Today was my last day in the stand...

...due to an upcoming ski trip. I've harvested a couple of does this season and kept watching this respectable Hill Country 8 walk (almost) every time I hunted this year. I popped him this morning only to find he got hung up in a fence a few weeks ago. I could smell the rot on him as soon as I got close.

I gutted him with the hopes of finding something useful. Unfortunately the necrosis went half up his ham. He probably had sepsis so I ended up just leaving him to the coyotes. I felt really bad but pops said I probably saved him from a horrific death...either slow from the infection or from being eaten alive.

Had I known, I'd have let him walk again today. Sucks.

Yep not good sorry that happend.

That sucks sorry for your trouble.

I had a question though, if you showed that animal to the GW, would they make you use a tag on it?

You ended his suffering, so that's good.

I'd be willing to bet yes. That tag is a goner.

Props to you for taking him and not letting him suffer.

Bummer. I have wondered on a few animals that I shot if their injury made the meat bad. None ever smelled bad, just barbed wire scrapes.
I hate to hear of one in that bad of shape.

Yep. Done.

It's all part of hunting, and it was the right thing to do!

I watched a young 10pt this past weekend. His right front "elbow" had a pretty nasty cut that was really causing him some grief. He couldn't put any weight on it at all. I debated on shooting him to end his misery, but due to antler restictions, I wasn't sure how a warden would see that. Now looking back, I truly regret not ending his misery. He was pretty poor looking and didn't look healthy. Whether the infection gets him or coyotes, I'm sure he won't make it much longer.

Maybe not. I once had a warden ask me to shoot a buck caught in a fence. Said "don't use a tag on him". He also told me the meat wouldn't be fit to eat due to 'The fever'.

Good job, nasty slash down to the bone...

I shot a little doe years ago that had an arrow sticking loosely out of her anus. I accidentally walked up on her in the woods. Poor thing was too weak to do anything but look at me. Didn't even try to run. Man, I hated to shoot her. Would rather have bandaged her up, if that were possible. And that sentimental statement comes from a guy that shot so many deer as a kid that my Dad and friends called me "The Mad Butcher".

I knew who put that arrow there. I took him his arrow and told him where I found it. That's all I said. I knew he felt bad about it.

That might be part of why I quit bowhunting.