Wounded starving deer...

PAhunterJEN · 01-28-2004, 01:29 PM

Would it be legal to put a wounded starving deer out of its misery?
I first seen this deer just after Christmas. We had just had a snowfall of about 6 inches. I came upon this deer and when I noticed how starved it was (plus the front leg is just hanging there) I was determined to put it out of its misery - it was legal archery season then. As starved as this buttonbuck was I just could not get a clear shot at him as I pursued him for about 1000 feet. He then crossed onto the neighbors property and out of sight. A few minutes later I heard a shot and I figured that someone put him down.
I started seeing this deer again on our hill during this past week. He seemed to be getting along OK just dragging this leg and hopping along. Now the snow is much deeper and well over a foot. Now the little guy is having a lot of difficulty and appears to have lost a lot of weight - a big change since yesterday even. He's been devouring every stick, pine bark etc. but to no good. Today I took a bucket of cracked corn up the hill to where I usually see him. Maybe he will find it and maybe it will help. But I don't think it will do any good with snow this deep. I feel sorry for him and I was just wondering if it would be legal to put him down (or have the game warden put him down) if he gets much worse???

xibowhunter · 01-28-2004, 01:44 PM

put him down ! leave him for the coyotes ,then you can pop a coyote! or call the game warden and ask them what to do they probably will tell you to leave it alone , maybe not

Charlie P · 01-28-2004, 02:02 PM

I don't think giving him cracked corn right now will help, actually it will do more harm then good.

Martin Cougar · 01-28-2004, 02:15 PM

I agree w/ Charlie P.

Also - the game commision will NOT permit you to put this deer down. I have seen this topic come up before and their typical response are that "deer are very tough and who are we to say that deer will not recover?"

Not saying if I would or would not put it down - just the PGC stance on it.

SchuylkillOutdoorsman · 01-28-2004, 03:44 PM

If it were me I would put him down.

tabby · 01-28-2004, 04:02 PM

I also agree with Charlie. If he hasn't eaten corn for a while, he wont have the enzimes to digest it, and it will only take up room and time that he could eat something else.

I dought the PGC will let you shoot him. If you want to, shoot him and don't tell anyone. Let the yotes eat him.

SnoBall57 · 01-28-2004, 05:04 PM

Charlie P is correct! Don't feed him corn!
And the GC will not put that deer down, nor will they allow you to do so legally!
If it were me, I'd keep an eye on him! I've been through this situation before. Sometimes it's amazing how well they can recover from an injury like that. But with the cold temps. we've been having and the snow, I'd say if he gets any worse I'd put him down and walk away whistling.

shedman6o · 01-28-2004, 05:10 PM

I'd put him down and if I got caught I'd gladly pay the fine.I personally dont think I would leave it for the yotes I'd try to put them down also.

jroot · 01-28-2004, 05:16 PM

if you aint suppose to feed him corn ...give some suggestions that PAhunter could lay out for him to eat?

i agree thats a tough call to make. i'd keep a close eye on him, try to help him along by providing hay or whatever to eat. if he looks like he's really suffering i'd go ahead and put him down ...screw the GW.

Charlie P · 01-28-2004, 05:22 PM

Jroot, The way a deer digest it's food is the reason why you can't feed him anything other then what he's eating. It takes time for it to develop enzymes to break down the food. Game dept used to start supplemental feeding programs and then find deer dead with full bellies.If they are already malunurished it can kill them.

Nature tough but sometimes you have to let it take it's course or use the the three S system. Shoot, Shovel, Shut up. In this case you could skip the middle S.