Legality of putting down a suffering animal

[MrsGungho]

Definitely abide by the city limit law...

My wife was hit by a dear on German Church a month or two ago. IMPD showed up and the deer was partially blocking traffic. The deer was barely with it, so we pulled it by the hind legs off the street (approached very carefully as not to get kicked... she didn't flinch a bit when we grabbed her). The officer then said he wishes he could shoot it, but too many cars/houses around.

He filed the report for us and we went along our way. Not sure what he ended up doing.

Hindsight tells me I should have informed him that I had property in Hancock County only 2 miles away, loaded the deer in my truck, have him follow, put the deer down on my property, and take it to the nearest processor!

guess it depends on the officer then

hubby was following a car that hit a deer on Post Rd. just south of Rawles. They called the police, police called animal control. Nobody wanted to finish this deer off. Hubby looked at the officer and told him "This deer needs put out of it's misery and I'll do it if no one else is willing to do it"
Officer told him to do it and he did

 

[Spike_351]

I hit a deer in a remote section of the state once, called the Sherriffs dept to ask if I should put it down and dispatch said "no" they would send a deputy to do it.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I would not dispatch the animal until instructed to do so by law enforcement, mainly to cover my behind so they don't try to charge me with poaching which would be very costly. I also would not get close enough to slit its throat, deer can be very dangerous animals, and I'm pretty sure a pistol round through the head will kill in more humanely and quickly than slitting its throat and watching it bleed to death.

 

[nakinate]

I have to ask. Where would you shoot it with say, a 9mm, to ensure it was actually killed and not forced to suffer more? I would guess the head would be the obvious choice, but I've not killed a deer before.

 

[teddy12b]

With my luck I'd absolutely wait until the police arrived and let them do it or do it myself with their permission. As far as where to shoot it goes, if the head shot isn't available hunters have been sticking arrows in deer for years tucking them right behind the shoulder while they are quartering away. I carry a 9mm so that's the shot I'd take if I had to. Fortunately, I keep a rifle in the trunk so it's not an issue for me and hopefully never will be.

 

[searpinski]

I think it depends on the law for what area you're in (feel free to chime in law people). I did it a few times when I lived out in the county. No one is going to stop me from putting down a suffering animal.

 

[searpinski]

I would not dispatch the animal until instructed to do so by law enforcement, mainly to cover my behind so they don't try to charge me with poaching which would be very costly. I also would not get close enough to slit its throat, deer can be very dangerous animals, and I'm pretty sure a pistol round through the head will kill in more humanely and quickly than slitting its throat and watching it bleed to death.

Slitting the throat is fairly humane. The deer will go into shock and lose consciousness very quickly due to the lack of blood-flow to the brain. I've put down 2 deer, but just used a .45ACP head-shot on each.

 

[88GT]

SteveM4A1 gave the right answer... A pistol probably is not your best choice. A knife is what should be used here. Cutting the throat is best. And if you say well I can't get up to it with a knife, then you need a shot gun or something with more power than your handgun to put it out at that point IMO. I have cut the throat on several deer and just seems to be more effective unless you are putting a slug in their heart, but you need a shotgun for that...

Where my uncle works they had a deer get tangled up in some things and had an officer come out to finish it off due to location (key to your scenario). With a poor placed or ineffective shot he left if to die, my uncle said he couldn't stand to watch it suffer after many minutes so he cut the throat. Things then ended promptly.

So again I say don't use a pistol, use a knife.

Serious question: would a pistol round (9mm, .45, or say .357) penetrate a skull?

I don't know that a knife is superior when all things are considered. Getting clocked by a deer seems like it would be painful.

 

[SteveM4A1]

Like I said, I've done it twice to deer and never had an issue. Obviously you want to be careful before approaching any injured animal. Injured dogs tend to be very dangerous, so I wouldn't try a knife on one unless it was my own.

 

[jgreiner]

Serious question: would a pistol round (9mm, .45, or say .357) penetrate a skull?

I don't know that a knife is superior when all things are considered. Getting clocked by a deer seems like it would be painful.

Deer, I would think so. Brown Bear, probably not. A higher speed rifle round would be needed for that, I would think.

I have bounced more than one .22LR round off the skull of a raccoon.

 

[Hookeye]

What is legal and what is ethical aint always the same.

IIRC the deer is wild, belongs to the people of the state.
To hunt/kill one requires permission (license or authorization).

You bumper thump one and then finish it off, knife or gun, you could be in for some fines.
Depends on how the responding legal agent wants to go.

BTW .357 is legal for deer hunting.

Head shots can make the deer look really bad (IMHO making a sad event worse) and up close the shot might go lower than where the sights are, making for a mess of things.
Of course a proper shot will work and be rather clean.

Just trashed your car, kids and wife watching Bambi flop..............nows the time to test your aim, cartridge/bullet and shot placement LOL.

Real simple, put one or two in the lungs and walk away. Since the deer isn't running the lung damage will work slower, but it will work.

Knife.................yeah go for it. Some rube up north tried to finish one off in hunting season, the deer killed him. Wrestling a critter of size, with a super sharp item in close proximity to me and the critter...............I aint doing it.

Shoot it (with permission) or leave it alone.

 

[45fan]

Been in this situation before, called the police non-emergency line to report the accident. When I asked about putting the deer down, she told me to wait for the officer to arrive. The officer showed up relatively fast (10 Min or so). When the officer arrived, he asked why I hadn't put the deer down already. Technically speaking, I am pretty darn near positive you need to wait until you are given the go ahead by an LEO or game officer. Most, as long as you use good judgement and aren't out on the side of the interstate waving a gun around, probably wont say a word.

If the officer shoots a deer, there is going to be paperwork involved. Getting close enough to safely cut a deer's throat can be a risky proposition as well. As far as is a handgun going to be enough to finish that job, yes, assuming you have good shot placement, it will go through an average deers head. Last one I shot was with a .38 Snubby, 125 gr SJHP, and it went in behind the ear, and came out just the other side of the opposite eye socket. It ended faster than any animal I have put down with a knife, without a doubt.

As far as finding out where your carry gun is going to hit at close range, if you cant accurately put a bullet where you want at 10 feet, perhaps you should stick with pepper spray until your skills have improved. A gun carried for SD reasons is almost exclusively a close range proposition, and its advisable to put at least a little bit of time in at the 3 yard line, even if you think you are GTG.

 

[Hookeye]

I've seen enough folks who go for a zone type of shooting (not pinpoint placement) with their carry rigs at the local indoor range.
I doubt when they have to put Bambi down they're gonna remember it's 2" low up close.
LOL..............have talked to cops who have forgot and made a mess of finishing off a Bambi.

Me? I've been handgunning small game, varmints and even deer, for decades. Think I'm good to go

 

[copo]

every deer I put down while working was with a handgun, .45, .357 sig or .40 cal. all head shots and all ended the deer's suffering fast

 

[HoughMade]

Call the cops and maybe they'll do this.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/07/0...y-too-distraught-to-kill-wounded-deer-handed/

 

[ilikeguns]

I always get a kick out of the the mountain man"just slit its throat"crowd. If the deer is so close to dead that it can barely move, fine. If it has much life left all and you choose to get in that close, you are just asking to get hurt. Deer legs are powerful and their hooves are sharp and they are lightning fast. They can look pretty far gone and that shoot of adrenaline they get when you walk up to them puts the life back in them real quick. I have witnessed three different people, all hunting buddies of mine, decide not to "waste a bullet" and just be a badass and slit the throat. All three times ended in disaster. Luckily no major injuries but close calls and some bruises. If you have a 150-200 lb wild animal wounded, stay back and don't try to be Mr mountain man.

 

[nickf2005]

Wonder how many well intentioned LTCH folks might make a wrong decision in a situation like this? Maybe amped up from hitting the dear? Maybe after a first shot that only wounded?

Very understandable. Luckily, I was not in the car with my wife and came upon the scene a few minutes later. No adrenaline or emotion... except being pissed that the deer had the entire front-left quarter damaged. Wife was nearly sitting still and the deer ran right into her. Glad it wasn't 3 feet to the right and she would have ended up with a face full of glass.

guess it depends on the officer then

hubby was following a car that hit a deer on Post Rd. just south of Rawles. They called the police, police called animal control. Nobody wanted to finish this deer off. Hubby looked at the officer and told him "This deer needs put out of it's misery and I'll do it if no one else is willing to do it"
Officer told him to do it and he did

Very interesting. That's a pretty populated area as well.

 

[SteveM4A1]

I always get a kick out of the the mountain man"just slit its throat"crowd. If the deer is so close to dead that it can barely move, fine. If it has much life left all and you choose to get in that close, you are just asking to get hurt. Deer legs are powerful and their hooves are sharp and they are lightning fast. They can look pretty far gone and that shoot of adrenaline they get when you walk up to them puts the life back in them real quick. I have witnessed three different people, all hunting buddies of mine, decide not to "waste a bullet" and just be a badass and slit the throat. All three times ended in disaster. Luckily no major injuries but close calls and some bruises. If you have a 150-200 lb wild animal wounded, stay back and don't try to be Mr mountain man.

I'm hardly Mr Mountain man. I have done it fine twice, but that doesn't mean I would do it again. Every circumstance is different. But you do what you wish

 

[GaDawg]

My neighbor is a Sheriff and he calls me when he finds a hit deer that is not hurt bad. FREE MEAT!!!!!! He usually doesnt shoot it so I can get there and do it myself to make sure meat stays fresh. I also live in the country. NOOOOWWWW on another note.......My wives grandfather has first hand witnessed a uniformed on duty officer fire his duty weapon 3 times standing over a deer he hit and MISS. Moral of the story 1)know where u live and how LEO will react 2) LEO if you shoot at something that close please hit it!

 

[MrsGungho]

Serious question: would a pistol round (9mm, .45, or say .357) penetrate a skull?

I don't know that a knife is superior when all things are considered. Getting clocked by a deer seems like it would be painful.

yes

the others I have no first hand knowledge of