RE: image burned in memory
I know, thats what sounds right, and I agree with you guys. But when faced with that situation directly, maybe it' s different. We had no weapons of any kind, not even a knife. (strictly forbidden in Pa when spotting). Running after even a crip with a tire iron to bash his head in seems just as bad as doing nothing. Imagine getting caught by a less sympathetic law officer. Then I get labeled as a poacher and lose my hunting rights, pay fines etc.
Unfortunately, i' ve seen people do the right thing in other circumstances and get burned for it. If I was in the woods and saw that it would have ben different. I would have taken him. Back when spikes were legal in Pa, I once shot one as it came by me on opening day. The deer was falling every couple of steps, his guts trailing out behind him. The victim of a young hunters shot. Boy was I glad when the kid showed up trailing the deer. I told him it was his to keep I just ended his suffering. The kid was happy and the deers suffering was shortend, and I didn' t have to explain to the others at camp why I shot a spike! (we had a no spike rule even then).