What would you do in this situation?
 

Yesterday morning i was watching a group of does in the field. On the corner of my eye about 250 yards away i saw a large bodied deer come out of the crick bottom. It was a very nice 8 that i have been hunting. He was making his way towards me like he was on a string. But then from underneath me a spike with an arrow sticking out of his hind end came walking out. Now me being a good sportsman i shot the spike so he didnt suffer, but that spooked the big buck. I am happy with my decision, what do all you sportsman think?

I would have shot the spike as well. You never want to see a deer suffer. However I feel many in my state (one buck rule Indiana) would have waited for the 8pt.

agreed. thanks for the comment!

I agree with shooting it but not sure I would have tagged it.

If you would shoot a deer why would you not tag it? That is a clear violation of the law!

Putting a deer out of its misery is the right thing to do 100% of the time I have even shot a doe out of season because she had a leg flopping around and was bleeding badly out of another. Suffering is never an option in my opinion no matter what time of year.

I totally agree with you cowboy4513. And i tagged the deer. As a hunter i like to follow the law and the hunting rights that michigan has to offer.

Putting an animal out of its misery is more important. Shooting a spike in my state is illegal for adults so either way I would still be breaking the law.

thats understandable!

I see your point now, did not know your states regs. If that was the case I would shoot it then call the local game warden to state my reasoning instead of leaving it in the woods. That meat can always go to a food bank.

You did the right thing, & should feel good about it. Doc

You did the right thing.
Just think how much bigger the 8 point will be when you see him again.

A hindquarters shot wouldn't do much. The spoiler almost certainly would have survived.

IMO it is my responsibility to minimize suffering of the animal I hunt and not play maid to another hunters bad placed shot regardless of any other deer present.

Tough decision made tougher because of our regs. IF the spike was walking around (as close to normal as one can with an arrow in it's arse) he probably would continue to walk away from me. Also, Antler Restrictions limit us to a minimum of 4 points on one side here in MO.

Now if the spikes were still short enough that I could slap a doe tag on him, I'd take him out.

I would have shot the spike since we do not have a tag system and I would hope to see the eight again.

That's a pickle of a question. The absolute right thing to do is put the animal down. Tag or no tag. What if you saw and shot the 8 pt first and were tagged out. Now what?

And again, tough call if your in the wrong state and can't legally tag it anyway. I've seen hunters "do the right thing", call the Warden and I personally will NEVER call them without MY arse being completely covered. They see everything Black and White. Which is what they're paid to do.

For me it's a moral question. Although, I think my answer is the same regardless of legality. Because they will someday write the law: if you have this situation, you must harvest (you should) and tag that animal (you shouldn't have too). So now, your in the wrong place at the wrong time? And I lose my season because of it. I have to shoot a buck I didn't want to and now I'm tagged out..... I don't think so Tim. We all know being in the right place at the right time is tough enough.

I know I'll hear VIOLATOR... but

I put him down, I don't tag him, and put him in the freezer. And I feel like a honorable and ethical hunter. And I sleep very well.

I feel your pain....
 

Years ago while coonhunting at night I walked upon a buck that had been shot many times. Hit in the leg, bottom jaw was flopping by skin....so I had a choice to make, kill it and break about 5 laws or walk away.

I made the same choice as you. I shot it with my .22 and put it out of it's misery but was too afraid to call the game warden and try to get a tag for it. It was after dark, with a .22, no deer tag, etc, etc....I still think i did the right thing. That deer was simply going to starve to death.....

Great post. I totally agree with this thinking, except I would have left the deer for the other creatures. I'd just spare that (illegal buck in Pa) deer a lot of misery and that's it.

Last year during rifle season I got pictures of a doe with an arrow in her hind quarter. I talked to the game wardens and they said to leave her alone and let mother nature take it course. I saw her while out hunting and she had a noticeable limp and the wound seemed infected. I put her down and let the coyotes have a free meal. Mother nature took it's course with a little help.

Right move from my perspective,maybe next chess game with a buck a little karma coming your way! :deer:

You did the right thing. IMO.

I appreciate all on here stating they would take out the suffering animal as I believe no animal deserves to suffer at the hands of man.

As morally & ethically correct as we all feel it would be (myself included) to put the deer down you would be surprise to know that in most states the conservation authorities may have a different opinion, as hard as that may be to believe. If you read your rule books (in some states) if you find a wounded or dead deer you are to contact a game officer. They are to decided what is the right course of action...not us as hunters! If a game warden had witness this happening from a far (like they do) it would have been in his authority to issue a citation if he felt like it.

Just something to think about for next time.

i understand what you are saying. But me as a hunter, im going to take action on my property. I could tell he was hurt and didnt want him to suffer. I tagged the deer, and im going to make some good jerky and summer sausage with it. And if a DNR officer did happen to see if from a far and gave me a citation i would have just accepted it because in my opinion i did the right thing.

I would have done the very same thing myself no question.

I would have definitely put the deer down...and probably would have been the "best friend" of the residence coyotes!!

Good point. We would like to think wardens would not cite us, but there are plenty that would. For some, any citation is a feather in their hat. I once fished off a bridge for about 5 min, realized my license was expired, wrapped up quickly and walked back to my car. A warden was there and he even said he could see I wrapped up cause I forgot about my expired license but he still gave me a fine! It was not about following the law or what was right with this guy! A similar thing happened to a friend of mine, but his penalty was a lot stiffer (loss of priveleges and BIG fine) - and he even self-reported that the animal he accidentally shot was not quite legal. You can not trust (all of) these guys. Sorry, but that is the sad truth.