Everybody that knows me knows i hate ar rules, but i need opinions on a dilema i had this morning. Got in my stand this morning and just after light killed a big ol coyote and thought things are looking up! Not much else happened till 9am and im thinking about breakfast when a small 4 pt walks into my pasture and i know he is not a legal deer. Then i notice he has a broken back leg and im watching him limp away thinking that if my county wasnt ar county i could legally take him and put him out of his misery and put meat in the freezer. My question to all is what would you do in my case? Shoot him and be a outlaw and sleep at night or let him walk and be coyote bait? Will tell you what i did after a few responces.

Nature will take it's course. Stay legal. You'd be suprised what a deer can come back from.

I would put him down and let him lay. I do the same with deer that I take out of fences if they have injuries.

if he's walking around and eating i would say he's fine.

i've seen a big break his front leg in half, and he lived a full live, albiet he ran with a good limp.

unless i can see that a wound is infected, or i come across a deer that is bedded down and can't get up, generally i leave them be

I'de probably leave him alone.... you never can tell what a young injured deer may turn into. I'm sure he'd rather be able to hobble after does than be escorted to a freezer.

I wouldn't care if he lived, got ate by coyotes, or you shot him and left him (illegal). I wouldn't think of you different as a person either way. Mother nature will take its course.

I wouldn't even think about wasting my tag on that.

Let him be. You'll be legal, chances are he'll be alright and if he isn't, nature will just take its course.

Leave him alone. Chances are he will heal up and hair over to be just fine in time. Nature rules, Texans stay legal.

I have learned that game wardens are NOT forgiving...You say he had a limp but he dident see it you will get a tickit!

stay legal . I shot a wounded buck monday but we are not in an ar county

Thanks for all the advice guys. I did let him walk but seeing him walk with that rear leg broke right at the tarsal gland sure tore me up! As much as i love deer meat i couldnt bring myself to shoot him and take a chance on gettin caught.

I've seen two "three-legged" bucks in my lifetime....both hard narly horns but were decent bucks! Nature will take care of that 4ptr....he may be an 8ptr with a limp next year! ! ! ! !

If his wounds don't turn septic he will probably be fine.

Considering he's been walking in water the past month, I think he's infected and dying... Shame that he has to suffer, but I agree stay legal. The time and place for a fight with the government is not here yet.

Looked like a new break and saw it fairly close but was a open wound so who knows. Hope he survives another year.

i agree

leave him alone

I pulled a little fawn buck out of my fence a couple weeks back. He'd been hung by his rear left leg and had been there all day. When I cut the wire he just collapsed and couldn't move. I debated with myself about grbbing my pistol and putting him in my freezer. I decided against it. I went back a few hours later and he had moved about 15 yards but had tangled himself up in some thick briars.

I left him alone (I didn't want to get kicked trying to free him from the briars), but I told myself that if he was still there in the morning, I'd shoot him. Well he was gone the next day. Lo and behold, last week I jumped him up in my headlights and he's alive and well. Hardly notice the limp until he really got to running hard. Glad now that I gave him a chance...maybe he'll grow into a monster in a couple years.

After listening to our new Hopkins County GW with my son at the Hunter's Safety Course I don't think he would be very forgiving.

His statement about accidentally shooting an undersized buck was something like, "If you hide it and I catch you I will be very hard on you. If you call me and tell me you accidentally shot one we can talk." Now just what he meant by "we can talk" I have no idea. But he did say that he really loved his job because he, "really loved hunting game violators."

If you had shot that injured deer and then called him I guess you would have learned what that discussion would actually cost.

SSS

Deer can be pretty resilient. My uncle has watched a deer by his house that had its leg rot off! Now he's just fine, but 3 legged.

Hoyt you seen that buck again?

Deer are amazing animals.. let him be. Seen to many recover from gun shot and broadhead wounds.. broke leg aint nothing

Havent seen him but honestly havent seen much of anything latley and nothin legal. I hope he is still alive but got alot of coyotes around and he aint gonna out run em like he is now. Dannyb, never seen a game warden that would let much slide. I would bet my paycheck that if you make a mistake and shoot something to small he aint gonna slap you on the hand and say dont do that again. You will get a ticket for it and who knows what else.

I think he meant talk while he's writing the ticket instead of talk while he's waiting on the wrecker to impound your vehicle and gear....