Mercy kill

[Slagiatt]

So here in washington its 1 buck per year, so use your tag wisely. I happen to have the whitetail raffle tag, so im one of only a few people in the state that gets 2 this year. I was really hoping to get 2 wallhangers, but circumstances forced my hand. A couple days ago i shot the smallest buck ive ever killed, not counting my first. A young (2.5yr) 3x4 came hobbling up my driveway just as i was getting ready to go visit somebody next county over. His front right lower leg was flopping around like a limp noodle. This buck was in bad shape. I decided since i have the raffle tag this year, i would put my general tag on this little dink to put him out of his misery. I just felt bad for him, and didnt want him to experience a terrifying death from a coyote or wolf ripping his guts out while he was still alive. This is a pic of his knee where some incompetent knucklehead shot him, i think on the dnr land across the road from my house. Moral of the story, dont shoot unless you know you xan make your shot count. If i wouldve left the house 5 min earlier, this young buck wouldve undoubtedly had a very painful, horrifying ending.

 

[readonly]

Probably would have healed up fine. That's the ankle joint of the deer, and deer can live with three legs. He would eventually lose that foot, but unlikely to lead to infection and not otherwise a lethal injury.

 

[Slagiatt]

Probably would have healed up fine. That's the ankle joint of the deer, and deer can live with three legs. He would eventually lose that foot, but unlikely to lead to infection and not otherwise a lethal injury.

He wouldnt have survived here, no way. Were infested with cougars, wolves, yotes, bears. Guaranteed hed have not survived 2 days. Never seen a 3 legged deer here, its not possible. Rarely does a week go by without at least 1 cougar on cam on my property, not to mention the constznt coyotes.

 

[readonly]

OK, so being killed by a predator is much different that dying from the wound. Now instead of him being killed by a predator, some other deer will be.

 

[Slagiatt]

OK, so being killed by a predator is much different that dying from the wound. Now instead of him being killed by a predator, some other deer will be.

Yes, a coyote or wolf pulling his asshole out and eating him while hes still alive actually is a lot different than him taking a bullet in the heart, smartass. Go post on peta forum you dipshit

 

[Slagiatt]

OK, so being killed by a predator is much different that dying from the wound. Now instead of him being killed by a predator, some other deer will be.

That deer would have been just fine for many more years, if some idiot hadnt shot him in the knee. Due to piss poor marksmanship, he was wounded and in pain. His only choices in life were a slow terrifying death from predators, or a quick bullet to the heart, and youre running your mouth at me?

 

[Slagiatt]

The fact that youre defending the concept of letting a deer suffer after being poorly shot by a slob hunter makes me question why youre on this forum in the first place

 

[cutman]

Tone down the language.

How do you know he was shot? It’s hard to tell from the picture but maybe it was obvious in person. I’m a big believer in mercy killings, and it sounds like for your circumstances you did the right thing.

In SC, 3 legged deer can survive. I’ve been watching one 3 legged doe for 5 years now. It looks like her leg was perfectly amputated at the shoulder.

 

[Jeff H]

I did the same years ago with a small buck that had apparently hit by a car as his bone was sticking out of the skin. There was a nice 8 pointer with him but thought it was the right thing to do to take him out. The leg/shoulder was full of gangrene and it had to have been very painful. I would have done the same thing in your situation and we don't have the predators you do. Nature can be cruel. Compassion is a good thing. Nice job.

 

[Kwood]

Slag, you did the right thing. Good by you.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[SwampCat]

It is true that had Slag not finished the deer off, the predators would have got it - possibly leading to one less healthy deer taken by predators. But, you are forgetting Slag would still have had that extra tag to take a healthy deer himself - so I don't believe there was any net gain or loss to the deer herd. And yes, in many cases a bullet is more humane than a predator. I would have done the same thing.

As to a hunter possibly making a poor shot - it happens. I have done it myself a couple times in my fifty some years of deer hunting. I don't like it - but it does happen. Unfortunately, it is part of the game.

 

[readonly]

The fact that youre defending the concept of letting a deer suffer after being poorly shot by a slob hunter makes me question why youre on this forum in the first place

I am sorry that you subscribe to a Bambiesque Disney view of nature. Maybe when you have more experience in the outdoors you will come to understand the true nature of things. In the meantime, please don't injure your shoulder patting your back for "mercy" killings and blessing us with "morals" (wouldn't that be ironic?).

An injured foot never killed a deer. But your sure did.

 

[readonly]

That deer would have been just fine for many more years, if some idiot hadnt shot him in the knee. Due to piss poor marksmanship, he was wounded and in pain. His only choices in life were a slow terrifying death from predators, or a quick bullet to the heart, and youre running your mouth at me? Fuck you.

I am sorry that you feel the need to curse and hurl insults. How old are you? Any education?

I am glad that you found an excuse to kill a deer that most would probably have passed on. I hope the meat didn't go to waste?

 

[readonly]

One thing I was incorrect on....that's no the ankle joint, rather the wrist joint.

 

[OkieKubota]

This thread has run it's course. I have shot deer that were wounded in the past and I have also had deer walk past me with a wound and no action on my part...
The cursing has no place on this forum.