niehenke, good man. I can't imagine the pain either. I hope your reward with come next year.

Sometimes, ya just gotta do it...

you did do the right thing . If anyone tells you anydifferent theyare not a true hunter.

Legal or not you did the right thing.no need in letting him suffer

You deffinatly did the right thing. From the sound of he wouldnt of made it through the winter

You did the right thing. I would have done the same thing in your situation.

I'm not saying anything negative here but this picture doesn't look like you were 45 feet in the tree. And even if you were, why were you? Good Lord!!! I have to ask too... If you were aiming for the heart but managed to destroy part of the backstrap, where did you actually hit him internally then?

Another thing, not trying to be a prick, and if I am one without the intention, please forgive me but...

It surprises me a bit that you being a nurse would ask this "would you" question. Perhaps in your head it was rhetorical at the time you posed it? I said this before on a similar thread but that question is the same as asking if it was the right thing to do to throw a life line to a drowning man.

You did the right thing Doug, you kow that. Good on ya.I had to put a BB down myself this year if anyone remembers my missing jaw BB thread. I almost wanna post the pics but I think it's too graphic.

I would have no regret of putting a deer out of its misery, tag or not. I think in situations like that the ethical concern about putting a wounded animal out of its misery overrides the legal concern of possibly taking a deer you don't have a tag for. Assuming the meat was ok to eat I would take the meat too instead of letting it go to waste.

You absolutely did the right thing. I shot a BB with a shattered leg and bad road rash on his hind quarters this year. I think its the right thing to do if the animal is in obvious distress that you know it will most likely die from.

Shane