MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

Went out looking at deer and spotted a nice one feeding so I thought id try to get a little closer for a pic after a couple pics I noticed he was favoring his back left leg looks to be broken or maybe just infected for some reason but the deer looks to be in pretty bad shape probably 50 lbs underweight and hip and rib bones showing , probably wont survive the winter, especially with the number of coyotes in the area.

That being said what do you guys think the right thing to do is? should the deer be left alone and given a chance or should he be killed to possibly prevent him from spreading anything to any other deer. What do you guys think?

Oh Ill post pics soon!

My opinion.....let mother nature take it's course. If it nags at you, report it to DOW and have them check it out for any potential disease issues. It's tough sometimes to see those things for sure though.

I agree. We all know how cruel mother nature can be but I think you have to let her "do her thing". It sucks sometimes but that's the way it goes sometimes. The weak and wounded die while the strong and healthy carry on.

I have dispatched wounded deer before but two were both hit by cars and one was wounded by another hunter. Really not the work of mother nature in that case and I couldn't let them lay there and die a slow death. Some may think it's the same thing but I didn't/don't see it that way.

I think you'd be fine either way, letting nature run it's course and if you can't stand that then give the DWR a call. They may not do anything either though, bummer deal but it happens.

I definitely wouldn't finish it off without the DWR's permission. They can get pretty touchy when it comes to the definition of poaching. You certainly would hate to loose your hunting priviledges for doing what you thought was the right thing.

Id like to see some pics if you get the chance. Let us know what happens, thats a sad deal. Probably happens a lot more than I know though unfortunately

Notenuf
Dont know where you got that idea thats the last thing on my mind

To better define my question should I let the f and g know or just not worry about it, but ive already made up my mind ill just let mother nature run its course and just keep taking pictures , without bothering him of course ( Id love to see this buck make it!!)
pictures coming soon!!

Theres been a little 3 point running around near my house and hes missing 1 leg. Seems to be getting around just fine. Just keep a eye on him and see if he starts to go down hill any more.

Wild Antlers wrote:Notenuf
Dont know where you got that idea thats the last thing on my mind

To better define my question should I let the f and g know or just not worry about it, but ive already made up my mind ill just let mother nature run its course and just keep taking pictures , without bothering him of course ( Id love to see this buck make it!!)
pictures coming soon!!

I hope you didn't think that I was calling you a poacher. Your concern is well placed. I understood from your question that you were wondering if the right thing to do was to put the animal out of its misery. It sounds like youv'e made a decision that I would agree with. I see now that you were wondering if the DWR should put the animal down. I'm with you. Hope he makes it.