How to dispatch a wounded deer legally
First in Connecticut you can not carry a dispatching gun, like a small pistol and you can not carry a rifle or discharge it after dark. Ran into a real mess last week. Shot a 4 point, it was a front quartering shot so I went for the shoulder a bit further than usual to avoid ripping through the chest and into the guts. Well the shot was right on and took out the left shoulder but deflected and came out the other side forward and removed the right front leg. 70 yards propped and open area shot. The buck reared up and wandered off with tail between his legs so I knew I had a significant hit. This was just before dark, ½ hour so I went up to the house a ¼ mile or so away and put the 270 away. Went to fetch the deer and their was a significant blood trail. About a 100 yards out I found him lying down head up and quite alive. He got up and moved about 10 yards and went down but was sitting up alive. Now is the dilemma I have no gun and he has 8 inch Ys and it is dark. In Connecticut the only legal kill is the knife and I surely was not going to try to grab him to use a knife. The question is what to do? I did dispatch him quickly as is ethically requiredbut the method is best left with the woods.