Ethical question

[thegeneral]

I was watching a hunting video last night with Big Timber and saw an interesting situation. (I think it was monster bucks 10) If you had a badly injured deer come by your stand, would you put it out of it's misery and sacrifice your tag for it? I had a buck a few years ago come by with a broken jaw and I tagged it with my shotgun tag. Just wondering what you guys would do.

 

[Ollie]

If a deer was truly suffering and would not survive it's injury, I would end its suffering and leave the animal for the coyotes, foxes, etc. and other scavengers which need to feed. I don't think I should be required to tag an animal which is "finished off" for humane purposes, although the law probably says that you must do so.

 

[EIGHTPOINT]

JOHN V, MORALLY YOUR ARE CORRECT. LAWFULLY YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE FINED BY THE DNR FOR SHOOTING AND NOT TAGGING YOUR HARVESTED ANIMAL. WHITETAIL DEER HAVE AN UNUSAL ABILITY TO LIVE WITH INJURIES THAT OTHERWISE PUT SOME ANIMALS DOWN. ONLY IF IT LOOKED SICKLY WOULD I CONSIDER SHOOTING THE ANIMAL AND ONLY IN MY HOME STATE OF WHICH I ONLY HUNT PRIVATE LAND. IF THE ANIMAL LOOKED LIKE IT WAS COPING WITH THE INJURY, LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE. IN IOWA, COYOTES ARE NATURES WAY OF HANDLING THIS.