DuckSouth.com

How about they split the meat and each get to hang the mount on the wall 6 months of the year.

It is hunter B's Deer.

BUT

I lived this same situation with a 150" 11 point several years ago. A buddy shot it in the back leg. After a half a day of trailing I shot the deer while it was swimming a slough. (3 legged deer still can swim fast and sink like a brick when you shoot them). He looked at me and said technically it is your deer, I just laughed cause never ever ever would I have considered that MY deer.

If the deer is killed during a search effort due to being shot by Hunter A, it belongs to Hunter A. Shot placement and mortal wounds are irrelevant.

If the deer is killed by someone (Hunter B) hunting of their own volition and not related to the search for the deer shot by Hunter A, it belongs to Hunter B. That's my take.

So in the OP's specific example, Hunter A gets the deer.