Question about being legal or ethical
 

I'm hunting one morning and a doe steps out. She is badly injured. She can't put any weight on one of her back legs and has a severe limp on one of her front legs. Normally I would waste no time in putting her down. The only problem is that it is not an either sex day. She is obviously in bad shape. I put my crosshairs on her but decide not to shoot. That night all I could think about was should I have taken her. I thought about coyotes or dogs taking her down. I know it's nature but I hate to see her suffer or go to waste. I tell myself if I see her tomorrow I am going to take her. The next morning guess who steps out in the exact same place? She still looks bad. I put my crosshairs on her again. What do I do? It's a tough decision. Should I be ethical and shoot her or should I be legal and let her go? What would you have done in this situation? I will tell you what I did after I see a few of your responses.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I would shoot it, then ignore the preaching that is soon to follow here.

However, if it now looks like the deer is staying in that area, it might be worth calling the local game warden andasking him what should be done.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I would shoot. The law is always correct, but it is certainly not always ethical.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Was this in a high fence?

:D

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

As much as I hate to see an animal suffer, I would not shoot it. Calling the warden would be the right thing to do. No way am I taking the chance of a fine, probation, community service, being on your record and my worst nightmare: losing my hunting privileges!

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

In this situation, everyone has an opinion on what the "best" decision is.

Some will say to follow the law regardless and iothers will say do the ethical thing regardless of what the law says.

I know what I would have done.

Whatever you did, it appears that you took a lot of time to think about it and you made a decision based on what "you" thought was best. That IMO is all that can be asked of anyone.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Depends on if there are open/severe wounds on the doe. I have a doe that stays in our backyard area and has been there for at least 5 years that has a severe limp in her front shoulder. She has two fawns every year and other than the limp she does fine. I probably would pass on shooting the doe and let mother nature take its course.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I would shoot........ a call to the nearest warden. Doing the right thing is never wrong.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I would shoot

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

i would have shot. if the game warden asked me why i did i would explain to him

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I aint tellin

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

As much as I would hate to let her keep walking, I think that's what I would do. I may change my mind at that precise moment, but then what do I do? Leave her there or take her with me after the shot?

I think if I took that deer, I would be definitely in the wrong. Letting her live or putting her down (and leaving her) would be my only options. Again,I think I would not put her down.

Tough question...

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

As much as I HATE to see ANY animal suffer, I would follow the law! Ya never know if you shoot that could be the last deer you shoot for a LONG time! Mother nature will takes its course no matter the situation! There are plenty of sick animals in the woods, why not just go around shooting all of the sick ones???? I'd keep it legal! But thats just me!:)

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

SHOOOOOOOOOT. AND LEAVE FOR THE YOTES AND BUZZARDS. IF SHE IS HURT THAT BAD,THERE IS INFECTION SET UP IN THE WOUND, ALSO HER BLOOD STREAM, DON'T THINK SHE WOULD BE FIT TO EAT. BUT YOU DID THE RIGHT THING

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

This goes to those that would shoot the doe(or anywild animal for that matter)even when it's NOT LEGAL. Are you guys honestly willing to pay fines and possibly get your gun or your hunting privelages revoked for shooting a wounded animal that's not in season?? Think again fellas. If nature did this to the doe, then nature will run it's course. Duckhunter...shoot that out of season doe, get busted by a CO, tell him your sob story and let us all know what happens. LOL!! I doubt he or she is going to say ok and drive away. Obviously you and others are willing to take the chance, I sure as heck aren't.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Tough!!!!!!!! If it was an old wound I'd let it be. But if it was fresh from a bad shot. OHHHH... I don't know. It's one of those things I'd have to decide on the spot.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Without seeing the deer, it would be hard to say!
Legality, and ethics, USUALLY go hand-in-hand, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DON'T!
In a "suffering" situation, I would take the law into my own hands, others might choose to follow the "letter of the law!"
Personally, I would just have to deal with the consequences, if the Wardens saw it differently than I did!
In ANY case, I'd say that the best that you can do, would be to follow your heart! Or, as DD would say, "to thine own self be true!"

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Let nature takes it course. Nature is cruel. Just the way it is. I understand how ya feel but sometimes us hunters try to control nature too much. Coyotes got to eat, buzzards got to eat. Its the cruel circle of life.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Would you not stop, and render aid to an injured person, for fear of being sued?
I guess thats one of the major things thats wrong with this world!
Most people would rather run over a dying person, than to "risk" ANYTHING!
Again, I'd go with my heart, and hope that the Wardens would have some common sence!

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

would you shoot them because they were injured?

I would let nature take its course. No matter how much you all believe I am God I have to tell ya I'm not:D[8D][:-].I'm not playing God deciding who's turn it should be. Nature is cruel I try not to interfere any more than I have to with her.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Let her walk and obey you local game laws. There is no waste in nature. When she crokes she will get eaten.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: JagMagMan

Jag, FYI, there isa lawcalled the Good Samaritan Act. You can no longer be sued for rendering assistance to an injured HUMAN. Even if you cause further injury or death. Not busting your chops, just letting you know.

However, you can be arrested for shooting a deer without the proper permit. There are over 34 million whitetail deer in the U.S. and I would guess at least a couple million are injured in some way. Go ahead and shoot them, if you like handcuffs.:)

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Yeah, I knew someone would come up with the Good Samaritan Act!:)
I'll still go with my heart, and end the animals suffering.

NYBH, no I would not shoot an injured person, but I'd end an animals suffering!
I'd do what I have to do, and you would do what you would do! I know that there is a chance that a Game Warden would not see it the same way, but if it were a truely suffering animal, I'd feel obligated to do what I feel is right! I don't expect everyone to do the same thing, but its not like going out to steal a deer!

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Can you please explain to me how anything I said has anything to do with an injuired person!?!?!?!?!? Of course I would render aid to someone that was in trouble...sitting on the side of the road or in the woods. But are you honestly comparing an injured animal to an injured person? Tell me your not! Sir..if you in fact are, THAT'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE WORLD TODAY. Comparing human suffering to the suffering of animals. There's a group of people for that cause. We all know who they are.

People, we are talking about shooting an animal that's OUT OF SEASON and ILLEGAL to shoot at that specific time!! I certainly hope the CO uses his common sense as well. Takes your gun, maybe your truck, revokes your hunting rights for X amount of time and slaps a hefty fine on you. Because if you just shot that doe...your poaching and you think that there should be special circumstances for YOU because you "think" your doing the right thing. If your "heart" tells you to shoot because your helping that animal out, I wish you good luck explaining that one."But Officer So and So, I shot her and was going to leave her lay because she was already woundedand I thought I was doing her a favor by putting her out of themisery she was in."

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Here we go! I would call the warden. My hunting rights is to important to me.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

BANG !!! :D

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I guess if you are going to blow things so far out of proportion, I'll have to tell you " NO I AM NOT COMPARING HUMANS,WITH ANIMALS!!!!"
I was just making an example, but I guess some people just can't figure that out!

Don't even go there pal! I am about as ANTI, Anti's as anyone can be!

Blowing this out of proportion is almost as bad as the one where "getting a ticket on the way to the woods is poaching!"

So I'll simplify this for ya'll,NO you don't put people "down" for suffering!
Let me compare animals, to animals!
4 months ago the best Lab that ever lived, ended up with terminal cancer! We tried surgery, but it didn't work! One of the hardest things I've ever did was to let her lay her head in my lap, while the Vet put her to sleep!
So,ending a wild animals suffering would be easy for me!
You do what you feel is right, I'll do what I feel is right!

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

EXACTLY !
and I wouldnt judge anyone that decided either way.
I guarrantee if my wife was sitting next to me, she would have made me shoot it, and she doesnt like killing animals, but knows it's gods intention for us to eat them.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I didn't blow things out of proportion. You took it to that level. I commented on a wounded animalthat by law is illegal to shoot and you wrote back asking if I would not render aid to a human injured and in need. What am I suppose to assume by that? Proof read what your typing before you click that little "ok" button and things might make more sense to myself and others. In my opinion,one can't even compare a wild animal(deer) to your very own pet. One is wild the other is domesticated. Obvious point I understand, but nature willmost timestake care of itself and won't need anyone's help. That's the way it is. In a very general sense, hunting is for thinning out animals, not for going around and shooting the lame.

I feel bad for your pet...I really do, but life doesn't go on forever. Human or animal. Everyone's day will come to an end at some point. That's life and That's nature.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

you can kill her i am pretty sure it is called a mercy killing and it is leagal but call the warden to make sure that is legal dont want you to get a ticket

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

If you think you are doing the deer a favor just make sure you are right! I say this because the deer may just be injured and could recover. About three years ago when I was doing some early scouting and squirlle huntingI saw a fork horn in september with the same situation except he always held his front leg up and limped on his back leg I assumed it was hit by a car looked like he was in alot of pain and could not move good. When I first saw him I had my .22 mag and thought about a quick shot to the head to end his suffering but the deer was able to get away so I did not. Then the next week I seen him again but he was far away and I noticed that he was putting his head down and eating. To make a long story short by the the time rut was on I seen him with a six pointer sparing in the feild and was walking fine. So my point is make sure your right in predicting the future and deciding that they will die, maybe they wont. Now for another side of my coin, If I saw a deer that had major and obious injuries like missing limbs that are all bloody or large open wounds with flies swarming around it I would probally shot it, But I would only shot it if anyone who seen the deer would say it was unsafe to eat and it would be obious I was doing the animal a favor, but again I am risking myself on others opinions if I am cought. But chances are if im in the woods deer season is always in so it wont be illegal. I only go squirrle hunting a few times before deer season, and I dont carry a gun in the summer so I don't have to worry about being tempted. Just make sure your right when you decide to end ones life.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

well, What did superstrutter decide to do?

myself personally, I would have shot and put it out of it's misery if it was in that much pain. I have shot a small yearling a couple years back after learning it had 2 badly broken legs. I believe it was chased from a cliff and fell. It was just laying there and tried getting up to run when I approached. It was the best thing to do and if I had to make the same decision again I would shoot again.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Yes, I would shoot. If I had to pay a fine or lost my hunting license, so be it. I'd ask for a hearing and hope the magistrate woud see it my way. Either way, I'd know I did the right thing. I wouldn't go around telling everyone, though.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Okay, here is what I did. I had my crosshairs on her not only just to shoot but I was also looking for a wound. I could not see an external wound on her. I decided to stand up in my stand to see if she could run halfway decent. I stood up and waved my arms. She took off like a bat out of hell only on three legs. I was glad to see she could at least run pretty good. I saw her again a week later and she was no longer limping on her front leg but she still could put no pressure on her back leg. I figured if she made it that long she would be okay. I'm glad I decided not to take her. For all I know she may have had twins that spring. If she would have been unable to run I decided I was going to take her. I assume she was hit by a car but survived. Thanks for your responses.

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Wow, seems like alot of guys on here would have needlessley broken the law by shooting her...

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Thats all I would do!!!
I'm not talking about shooting every deer that doesn't look quite right! I am also aware that "nature takes care of itself!" There is truely, no waste in nature! WhatI am talking about isa true, "mercy kill!"

I have seen three-legged deer, that were as healthy as any normal deer. I've also got a nice 9 pointer that had a healed over .22 bullet in it's backstrap.
So, I am not saying "to blatantly disregard the law," I am saying "do what feels right, and live with it!"

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

Hindsight is always 20-20. However, if she still couldn't put pressure on her back leg a week later......

RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

I think anyone who respects this great animal would put it down ..you would a dog ..or a horse ..why not a deer ... no since in a deer suffering ...


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RE: Question about being legal or ethical
 

If I did shoot it I would let it lay.It would not go to waste.