Did I make mistake?

[at1010]

So we've had a good year, killed a few deer this year (4 total on several different farms). I have plenty of deer meat as I get most of the meat harvested off my properties.

Anyhow - tonight I was trying to fill my unused buck tag and had a few slicks come past. I noticed the one was limping really bad and the leg looked to be broken. She was getting along "ok" just a bit slower and looked healthy otherwise, so I didn't shoot her. I have seen deer live through some crazy shit so I figure shell be just fine.

However, it got me thinking - when do you shoot a deer to put it "out of its suffering" ?

my experience with this-

When I was about 15+/- I was hunting Salt Fork and I had a young doe come by first thing opening morning. The doe had bone sticking out of both sides of her leg and she was dragging her entire back leg because of it - at that time I felt I needed to shoot that deer and I did.

 

[jagermeister]

Deer are amazing animals. I think we humans give ourselves too much credit, thinking we KNOW when an animal is suffering or not. How do we know they're suffering? How do we know the deer don't just get used to the pain and keep living like it's the new normal? We don't. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. If saying that we ended an animals suffering helps people sleep better at night then God bless em. But I think the animals can handle a lot more than we think they can.

 

[Gordo]

Deer are tougher then any of us humans will ever be. Straight survivors. I got a pic of this one about a week ago and saw him tonight. Business as usual for him. Look at the size of that hole. They are tough sums a biotches.

There's nothing ever more obvious then a mercy kill. Call it 'sirens going off in the head' or whatever you want. We all know when it needs to happen, and I'll trust your judgement every time

 

[giles]

I agree with Gordo, you know when you need to do it.

 

[Gordo]

I've had one mercy kill in my days if I remember correctly. It was mid week of gun season some 10 years ago. This doe could barely stand and would flop when she took a step. It was obvious. Saw her flopping around from 100 plus, walked to within 5 yards and put her down. It was truly pathetic what I saw from noticeing her to closing the distance. I'd of wanted shot. Gave her plenty of time to confirm after initial sighting

 

[Bigslam51]

Same deer, pics are two years apart. I had him on cam in the summer of 2015. He hobbled his 3 legged ass almost two miles to another farm where he currently lives. I think he's 5 this year.

 

[huntn2]

Have one around town here that we have been watching for over 2 years now. When we first saw him he was probably a 2.5 yr old and both right legs were broken. It was cold and snowy and he was struggling to move about someone’s front yard browsing. He walks with a limp but has been doing just fine the past couple years.

 

[Bigslam51]

Have one around town here that we have been watching for over 2 years now. When we first saw him he was probably a 2.5 yr old and both right legs were broken. It was cold and snowy and he was struggling to move about someone’s front yard browsing. He walks with a limp but has been doing just fine the past couple years.

Fuggin city deer, probably stops in and gets a pedicure while he's out and about

 

[at1010]

yea I am happy to hear that my thoughts were inline with what you all have noticed/seen. They are amazing animals!

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

That's just like the doe with the bum leg that I keep getting in the yard. She always has her yearlings with her & seems ok otherwise. Not that she's really providing anything to them, other than survival skills perhaps, I hate to interrupt a family group. I'm still trying to make heads & tails out of her injury or whatever it is. Years back, I shot a small buck only because he was limping as he spying a group of does. He had a swollen hoof that had to be quite painful with each step.

 

[hickslawns]

I killed my buck this year believing I was doing him a favor. He was getting around but struggling. After killing him, I inspected further. Both front legs were broken. I believe they had been broken awhile and he adapted. I don't regret it. I felt it was the right decision at the time. Looking back,I believe he would have continued to do okay. I don't really know if I did the right thing or not but I don't feel bad. I'm thankful for the large amounts of meat he provided.