Ethical issue-What would you do??

[Realtree]

We have had this situation present itself while in deer camp in the past, and I am curious what your opinion is on this:


You are sitting in your deer stand, you (or your hunting party as a whole) only has one "buck only" tag left, and a Doe with her bottom jaw completely blown off walks by.....do you shoot her and put her out of her misery and worry about finding someone to tag her or facing a possible fine later, or do you let her walk on by?


We have discussed this in our hunting party and it is a tough decision, weighing personal hunting ethics and legal ramifications that could result from something like this. I am curious what others think and I am looking forward to hearing all thoughts and opinions on this.

[Randy Kaar]

geez, you are asking some hard to decide ?s this morn
i would shoot the deer, being i dont like to see a animal
suffer when it doesnt have too. i would hope the DNR
would understand why i did it. has this ever happened
and what was the outcome?

randy aka bh

[Faceman]

I would shoot it and hope the DNR would understand. I also do not like to see animals suffer.

[Outdoors Junkie]

The deer is dead already, so I would finish it off.  You can always find someone with an extra tag if needed.

[Grute Man]

The deer is dead already, so I would finish it off.  You can always find someone with an extra tag if needed.

 ::dito  No way would I let that animal suffer.  If a hunter cant find another hunter to tag it, then they're hunting in a cave.  Its pretty easy to meet new hunters or someone who would tag it.

[UncleDave]

Put her down and stop the suffering!

[Spinach]

If I was in that exact situation. 1 buck tag for my entire party and 0 doe tags, I would not shoot the doe, it would be very hard for me to watch her suffer though, but my hunting priveleges are way too important to me to possibly lose them.

It would be a judgement call from the local CO, and i wouldn't want to put my future in another persons hands.

To me thats no different than Pheasant hunting and shooting a wounded hen or a hen that a dog accidentally catches. The law says to let it lie and thats what i would do.

Tough decision but the legal thing to do is let her walk by and become Coyote food.

[Mayfly]

If I was in that exact situation. 1 buck tag for my entire party and 0 doe tags, I would not shoot the doe, it would be very hard for me to watch her suffer though, but my hunting priveleges are way too important to me to possibly lose them.

It would be a judgement call from the local CO, and i wouldn't want to put my future in another persons hands.

To me thats no different than Pheasant hunting and shooting a wounded hen or a hen that a dog accidentally catches. The law says to let it lie and thats what i would do.

Tough decision but the legal thing to do is let her walk by and become Coyote food.

My thoughts exactly.

This may sound harsh but that deer is not my problem and I don't want to make it my problem either.

[Cbxboy]

Our camp has never "filled" so out she goes.

If faced with said situation, Spinach and Mayfly beat me to the answer in my opinion.  Not my issue.  I do not WISH it to be my issue.  Unfortunately death occurs.  Sometimes much quicker sometmes much slower....

Kudo's to those willing to take the risk of finding a tag.

Although I could also answer this way....were I to feel so sad and take her out of her misery and NOT find another to tag her, it would be to no avail as she would just still be dead and in the woods.  I would never transport or try and explain.

There is not a deer in MN that is worth the trouble for me.  It would impact my work as well as my hunting.

[Outdoors Junkie]

This may be a difficult question for most hunters.  Our hunting party has 12-15 hunters in it.  We hunt way up north in the wilderness.  We never fill out completely.  So, we always have an open tag.  So, I would have no problem putting the deer out of it's suffering.

[tripnchip]

I'm afraid she would have to be wolf food. There was a time I would of poped her and thought nothing of it but now day's the ramifications are to great. When you try to expalin it to the CO he has no way of knowing weather or not you weren't the one that blew her jaw off in the first place and if there is no blood trail to back track you have no way of proving you didn't. Heck you can't even leagely finish off a deer you hit with your vehicle.

[icebanger]

well put trip in this day let it move past you its just not worth the fines....sad to say but its just not worth the possible trouble

[UncleDave]

No knock on any opinion thus far at all, but I just couldn't let an animal suffer for a slight but possible monitary issue.  I hate tree huggers and am not one, but watching a helpless animal suffer for days or weeks in lew of me taking it out?  Who took that shot in the first place?  I personally would take the chance.  EVERYDAY.  Just my 2 cents. 

[dearme]

i WOULD FINISH IT OFF AND JUST STAY AWAY FROM IT BUT THERES NO CHANCE OF THAT WHERE I HUNT THEY WILL ALLOW UP TO FIVE DOE TAGS   MY BROTHER HAS A CABIN UP NORTH AND HE HAD A DEER WALKING IN CIRCLES AS IF IT WERE ILL AND CALLED UP THE DNR AND THEY CAME OUT AND SPENT 2 HOURS BEFORE FINDING IT AND SHOOTING IT WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO HIS CABIN THEY SAID  WISH YOU WOULD HAVE SHOT IT AS THEY WERE VERY INTRESTED IN CHECKING ON THE CAUSE OF ITS ILLNESS  I HAVE HAD TO USE MY BUCK TAG ON A SPIKE BUCK ONE YEAR AS IT CAME UP TO MY STAND LIMPING ON ONLY THREE LEGS DIDNT WANT TO LOSE MY ONLY BUCK TAG ON THAT ONE BUT IM GLAD I DID AS IT HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE FRONT OF THE SHOULDER AND WOULD HAVE DIED A SLOW DEATH IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE HOW FAR IT HAD TRAVELED AS THE PARTY THAT SHOT THAT DEER WAS TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD AND HAD BEEN TRACKING IT FOR FOUR HOURS BEFORE WE MET UP BUT I HAD ALREADY TAGGED IT AND THEY WERE JUST SO GLADE TO SEE IT PUT DOWN

[Grute Man]

No waste of  a deer tag there Deerme.  I would have done the same thing.

[The General]

Buzzards got to eat just like worms!

In all seriousness I would have let it pass.

[guythathunts]

Shoot it!!!! I know everyone has there opinion and that is fine. I don't think anyone is way off base, but... I would shoot her. If I have my jaw blown off and you see me staggering for 2 miles (like my big butt could make it that far) I want you to finnish me off too!!! My deal is that shooting deer is fun. I like shooting healthy does healthy bucks, and wounded ones too. I would shoot the deer, call the dnr, and if they are cool about it then good, and if they are not.... I wouldn't leave my name That way I can blame it on someone else and sleep better knowing that I did the "propper" thing. You can't get a fine if they don't know who you are!!! Use a little Garage Logic* and you will be just fine!!!
~ Greg

[Grute Man]

Shoot it!!!! I know everyone has there opinion and that is fine. I don't think anyone is way off base, but... I would shoot her. If I have my jaw blown off and you see me staggering for 2 miles (like my big butt could make it that far) I want you to finnish me off too!!! My deal is that shooting deer is fun. I like shooting healthy does healthy bucks, and wounded ones too. I would shoot the deer, call the dnr, and if they are cool about it then good, and if they are not.... I wouldn't leave my name That way I can blame it on someone else and sleep better knowing that I did the "propper" thing. You can't get a fine if they don't know who you are!!! Use a little Garage Logic* and you will be just fine!!!
~ Greg

Good idea to call DNR annonamously.  I never thought of that.  I guess I'd try to find a tag for it first but like I said before, I just couldn't bare to let that animal suffer.

[tripnchip]

Grute they have caller id unless your calling from a pay phone or buisness.
 I know a guy ( kid then)that paid a fine because he finished off a car hit with a knife because the local officer refused to shoot it. He was charged for killing the deer and disobeying a lawful order when he didn't put the knife down when ordered to. He did put it down after finishing the deer off. One of my problems is I know the local CO's and don't want to put them in that position.

[outdoorfamilyof6]

My boyfriend found a doe with both front legs shot out and still running,(trying to) He called Game Warden and they gave him a  possession tag for her.  I guess the truth and human compassion do come out good sometimes!!  just let your gut guide you! and if you do get a ticket, take it to court, a judge WILL throw it out.  The only thing it will cost you is a day in court

[JackpineRob]

The deer is going down for good.

No ifs, ands or buts, its going down.

I'll deal with the legal ramifications afterwards.

But thats just me.

Many many moons ago, the old dog and I were on a mission from God to kill late season pheasants.  We were young, full of piss and vinegar, and we had herded an entire flock of the SOB's into a little willow patch near the road.  The old dog worked those birds like a freaking sheperd, and when they finally busted out, I simply couldn't miss.

The limit was three roosters, and I took three shots.  In that type of target-rich environment, it wasn't hard to acquire a target and do your thing.

The old dog did his thing, and I took the third bird from him on the edge of the road.  Then he took off......

Across the road he went, down the drainage ditch, and I think his ears must have been plugged up with snow, because he didn't stop for the whistle, and continued down the field and out of sight.  I screamed, and ranted, and finally sat down on the edge of the road and waited.

About the time the old dog reappeared about 1/2 mile away and with something in his mouth, up comes a newer green Ford F-150, skidding to a stop alongside me.  Beat up and tired and all, I didn't even bother to stand up.

It was the CO.

He hunkers down alongside me, looks at the roosters, and comments that if the dog comes back with a rooster I'm over the limit.

I look at him and say "must have been a stray pellet - and only that dog knows for sure".  He then informs me that he has been watching us in his spotting scope for the last hour, and the bird coming back with the dog is most likely a hen.

Crap.

Sure enough, the dog comes back with a pretty lively hen in mouth.  Busted leg.

Well, there I am, with a limit of pheasants and an illegal hen in the dog's mouth.  I looked over at the CO and asked him how he'd like a nice pheasant dinner.

"That was some amazing dog work" he said, and got up to leave. 

"What about the hen?" I asked.

"That was some amazing dog work" he replied, got in his truck and left.

We ate the hen.

[guythathunts]

JackPineRob... That is awesome!

[kenhuntin]

I Do not break laws but in a case like this I would put the animal down. There is a time and place for all things. Man is the steward of all things here on earth and it was not an act of nature that got her jaw blown off. I see no reason to let her starve to death and suffer. I am not a P.E.T.A. member or a leaf licker, but that poor thing should not have to spend her last days in stress and agony . I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A SAFE AND MEMORABLE 2007 SEASON

[Realtree]

I am very impressed with the thought and emotion put into all of these replies.

I know it is a tough call, being that there could be some $$ fines and whatnot involoved depending on how things turn out afterwards, but I would have to put the deer down. If there was another party around ours with open tags, it's their deer if they want it, if not it's coyote food but I couldn't let it continue to suffer and starve to death.

[Grute Man]

We ate the hen.

Yummy   

[Grute Man]

I Do not break laws but in a case like this I would put the animal down. There is a time and place for all things. Man is the steward of all things here on earth and it was not an act of nature that got her jaw blown off. I see no reason to let her starve to death and suffer. I am not a P.E.T.A. member or a leaf licker, but that poor thing should not have to spend her last days in stress and agony . I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A SAFE AND MEMORABLE 2007 SEASON

I've never thought of it that way but I think I like the idea that we are "stewards."  Who else to take care of things?  Some times, we have some messy messes to clean up, hey?  I couldn't agree more.  Kenhuntin, you da man.   :rock:

[mnfisherguy]

I guess IM with the other guys I wouldve put it down and let dnr know what the deal was as well. I cant stand to see teh suffering either, SO it woudl ve been put down in my scope..

[mnfisherguy]

Here is something that may help the ehtical issue.. check it out.

Really make you see..

[Mnbuckhunter]

I would finish her off and leave her lay. The goal to me would be to end the suffering, but I would go to the nearest camp looking for someone with a tag. I could not stand to let her suffer.

[repoman]

yeah , i  think i would have to let it go buy i wouldent chance geting in trouble ,  besides  she wouldent  go to  waste shhhe would feed some other animal  , coyote  ,wolf  , etc...