, he may be the perfect buck but, I would let him live until the next time we met. As long as it isn't in the same situation. I would feel guilty taking advantage of the situation. Until next time my friend. Then you won't be so lucky...

I have shot lots of deer,but this one i would let go even if i dont get one. That one deer has more will to live then most and he would be a great deer for breading so i would not shot this one. To me that would be the best thing to do what fun is it to shot a deer that cant run or jump away from you becuse he just got out of the water beside its mo fun shotting fish in a barell

At the sight of that buck, I would have grunt stopped him on the opposite shore and shot him before he had a chance to cross.Then I would find a safe place to cross and retrieve my meat and trophy.
Craig