I don't know that it's actually addressed by PA law....but my understanding is the last shooter is the winner....





I let a buck walk several rifle openers back. I had the entire season to hunt and he wasn't anything special. One last look to make sure I didn't wanna take the last opportunity, I noticed a piece of his guts hanging out. No thought about it. Boom. That buck was absolutely going to die a slow miserable death and not be recovered. I sat with him till almost dark. Noone came so I gutted him and tagged him with my only buck tag.



Couple years later....very last evening of our rifle season. Buddy and I were still hunting a ridge side by side 100-200yds apart. I cut a fresh set of buck tracks on the edge of the laurel I was working. I knew I'd never see that buck so I circled down below and sent him past my buddy. He got 2 shots off. I got to him and 1 shot was definitely in stomach. It looked like a grenade went off. Green and red all over the snow. Other shot was probably liver and a lung... Looked down the trail and it was a mess..blood spraying and pouring...green stomach matter.

Boom! Shot rings out from the road. Well...I sure hope that was at the doe....this buck can't be on his feet.

We followed the carnage 75yds and there was the buck piled up just over the knoll of the hill. Another hunter standing on the road saw us and quickly started towards the buck. N O way!


He claimed the buck was standing there and he shot it and he had no idea he was hit. The evidence in the snow told me otherwise. That buck was absolutely dead when he shot it. Maybe taking its last kicks but definitely on the ground and it was very evident it was hit twice by my buddy.

My buddy is older than I and he wasn't about to get worked up over it. He hauled me away and that was that.

Guy was in the right place at the right time walking down the road.....I have no doubt that buck was on the ground when he shot. Even if it was alive....those 2 hits and whatever ballistic missle my buddy was shooting...it wasn't getting away from us. In that case I'd say the ethical thing would be that goes to my buddy.