I think there are exceptions. The letter of the law and the spirit of the law on occasion can clash. I do agree animals can survive injuries that boggle the mind. However there are some injuries that occur where they obviously are not going to recover from and then I think the humane thing to do is put them down.

For Example, I arrowed a doe one time (during season) that had horrific injuries from being hit by a vehicle. Both front legs were broke and the bones were sticking through the skin and dry. Her hooves were turned completely and permanently backwards and though her body was trying to heal she was full of infection where the bones were mending. She was totally emaciated (I have seen more meat on a chipmunk) and it looked like perhaps a dog or something had bit her in the behind. The odor coming from her wounds was enough to knock down a moose. When I finally figured out what I was looking at, I put an arrow through her and ended her suffering. It was a sight I have never forgot. She was at least a half mile from any road and judging from the progression of her wounds she had been in this condition for a week or more. It really was one of the saddest things I have witnessed in the animal kingdom in many years of studying nature.

With that in mind a year ago or so (out of season) a young doe was laying in a hay field next to my house. The first day I saw her I didn't think much about it. She had her head up and seemed alert. Low and behold she was in the same spot the next day. Then I had a suspicion that she is more than likely injured. Sure enough when I stopped, she tried to struggle to her feet but just wasn't strong enough to get up, she could only flail. I backed off and called a number for the DNR. I got a machine and left a message. I reluctantly worked around the place all day and in the afternoon one of the neighbors stopped to tell me about the injured deer on the adjacent property. I told him that I was waiting for a visit or a call from the DNR before I would do anything so I wouldn't get a citation but inside me I felt guilty. I felt like I was doing something that I knew wasn't right. To this day I am ashamed that I let that deer suffer for most of the day. When my neighbor left I had all I could stand and loaded up one of my guns and shot that poor thing. I felt so guilty that I decided to shoot it from a distance so it wouldn't try to get up and experience anymore pain. It still stuggled some when it saw me coming but it couldn't get up. One shot and the pain was gone.

You know the DNR never did return my call that I am aware of. Call me a poacher, a softy, a criminal, whatever you want, it won't hurt near as bad as denying my own conscience. There are a number of things in my life that I am ashamed of. Letting that deer suffer that long is certainly one of them. I know better, but I was so concerned about my image, violating a law that I could be cited for and branded a poacher, that I let it stand in the way of my convictions. I don't think I will make that mistake again.