Let nature deal with it or intervene?

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  • RwWilly

    Active Member
    Jan 1, 2013
    700
    Harford, Kingsville
    This deer shows up on the camera. Both left ankles look broke, ribs showing and scruffy looking. So, if I was in the blind, do I let it go and nature deal with it, nothing wrong with this IMO? Or shot it and drag it into the woods for scavengers. Not looking to make sausage out of it.
    So, do hunters let it walk or drop it? Never had this before.
    Thanks
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    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    If believe you have to log it in with DNR if you kill it.

    I haven't heard of the Bambi is sick/euthanasia program.

    Being a buck, it would go against your limit.
     

    Alea Jacta Est

    Extinguished member
    MDS Supporter
    For me the choices you propose would come to an easy decision.

    If he's able to forage and live normally, let him go. If he's having a tough time eating and getting around, winter ain't gonna be survivable. Then I'd take him as an act of mercy w/o regard to whether it counted tag wise or not.
     

    smokedog

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 10, 2009
    4,810
    Frederick Md
    I would keep an eye on it as long as it's around. Do you know for sure it's not starting to rebound from the injury? Hard to tell if it's going downhill or uphill after recouping from that injury. It's moving and eating so I don't know. Not enough information for me to say yes or no.
     

    AlBeight

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 30, 2017
    4,371
    Hampstead
    Put it down. Things will only get worse for it from here on as it gets steadily colder and food becomes more scarce. If concerned about eating a tag, call DNR & have an officer come out & look at the photos. You may get an exception. Tell them you are too concerned to eat it as it could be diseased, but the humanitarian thing would be to put it down. Maybe they’ll take care of it for you. Good luck to you.
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    I'd put it down if it was me, I hate to see suffering.

    On the flip side, I've seem some nasty things with deer that continue to survive, the have a HUGE will to live
     

    RwWilly

    Active Member
    Jan 1, 2013
    700
    Harford, Kingsville
    Put it down. Things will only get worse for it from here on as it gets steadily colder and food becomes more scarce. If concerned about eating a tag, call DNR & have an officer come out & look at the photos. You may get an exception. Tell them you are too concerned to eat it as it could be diseased, but the humanitarian thing would be to put it down. Maybe they’ll take care of it for you. Good luck to you.

    Good advice. I'm not trying to manage the forest, and I'm not attempting to fix all wrongs. That being said that hurts to see. I have the camera out there and will follow. If he is a regular I'll call DNR. He can't get much skinnier!
     

    justiw

    Active Member
    Jan 26, 2012
    302
    I had a doe in front of me on opening day a few years back. She had a severely injured front left quarter, and just hopped along over to the corn pile. She didn't make it out of the field. I ended up donating her to the food bank at the local processor. Best decision I ever made.
     

    wilcam47

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 4, 2008
    25,976
    Changed zip code
    Put it down. Things will only get worse for it from here on as it gets steadily colder and food becomes more scarce. If concerned about eating a tag, call DNR & have an officer come out & look at the photos. You may get an exception. Tell them you are too concerned to eat it as it could be diseased, but the humanitarian thing would be to put it down. Maybe they’ll take care of it for you. Good luck to you.

    the amount of deer in MD the dnr isnt going to care about coming out for it...Id say put it down if you have the chance to get it. That would be the best interest of the animal. If you are holding out for a buck that you know is coming in then I'd wait for that one. I had a ragged deer that looked like hell but not much I could do about it since it was out of bow range, I never did see it afterwards so I doubt it made it through the winter. Sad but thats the circle of life. worms and buzzards got to eat too..
     

    67temp

    Active Member
    Jun 25, 2009
    901
    Gettysburg, PA
    I had a similar situation a few weeks ago while hunting. It was a buck of similar size and he had a broken back knee that looked like it had healed. He also had a messed up rack at the base like he may have fractured his skull. He was slow moving and walked with a limp. I figured if he was out and eating then he probably has a chance of making it on his own. He had no problem trying to run when he needed to.

    2 yeas ago I passed on a larger doe to take out a smaller one that had a little nub where the front shoulder should have been, one of rear legs had previously been broken and had a knot. So she was down to 2.5 working legs, and was basically hopping along. stopping every few feet to catch her balance.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    Probably bluetongue. Swollen hooves is a classic symptom. If it is, he's a gonner. I'd put it down and not eat it. I don't eat sick animals.
     

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