A bit sickening

[abbatoys]

You have the satisfaction of knowing you made a clean kill shot. Terrible that people act like that knowing it was a fresh kill and someone was more than likely tracking it. You did everything right and can hold your head high and get back out there....

[ron w]

I hope the guy is proud, bad enough that he or she is a thief but most like a liar also. He won't say how he or she really got that buck. Put it behind you and get back after them.........hey man you did it with a long bow, you can do it again.

[lablover]

Sorry to hear you got picked. Its the curse of public land hunting. Shake it off and get back out there. Know in your heart that you did it right, made a clean shot and if you did it once and can do it again. Good luck and above all else have a great time doing it.

[Dry Creek]

Man that sucks big time!!

[monterey]

Wait a couple weeks and then make some visits to local taxidermists.  It's a long shot, but if he would steal it he would probably display it on his wall too.

[Trenton G.]

Made me sick just reading it because I knew what was coming! That really sucks. You wouldn't happen to have got a license plate or at least a good look at the vehicle would you? I don't know if it would help but it might. Visiting the taxidermist is a good idea. Also check butcher shops and ask to look at the heads that they have to see if you recognize one. Not sure how you would prove it but it's worth a shot.
Hunting public is rough. There are always guys out to ruin your hunt. I've had them park by my truck and lay on the horn, let their dogs follow me to the stand, and even walk in after me to yell at me from the opposite ridge if I'd seen anything. Good luck with the rest of your season. I hope it turns around for you!

[Alexander Traditional]

There a just some weird narcissistic people out there. Who would even think to do something like that?

[highlandhunter]

Hoosierarcher,

I'm sorry that you had that experience -- there are definitely rascals out and about and that won't ever change.  I must also congratulate you on a good setup, waiting for a good shot, making the shot, and waiting an appropriate time to follow-up.  If you are ever in Arkansas, I'd be happy to have you hunt my private land for a week, where the only thing you need to worry about is that I might grab the last biscuit if you are not fast enough:).

[Homey88]

Highlandhunter,
What a great offer. A lot of great people on Tradgang, and I must say I have come across a great deal of honorable and down to earth people who are traditional archers. Good for you Highlandhunter!

[Bowguy67]

Devils advocate and I’m by no means calling you a liar or saying you’re wrong. You say 250 yards in the lungs? That’s fairly far. A double lunged deer wouldn’t make it that far.
A single lunged deer could go farther or be unrecoverable. The amount of time isn’t great though it is long enough. The fellow would have to find the deer and go to his truck for cart. All the time hoping the deer shooter didn’t show up cause a confrontation would surely happen.
Now are you positive the blood seemed like a dead deer or just a deer bed?  And were the tracks a set of two like someone approached and area just to turn around?
I’m just wondering if perhaps any chance lies that you misread. I’m sorry about your loss either way and I hope my words aren’t mis taken

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sux for sure. Can't add to what's been said. Hope you have another opportunity this year.

[twitchstick]

%^$*! Bottom Feeder! I feel your pain my biggest buck to date all I found was a gut pile.

[bigbadjon]

It's not what you know, it's what you can prove. Never forget it and adjust your methods around it.  It sucks but honest folks are just forced to play defense.

[Hoosierarcher88]

Devils advocate and I’m by no means calling you a liar or saying you’re wrong. You say 250 yards in the lungs? That’s fairly far. A double lunged deer wouldn’t make it that far.
A single lunged deer could go farther or be unrecoverable. The amount of time isn’t great though it is long enough. The fellow would have to find the deer and go to his truck for cart. All the time hoping the deer shooter didn’t show up cause a confrontation would surely happen.
Now are you positive the blood seemed like a dead deer or just a deer bed?  And were the tracks a set of two like someone approached and area just to turn around?
I’m just wondering if perhaps any chance lies that you misread. I’m sorry about your loss either way and I hope my words aren’t mis taken

according to onx on my phone the line from my stand to where the blood puddle was is 219 yards. I just got back from checking out there again. The cart tracks lead from the opening for the first crp field and lead to the puddle and then go back across the field to where the truck was parked. I spoke with my dad this morning and he said last year he had a run in with the same people and told me where they were hunting and sure enough the opening was littered with mountain dew bottles. I've informed our local CO just to let him know of the issue in case it happens to someone else. The truck was an early 90's green square body s10 4x4. As far as running that far it doesn't take lono for a deer to cover that distance at a full run. I've cleaned a few that were great hits that covered further than that, have also had a few that weren't hit good that didn't go far at all, never stops amazing me how far a deer can go after hit. 

[Bowguy67]

Stinks, least you checked again. Sorry you had to deal w that

[mec lineman]

Here's a comment that i feel strongly about, i dont know if the thieves were shooting compounds or crossbows. I know that more than likely they are not traditional shooters. 99% of trad guys and 100% trad gang members are not wired like that.  Sorry for your bad experience, but on the other hand you gained confidence in your setup and that is the key to being a successful bowhunter

[Hoosierarcher88]

Here's a comment that i feel strongly about, i dont know if the thieves were shooting compounds or crossbows. I know that more than likely they are not traditional shooters. 99% of trad guys and 100% trad gang members are not wired like that.  Sorry for your bad experience, but on the other hand you gained confidence in your setup and that is the key to being a successful bowhunter

I definitely gained confidence in the setup. I was worried even on a small doe but to see how it did on a big bodied buck like that I was very surprised.

[Bowwild]

Because you trailed the buck at least 250 yards, I think you did the right thing waiting before taking it up, tracking too soon on this one might have cost you the deer in another way.

I can't imagine what someone would want with someone else's deer?  I doubt he checked it in, but you have telecheck in Indiana.  The local warden could check those records to see if any bucks were checked in that county.  It is amazing the number of cases conservation officers make with the help of telecheck or online checking systems.

Being bow season, and so near the beginning, the number is probably few. Generally such people are really poor liars and officers are pretty good at catching them in one lie, leading to more.

I do agree with the poster, if the fellow is slick, he can justify why he took the deer. Most aren't that slick though.

[varmint101]

Man that sucks!  A buddy of mine shot a forkie once and the trail ended when it got to a drive back in the woods.  Was a real bummer!  I just don't understand why someone would take someone else deer like that.  Had to see a broadhead slit through it!

[Trenton G.]

If you are going to try and do something about it, I would try and act quickly while you still have a blood trail to provide as evidence.