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? about limping buck

D

DHaffner

Member
I have a buck that is a 4x5 ish but is a year or two away from being special. He showed up with a very clear limp yesterday, as if he has been shot or maybe injured in a fight. He is barely using his front right leg. Does anyone have any experience with something like this, do you think there is a significant chance he will recover and have a chance to grow next year, or should I add him to the hit list to prevent him from going to waste? I'm leaning towards the likely hood of him having been shot, since deer numbers in this county are way down due to EHD and he is the largest buck I have on trail cam YTD.
 
Give him the benefit of the doubt and let him go another year. He will probably be fine next year, or maybe grow a messed up, but cool looking side.
 
Could have been a car, shot, or fight. I would guess he will survive. I've seen them with 3 legs. I'd also pass him if you think he needs another year.
 
The buck I shot this year had a broken front left leg. His bone ended up pushing out through his hide. I don't think he would have made it through the winter. As long as he is still putting some weight on it I'm sure he will be fine another year.
 
I would give him some time. If he gets better, great. If he gets worse or starts to loose body condition put him out of his misery later on. Right now, he is probably stressed from the acute injury and may not be worth eating anyway. Last lame one my wife shot was the worst/strongest tasting venison I have ever tried to eat. And we eat a lot of venison and truly like it 99% of the time. Dogs even gagged a little on that one. If he lives, even if he stays lame he will taste better when he's recovered from the initial stress of whatever happened.
 
I first saw a buck last year that I would've shot had he stopped for me. He had a clear limp and wasn't even using his right front leg and I wanted to put him out of his misery. I ended up getting him on camera late last year and over the summer. He is still healthy and has great body size. In every picture I have of him he has his front right leg tucked up and never uses it. Deer are so tough that I'd say as long as he looks sustained in health I would let him keep fighting out there until he matures further.
 
I had a friend who had a nice deer on his property for three years with a broken right front leg. He put on mass every year. HIs time was ended during late season muzzy the last year he was on the property. Let him go see what he does. look for his shed early if he is hurt, good chance he will drop them by Jan 1.
 
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