This situation has come up all over the U.S and I wanted your opinion.

Its the first day of deer season. You're hunting in your favorite spot. You hear shots ringing out all around you. Suddenly one goes off very close. A minute or so later a fairly nice sized deer comes bolting through the woods and falls down 20 yards from you. You walk over and find that it was shot in the gut and is still alive. You can't legally shoot it but do you put it out of its misery anyways? Just wondering what you guys all thought.

I would not hesitate law or not ...I put the animal out of its misery!!

Kill it --- then give it to the guy (or gal) who shot it in the first place, even though you fired the killing shot. That's the ethically correct thing to do -- and doing what's right is all that matters.

Just curious ,Why is it illegal to shoot it????

I think i remember it being illegal because it wasn't your deer or something. I just remember the instructors in Hunters Safety telling us that it was illegal. It may be legal in some states.

Any deer that you can see is wounded I.E.broken legs belly shot Should be finished even if you must us your own tag.This is about the right thing to do.Don't you get sick of seeing a goose or duck on TV swimming around with an arrow thru it that some jerk shot just to see if they could hit it.Hunters already take alot of cheap shots over a few idiots.

I would finish it off, then wait for whomever shot it to come looking for it, so I could show them where it is, and help them get it out of the woods.

Oh-Oh, here we go again. Ethical situation, huh?
I would shoot it and wait for the party who shot the illegal deer and obtain as much imfo about the individual/vechilcle and call the local game warden/deputy sheriff and let him know what had happened.
Reminds me of a situation that happened to me a few year back when motorists were parked along the road here and a doe was doing cartwelts in a barb-wire fence, people just watching, its skin torn/ripped and bleating and shoulder popped out of socket, it was a very nasty and bloody scene and I shot it with my 357 once killing it instantly. I guess someone had called the game warden and we both were untangling the deer from the strands of wire while bystanders watching/tring to assist us and the warden had told me that I'm going to have to give you a ticket for shooting the deer because there was a possiblity that the deer could of gotten loose, I told him, well do what you got to do. We loaded the deer in the back of his p. u. and wipped ourself off and then he told me after everyone left to get the hell outta here. I said, Yes, Sir.

Been there, done that. Wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

definately shoot it don't let it suffer.