what would you do?

Well OX, I guess that first off I would have to decide how badly injured the deer was? (Is there a chance that it could recover/survive?)

I've actually been in this situation on three different occasions (One was a deer that was hit by a car).

My brother and I came across a doe that someone had shot twice (It was during a buck-only season too). Her back was broken and was struggling like mad to get up. I quickly put a bullet into the back of her head to end her suffering. However, what REALLY bothered me (Besides the fact that someone poached her) was that I had to leave her to waste. There was no way I would have been able to prove to a warden that I found her wounded and just ended her suffering. Therefore, we headed out and left her to the coyotes.
The second time I spotted a yearling that had a leg that was hanging by nothing more than a thin piece of hid. Because there were other hunters in the area and I didn't want anyone to accuse me of poaching I let it go.

The third time, I came across a nice 3x3 that was hit by a car. It was the summer time, 90+ degrees out, and it was evident that he had dragged himself along the side of the road for a good majority of the night/morning. He was just about spent when I found him so I grabbed my .45 from under my seat and ended it for him.

It's a shame in all cases. First off, people shooting indiscriminately (The yearling was shot illegally also), the animals suffered a lot, and I had to let them lie there (and in the yearlings case, walk away to suffer longer). I realize that the game department has a tough job to do and some "less honest" folks might shoot a deer themselves and claim they found it...but it was tough leaving them to waste like that. However, I am not going to risk my finances, freedom, and future hunting opportunities because of some idiot who thinks the rules don't apply to them.

well looked like he was shot around the hip or hind leg area struggled pretty bad looked painful but definently could move around enough that he may survive i did not shoot but did have a finger on the trigger and my hammer back on my .44 but decided it was not worht the risk when its a chance that he may survive. bvut lots of coyotes in the area and hecould be coyote bait the way he is. i probably could have chased him down he could not run well. if had he been in a little worse shhape i think i would have squeezed the trigger

I have also had this happen to me. I saw a small 2-point with its bottom jaw blown off and its tounge hanging down. I followed him for about 200 yards. It was evident that he would die, however I did not pull the trigger for fear of the consequences.

My wife hit a deer on Christmas day about 7 years ago. I was following her in my truck and watched the whole thing happen. The deer was a BIG three point, but his spine was broken and he was a definite gonner. I pulled out the .22 and put one behind his ear. Sad, but it had to happen.

we had this situation happen to us while elk huntn in 05. a deer's leg was badly broke. we got set up to shoot when a dow (divison of wildlife officer) pulled up. he said it was a good thing that we didnt shoot the doe because even though i would have been puting it out of its pain, it would have been poching. and it would have been a big fine and my rifle and my license would be taken away

Just happened to me on Wed. Doe with broken front leg above the knee.
Maybe she will make it. I wasn't about to clean up some one else's mess.
Of course it would have been a different situation if she had been mortally wounded.

Technically, by "the book" you should always contact your Divsion of Wildlife Resources and they will either tell you what to do or they will come and take care of the problem. I have dealt with a couple of these situations. You can end up in a very "sticky" situation if you try to take care of things yourself; even though our intentions may be for the better.

A agree. Unfortunately, it's kinda tough to do that sometimes.

In the case of the wounded doe I came across, we were a long was from any road and I don't carry a cell phone with me in the field (I doubt I would have had any service anyway).

I'm sure that most folks here already realize that I have no patience for poachers and do things by the book. However, every once in a while there comes a time when you have do what's right, whether it's "by the book" or not. In this case, I felt the right thing to do was to end her suffering. I'd rather pay the fine than to go home knowing that she was still laying there suffering.

sounds like the right thing to do to me, i would be P.O'd if someone got a ticket for ending the suffering that way. but then again in these days there are a ton of idiots that have taken advantage of things like this and have givin the wildlife officers not much room to budge.