Hunters, be careful when approaching downed deer | Column

No one who has knowledge about sport hunting would disagree that it is relatively safe as various outdoor activities go. Many more individuals are injured while riding bikes, or zip-lining, or skiing, or even sail-boarding than going afield with bow or gun.

Hunters quickly learn that avoiding trouble whenever possible is the only way to hunt.

There was a story from not too long ago about a New Hampshire hunter who was gored by a buck he had shot moments before. And after researching this “incident,” it became obvious he did just about everything wrong after shooting that deer.

This guy shot the 8-point buck in the neck, which is usually a good and safe shot. He was using a rifle chambered for the venerable .257 Roberts cartridge, an excellent choice for any deer hunting.

But it was around this point, immediately after his shot, that his judgment of the situation went really bad.

His errors began to pile up after the shot. He could see that the deer was not dead, so he approached to finish it with his knife. That is never a good idea. He even “scratched its head” as he was leaning over the still alive animal.

That brings the first important question. Why didn’t he shoot it a second time? Well, according to his statement in the emergency room, “I just didn’t have the heart to put another bullet in it right then. And I should have,” he said.

Regardless, at that instant the buck lunged at him, ramming its antlers into his chest (one antler point punctured through his rib cage), and he suddenly found himself fighting for his life. He was soon on his back on the ground, and the buck was driving its antlers with its powerful neck and hind legs.

He finally managed to free himself from the antlers, and was able to make it back to his house where a relative transported him to a hospital. Doctors determined there was no serious internal damage, and he was released from the hospital that evening.

Here is the bottom line of this situation. All wild animals are unpredictable, and hunters should never be complacent when approaching any wounded (or apparently dead) animal.

Since he could clearly see the buck was not dead, an immediate second shot in this case would have removed all danger and been more humane for the deer as well. As it was, this guy was very lucky. But being smart is always better than being lucky.

By the way, the buck did eventually succumb to the original wound, and was dragged out by this yahoo’s brother and friends.

Python Challenge in Florida

Now here is something for the more adventurous of my 83 semi-regular readers. The State of Florida has announced that it will once again be holding its annual Python Challenge “hunt” in January on South Florida’s public hunting lands.

All members of the public, including non-residents, are invited to compete for some serious cash prizes.

Do you have the desire to catch a $1,000 “longest” snake? Or catch the most pythons for $1,500? The state wildlife commission is enlisting the profit motive in its fight against the

Burmese pythons that have invaded the Everglades and wrecked havoc with virtually all native wildlife species, including alligators.

This event will begin in early January at the University of Florida's Davie campus with a day-long open house on pythons and other invasive species. From there, the hunt begins, with competitors allowed to catch snakes in any of four state wildlife management areas. The prizes will be awarded in separate contests for the general public and for state-licensed python hunters.

The contest will usually run for one month. A hunting license is not required, except for participants under 18. All participants must take an online training course, with additional training available at the Jan. 12 event.

For a complete list of rules, go to http://www.pythonchallenge.org. And don’t forget to drop me an e-mail if you go.

The competition is being sponsored by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, The Nature Conservancy, The Future of Hunting in Florida, Zoo Miami and other organizations. Prizes will be awarded in February at Zoo Miami.

Is that trophy buck really worth it?

Under the heading of, “Just What Is A Deer worth”, here is a good example.

This is not just another dumb outdoor crook tale. Austin G. Spain, 21, from Indiana, bagged a trophy buck that would certainly have made the record books. But now, instead of fame and fortune, he is facing criminal charges and some serious jail time.

Spain claimed he shot the 16-point trophy buck legally in Michigan. An official scorer stated it would be in the 180-point Boone and Crockett Club scoring range. But as with so many other poached deer tales, the facts just didn’t add up.

Conservation officers are some pretty smart dudes and dudettes. They asked him some fairly simple and straight forward questions. And he failed that test in grand style.

He couldn’t even pinpoint the exact location in Michigan where the deer was allegedly hunted and shot. And at the time-line of his “trip” to that state was improbable at best. Investigators soon obtained a statement from him that he had poached the buck in Randolph County, Indiana.

Unfortunately for him, he had harvested another legal buck in that same county earlier in the season. And Indiana has a strict one-buck per year limit.

Once again I find myself asking the obvious question. What is a deer worth?

In this case it probably ruined a young man’s life. He will be facing a rather significant fine in the range of $2,500, and possibly some serious jail time as well. He will most certainly lose all of his hunting privileges for at least three years, and possibly five or more.

And that includes no hunting in 48 other states for at least three years as well. Maybe he should take up fishing and give up hunting all together.

But most importantly, at least to him, he will carry the shame of this event for the rest of his life. Hunters generally have long memories, and so do people who like watching deer just for the pure enjoyment of seeing them.

So, what is a deer worth?

Len Lisenbee is the Daily Messenger’s Outdoor Columnist. Contact him at lisenbee@frontiernet.net.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Hunters, be careful when approaching downed deer | Column