mercy shooting
 

this season i had a nub buck walk out with a busted leg. with all the empasis on quality deer management and letting little bucks go i thought twice about the shot. but in the end i shot the deer it made it 20 yards and was done. if in the same situation would u take the shot?

RE: mercy shooting
 

I had a buddy hunting with me last year that did something very similar, however it was a young doe. She had been shot/wounded in the shoulder. She stood up in front of him 15 mins after daylight and he put her down to save her the long painfull death or recovery.

I see nothing wrong with what you did.

RE: mercy shooting
 

You did the right thing. It's no point in letting an animal suffer like that.

RE: mercy shooting
 

You definately did the right thing! I would have done the same thing.

RE: mercy shooting
 

I agree. Suffering is a bad way to go.

RE: mercy shooting
 

thats the only reason id use my doe tags during rifle season...i like to save em for muzzle loader but if i see a busted up doe ill put her down with my rifleto spare her the suffering...it makes me feel better inside.....

RE: mercy shooting
 

you did the right thing don't let them suffer . i would do the same thing

RE: mercy shooting
 

I agree you did the right thing i would have done the same.

RE: mercy shooting
 

Yes I would.

RE: mercy shooting
 

Just wondering, would y'all do the same if you'd used up your doe tags if it's a doe, or buck tag if it's a buck? I think you're supposed to call the game warden and let them know before hand. I mean, most of the time you dont have that sort of time to make a call before a shot... I guess the question is would y'all do it even if you were risking a fine, etc.? I think I would.
-- B

RE: mercy shooting
 

Yep, you're to be commended.

RE: mercy shooting
 

You did the right thing,ive had to d it before and would againe

RE: mercy shooting
 

i woudl of done the same thing now but last season i had a small buck come up durring bow season and its right front knee bent backwards and in my county in Missouri it has to have 4 points on one side to be legal and this deer was not legal it was chasing after does still so i didnt feel quite as bad

RE: mercy shooting
 

Yea, I know the feeling, saw this spike the other day, looked to be walking funny limping. But didn't want to use my tag. I debated, telling myself he would heal. I let him go. Maybe I should have took what the Lord put in front of me and put him down. Oh well, hope the little guy heals.

RE: mercy shooting
 

You did the right thing. Earlier this fall I was bow hunting a doe came by my stand. She had an arrow sticking straight out of her hind quarter. But I couldn't get a shot as she was too far away. I felt bad about it all day. Better to die by my arrow than be suffering and be eaten by the coyotes.

RE: mercy shooting
 

The second largest buck I ever killed back in 1998 was missing part of one of its hind legs. It was walking on three and a stump. Someone had apparetnly shot its leg off or it got caught in a trap.

Great job for doing the right thing.

RE: mercy shooting
 

Kudos for IMO for doing the right thing....we may hunt, but we also love and respect the animals we hunt. They do not deserve to suffer!!![&:] Been there and done that{meaning having to put one down that was beyond any help) although deer are very resiliant animals....they are not immortal and can only withstand so much trauma. Death from septicemia, and gangrene is not very pleasant. You did the right thing, just as I would do again if faced with the circumstance.

RE: mercy shooting
 

You did right

RE: mercy shooting
 

Nothing wrong with what you did. I would have done the same.

RE: mercy shooting
 

One of our members did the dame thing.He was about to pass on a small 6 pointer, when he noticed a broken leg. He decided to put it out of it's misery. Upon skinning, he also noticed that it had multiple broken ribs. It must have been hit by a car.

RE: mercy shooting
 

Yes, you did the right thing. Younger deer are more vulnerable as it is, so with a substantial wound, there's a chance that button buck wouldn't have made it through the winter, let alone reproduce one day. Sounds like you have your head on straight.

RE: mercy shooting
 

Yep. I was hunting with a friend last year whaen he had 5 does come by. Being the buck hunter he is, he just watched them. Then the last one came out and all her guts were hanging out of her. He decided to take her down.

RE: mercy shooting
 

I have done it as well being my love for the animals. Though I have also not done it for various reasons, here it is illegal to shoot an animal without the proper tag, it is also illegal to shootan animal and leave it or call after the fact. I was faced with a very tough desicion yesterday morning on a buck that had part of his intestine hanging out from either a puncture wound, errand shot or possible hooked on a fence. I was making my way to my spot when i came acroos the buck but he was on posted land so the only think I could do was relcutantly let him go. I know the landowner and his feeling towards hunters/hunting so that wasn't an option. Shooting him might have been the right thing thoughit would also be illegal so a ethical/moral/legal battle ensue. In the end I did what was right for me and made a call to the CO's about the wounded animal and location. Whether they actually try to find them is anybody's guess but in my mind it was the best possible solution to the situation I faced.

Nature is a toughegg and we must remember while we pay an important part we should not play God. If legal, tag will used, etc then take the shot, if not then I say let them walk.My ethical boundary speaking, doing the right thing means in all facets not just one, even when the heart is tugging you for love and respect to make a different call. Just my pennies worth!

RE: mercy shooting
 

Definitly did the right thing. As long as it's legal, put the poor thing out of it's misery. No sense getting tied up in a legal battle if it is not legal though, even if it would be ethical.