Got think I might shoot it, but that is with an assumption that a CO with just a tad bit of common sense would see the situation for what it is and issue me a new tag as I donate the meat to hunters for hungry or something similar. If the CO will not do so, I will promptly tell him that because it is not illegal to let a injured buck pass, I will never waste my tag in the name of doing the right thing. Will his concious been clean because his decision as a LEO influnced my future actions? I don't know.

idk proly shoot it if it was that bad........i know a bunch of my buds who half ass bow hunt. i would make them tag it, otherwise i might go purchase my dad or brothers archery tag.....

I'm not sure what I would do in other situations, but I only hunt my own property. If I saw a buck in that situation and knew he would suffer and die, I would put him out of his misery and drag him somewhere where the coyotes could have him. I wouldn't tag him. Sometimes you have to do what is right regardless of the law.

I would shoot it for sure. I don't like to see any animal suffer. Fulton Co - If shot by a human, then it is not nature taking its' course.

To tag or not to tag is different depending on situation, location, etc. Illinois makes it fairly easy to deal with an untagged deer.

no question i would drop him and claim him ,its the right thing to do IMO.

Eh, that's a tough one. Is he wounded so bad that he's sick/infected enough to effect the meat? I'd have 2 tags here in Texas so I may go ahead and take him down. I also have every opportunity to hunt on my own land so I'm not ruining my one chance to take a big buck.

Maybe ask around if anyone in the area recalls wounding a buck fitting that description, see if they'll tag it.

I just don't think there is a 'right' answer but whatever answer a person gives reveals something about their character.

my lil one is quick to react, i have posted already and as i check the updates , she sits here with me being O so helpful, and her opinion is stern...
(there was a post from before when the guy shot a deer and was on here sayin how it was paralyzed in back legs and should he just leave it to die or shoot it again..the deer was put down after a few hours ughh)

"we alredi had this one before! rite dad?..shot it agin or call a dokter"
-Kaden 6years Texas

I am diggin the answers here. As for me I don't think it would make it to far once i saw it, I am just not sure on the end result. I do know that letting it walk away would haunt me.

This is a good, but tough question. It would depend on the season. I have taken deer before that were shot and some had a lot of waste, or gang green, so it sucks to waste your tag on someone elses bad shooting. The type of deer your describing most likely will die from infection over time or be caught by opportunistic coyotes, if present. I'd probly let it go and hope whoever shot it would track it down, unless its near the end of a bad season ,I would take it. I don't see that as unethical.

yep. had a similar situation last year, had a small doe come in limping bad and decided to take her. We found out that this deer had porcupine needles stuck INTO the "knee" bone, and i mean all the way in. Also, the heart was almost 1/3 dead. Very strange, but couldn't let it suffer. Ethics before Antlers.
BigBuck95