I saw a buck this morning with a broken leg. I could see the bone sticking out. And there was puss running down it. How would you handle the situation? He was a mature 8 point but i could tell he had already lost a lot of weight. You could see his hip bones and his spine. If I had shot him I do not think I would have eaten him. He was only 20 yards from me and his back right leg was just dangling. Would I have to tag him if I did shoot him? I don't think he will make it much longer. May call the game warden and find out what to do if I see him again.

Put him out of his misery.

I would have shot him and left him where he fell.

SSS or call your warden

Been there done that.

Decision you have to make on the spot and one best kept to yourself. In the same situation, I likely would have done as others, it's a mercy "thang" LOL

this

Better off taking him. I agree with Western, its a "mercy" thing.

By law, if you shoot him, you have to tag him. And, if in an AR county, he must meet AR's. Best thing to do is call your game warden and its possible he will say if you see him again put him down and then call him so he can come out.

I learned that lesson the hard way. I put a fawn out of its misery a few years ago that had crossed the road and got messed up, couldn't walk, etc. I shot it in the head with a handgun to put it out of its misery. I didn't move it or anything, I shot it where it had smashed into a fence. Someone pulled up and said they called the game warden. I got a ticket for that. I don't have a cell phone so couldn't have called beforehand. I just thought it was the right thing to do and I paid the price for it.

Let nature run its course. A coyote will catch up to him eventually.

I have a buck with hoof rot hitting my feeder every day. He's a youngster, not legal, but he can't even put his foot down and his left rear ham is badly atrophied at this point.

I've decided to leave him be as he's made it this far. It's been a couple of months since I first saw him limping around, so I'm hoping he recovers.

Can't imagine how on earth he's evaded the yotes though. He can barely even move.

That's crap. That GW should be fired on the spot IMO.

Some years ago I was walking to a stand and came across a young doe with an arrow hanging out of her rectum. Poor thing was almost dead. I shot her, recovered the arrow and delivered it to the guy I knew had shot her with it.

I would have shot him and put him out of his misery, tagged him and contacted the game warden. In VA if you shoot a deer and the meat is questionable due to the animal being sick/infected they will give you a replacement tag.

I would have killed him and never posted it on here.

With Don K

SSS

X 3

Since you let him pass, do as suggested and call the game warden. He might give you a pass if you see him again. I probably would have shot him and tagged him first time. I know its a waste of a tag but there will be other times.

I can almost guarantee the warden will say "NO" and let nature take it's course. Been there done that. Only time I have been given the "green light" was a wounded deer that was in the roadway and could have cause a possible deer/ vehicle accident. That small buck ended up crawling into the trees along the roadway, while I was still on the phone with the GW, at that point she said "let it go".

If I had a cow or horse in the same condition, I would likely put it down and as I said earlier in the thread, I likely would have done the same for the deer and just kept it to myself. Varmints would still get to eat and the deer would be out of misery/pain. Sure deer are tough, but if it is that obvious, I don't need a test case of survival, enough is enough.

Agree with Don K.

There's more recent law on humane dispatching of sick/injured wildlife. Txshntr posted it not long ago in another thread. Perhaps he'll be along soon and re-post. I'll poke around and see if I can find the statute.