Mercy Kill
I was walking to the tree I use on some property this past saturday morning, and when I got about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way there I saw some eyes looking at me about 10 yds away. I couldn't really tell what it was with the low beam red light on my head lamp. I switched to the high beam white light and saw that it was a bedded down deer looking straight at me. I think it tried to stand up once but didn't. I wasn't sure if it could or not or was really trying the "maybe if I don't move he won't see me" act. I was pretty sure something was wrong though. It was still dark and not legal shooting hours yet and I couldn't really tell what was going on with that deer. I decided to keep going and get up in my tree and see if I could tell after it got light. My tree was only 50yds away. After it got light I saw the deer attempt to get up a couple times but did not. I then saw some other deer across the field so I waited to see if they were going to come my way. I had a buck sneak in on my from where the other deer were and got within 20yds before I saw him. I haven't shot any does yet, so he got a pass for that but he was young with 4 on one side and two funky little points on the other. He milled about and then a fox came in and started circling the bedded deer. He then moved off and a few minutes later the buck spooked for one reason or another. I decided to get down and get a better look at the bedded deer. I thought it was a large doe, but as I got closer I could see it's pedicles. There was an area about 6-7 yds wide where it had been moving around a little with 7-8 distinct beds and looked like it had been there at least a couple days. I still couldn't really tell what was wrong other than it couldn't get up. Since it was an antlerless buck and need to be put down I put it out of it's misery. After the shot I could tell that it had been hit by a car and both it's hind legs were broken. It amazed me that the deer made it 100yds from the road. I dressed the deer and decided it would be worth seeing if there was any useable meat. I took it to the proccessor and they said pretty much all but the one severly damaged hind quarter could be used. Not how I would have like the hunt to go, but at least I was able to put him out of his misery. It is late bow season here in MD by the way so I couldn't just shoot it from my stand as it was at least 50yds and with the deer laying down and not going anywhere I could take a much more ethical shot up close.