BigJ71

I would call first, no doubt. You never know what kind of mood the Game Warden is going to be in, like others said, it's not worth the risk.

Years ago (before I was born) my father was attackedin camp (camp director at a summer camp) by a black bearin far northern Wisconson. It happened during pre-camp before the kids showed up,at night in the pitch black.This was before theyhadlamps up in the camp (1963), he was only armed with a .22mag Ruger sixgun.Well to make a very long story short aftera longpainfull fight with this bear that lasted for some time, he was able to kill it. In the morning he called the game Warden.

When the Game Warden arrived my dad showed him the area that it took place and the chunks of skin the bear "removed" fromhim. Well the Game Warden was pissed and told my father he shouldn't go around shooting the bears and accused him of poaching. Well that charge didn't last too long and the whole matter was settled with a call to the wardens supervisor. The Warden did however take the bear, my dad thought he should have been able to keep it after what he went through to get it!but understood why he took it.

tourangeaud

It needs to be put down by someone, ASAP.

Killer_Primate

There is what is on paper, and then there is real life. Real life is when we are forced to make decisions on the fly, and do not have in our possession "the trustystate game handbook" that wouldn't cover this topic anyway. I have a simple rule that I try to follow in these situations, that may or may not help. Do what you feel is the right thing to do. Since some will feel different than others, there will be no right, or wrong answers.
Like I said before, I would have killed him right when I found him, to end his suffering. Since I didn't havea gun or bow it wasn't hunting, so I would behead him and mount his head on the handlebars and go about my day with my new friend.

BigJ71

That's classic!! I love it.....

Windwalker7

I'd put him out of his misery. I wouldn't want a deer that was skinny with a gapping wound. It probably wouldn't be fit to eat.


I'd end its misery and walk away. No calls, no dragging it home, just end its misery and leave it there.


It would have died a long agonizing death anyway. It would take a warden hours to arrive if they ever did. The deer is near death and consulting a warden doesn't ease its pain.

This is what I'd do. In my heart, it is the right thing to do.

davidmil

Well, since I seldom carry a gun while riding through the park I guess I'd make a phone call.[8D] IF I had some sort of weapon... I plead the 5th.

nohillbilly

Ok, here's what happened. The guy who almost ran it over lives about a mile from where the buck was laying. So he rode home real quick and grabbed his bow to put it out of it's misery. He put a perfect shot on it and it ran about 10 yards and collapsed. Hereis the weird part. When the bucked jumped up half of it's rack fell off. When it collapsed the other side came off. This deerwas so bad that my buddy didn't even attempt to save the meat. The smell was putrid.
Thanks for all the responses. I just wanted to see were I stood in the general consensus on what was right. I know what was donemay be illegal, so I won't even post what state it was in. It was a awsome buck for where it was.But in this situation I believe that what was morally and ethically right was the right choice.
Here's a pic of the rack.

mauser06

tough situation...know its illegal but know the deer is suffering..if i know its not going to make it i will help it die quicker..sounds like the wound was badly infected and he wasnt going to make it so i say good call. the rack falling off is signs of stress and maybe not eating because he was sick and weak..when deer are stressed or ill they often shed early..

Finch

I would have put him out of his misery since I don't have the GW's number on speed dial. [&:]

...and I would not have bothered telling them anyway.

davs2601

Thats why I keep a copy of my hunting regs in my truck incase I need to get in touch with one of the wardens. One quick cell call and I would have put him down and ended his misery. Everybody wins