Hunting & Fishing What would you do in this situation?

[pprochnow]

So here is the dilemma - on a hunting trip you see the deer below floating in a river that is a state boundary for hunting. Its early in the day. later that day downstream you see the same deer struggling in the water and climbs back up onto an ice chunk. Do you shoot the thing to put it out of its misery?

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[Beef82]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

Sadly, in most if not all states, NO, not if you value your right to hunt, as generally shooting game in the water and/or knowingly shooting game where you cannot recover it are hunting reg violations, in additon to evidently being out of bounds, waterway boundaries usually being defined as the high or low water line, and intentionally firing across navigable waterways regardless of its current state is often covered by criminal law.

Fact is nature is cruel and animals are not always good decision makers, and while you may feel said animal is suffering, as long as you did not cause the suffering, it is not your responsibility or obligation to ease it. In most cases other than recovery of game wounded during legal hunting even if you did cause the suffering (auto strike, caught on/in man-made structure, spooked, etc) it is not lawful for a private citizen to put it down unless its endangering people or sometimes property. If the animals plight troubles you call your fish and wildlife dept, that's generally all you can legally do.

 

[teamr2]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

In most states it is illegal to put down a deer that has been hit with a car..... That deer on the ice might at least have a chance.

 

[Fisky]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

I've been in a few situations where I could have saved a deer some misery. I would have also been breaking the law. I usually let nature take it's course, as I value my hunting privileges and don't want to wager them on what kind of mood the warden is in at that time.

 

[rpk762]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

Since I can not hit it with my pickup. I would call the Game and Fish or DNR or whatever your state calls it. If you shoot it you are in the wrong. If they do not do anything and it dies they are ok with that. If they come out and are able to get it to the shore and it dies later they are ok with that also.

Shooting it and getting caught is poaching. I hit a deer with my car and it was messed up pretty bad. I called the cops and while I was sitting there the deer came to so I shot it in the head with my 9mm one time to put it down. It was dead with that one shot. The sheriff deputy took down all of the info and gave me my paperwork so I can get my car taken care of with insurance. He then told me to never do that again because in the eyes of the Game and Fish it is poaching and he said they always want to tag on wonton waste. I asked if I could take it. He said in this case since you shot the deer I should just let it lay. He also said a game warden has to come out and seeing that bullet hole he might just push it.

Lets not get into the number of deer my pickup has killed.

In this case it really stinks because that deer is scared and dying and it knows it.

 

[shamrockcattleco]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

I think this one still has a chance. But it dosent look good. With Iowa DNR as tough as they are I would let her float by every time.

 

[Jmilera]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

It seems reasonable to help it but you can't . And you can't even put it down. Let nature take its course. If it were in texas I would shoot it to save him the pain of drowning . But he is not in Texas!

 

[Force_Multiplier]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

I just don't get this...maybe I'm just lucky to live in Oklahoma, where if I need to put down a suffering animal, or one that is causing damage to my property, all I have to do is call the game warden, or a dept of wildlife official, and notify them and they have to option of picking up the animal. in most cases they ask if you want the carcass

 

[7remmag]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Force_Multiplier</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just don't get this...maybe I'm just lucky to live in Oklahoma, where if I need to put down a suffering animal, or one that is causing damage to my property, all I have to do is call the game warden, or a dept of wildlife official, and notify them and they have to option of picking up the animal. in most cases they ask if you want the carcass </div></div>
Amen

 

[Guest]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

Nature isn't a Disney movie.
Leave it be. Don't call anyone. Human lives and equipment do not need to be into play to save something that is not in short supply.

 

[Lucks]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

If I was confident an animal wasn't going to make it and it was suffering horribly, then I would put it out of it's misery and not lose any sleep over it.

 

[goatsie]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

Yeah a call to the warden, if possible, but other than that I would let nature roll, probably better for the gene pool anyways!

 

[Infinity]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

This is one of those spots where the ethical decision and the law are not in agreement...guess it depends how well you know the game warden. Let it go if it compromises your future ability to hunt. Take care of business if you can get permission...funky spot...

 

[chad cochran]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

My thought is that nature tends to all, be it cruel sometimes. Don't forget about the hungry predators that have young ones to teach how to hunt and survive. I believe we should give the animal the chance to survive nature or feed it. Man made hazards are cruel and pose safety threats to other humans and therefore a mercy kill may be used. These dilimas hurt my soul and i try to remind myself that wild animals live a freedom i will never know. Just my opinion FWIW.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

a hundred fifty years ago, I would have shot it and not worry about consequances, today unfortunately the little bastard got to learn to swim or die.

 

[whitt91]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

id shoot it. animals suffer and die in horrible ways everyday naturally from predators and what have you and im more than ok with that. but if i can do something to easily put an animal out of its misery with an easy well place shot then im taking it.

 

[KHill3611]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

I wouldn't shoot it unless I thought it definitely wasn't going to make it & I felt like I could get away with it. Nature is cruel sometimes & I wouldn't loose my hunting rights.

 

[jdr724]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

While I feel for the predicament the deer is in, I feel more for my own livelyhood with respect to the authorities

 

[Bradu]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lucks</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If I was confident an animal wasn't going to make it and it was suffering horribly, then I would put it out of it's misery and not lose any sleep over it.</div></div>

That's exactly how I look at it.

 

[0481]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

Here in commifornia its not worth it. Say a prayer and walk away. The libtards and the DFG will find out what you did and sight you for poaching.

 

[plant.one]

Re: What would you do in this situation?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jdr724</div><div class="ubbcode-body">While I feel for the predicament the deer is in, I feel more for my own livelyhood with respect to the authorities </div></div>

+1

i've been told on multiple instances not to shoot deer that have been hit by cars near our farm and were wounded and NEEDED to be put down when we called to report them. They had to dispach officers out to take care of it. I was sternly warned that there better not be any bullet holes in the animal when the officer arrived to take care of it.


as much as i feel for critters in these situations i prefer my gun ownership and hunting rights over helping darwin along.