Doesn't sound like an ethics question at all. Any deer you shoot is suppose to be tagged. Any thought otherwise is a legal question. Would I shoot a deer simply because it limps.... NO. Deer have grown to be old minus a leg and other things. You want to play God... tag it and consider your season over. If you want the deer shoot it. If he appears scrawny and underweight, I wouldn't shoot him. I want meat not kudos for killing an animal because he limps. Heck, look at all the old folks walking around with walkers and canes. Should we put them down or keep them off the street. I don't think so. The deer may be ill or under the weather but still can recover and do well. I don't see this as ethics... simply do I want this deer.