[Rickstir]

About two miles from the farm, on a black top road, I came on a doe that had been hit by a car or truck. Nobody was around. Poor thing had all four legs broken and was busted up inside. She was in misery for sure. I had my Taurus .357 with me. One shot to the head ended her suffering. Called the county highway department to report the dead deer. After sitting for 3 3-hour sessions on a deer stand this weekend, this is how I see a deer. Wierd thing was, I overslept and was a hour late leaving the farm. Guess the Lord had something planned for me.

[Nathanael_Greene]

Jeez, poor deer.

You did a good thing, though, to send it off to Deer Heaven.

[Sindawe]

:cuss: who hit the animal and just left. Sometimes I just despise my own species.

Ya did good Rickster. I've only hit an animal twice in my life. Once was a doe while I was going home from the gfriend's house. Being pre-cell phone and pre gun owning days, I drove back to house, called Highway Patrol and return to the doe with gfriend's brother to get the animal out of the road, then hung out until the Officer showed up. The other was a few weeks ago, when a hapless prairie dog dashed into the road in front of me. No choice but to squash the poor fellow, as it what run over him, drive into the deep ditch on the side of the road or into the oncoming minivan. :(

[charby]

Be careful of humanely dispatching road hit deer, I know its the right thing to do morally but some LEOs will charge you with poaching.

[Rickstir]

That's good advice under most circumstances. I do live in a very rural area. I know most of the deputies and my wife works for the city prosecutor. Not saying I am immune, but they would probably turn thier heads.

A lady hit a giant buck one week before the gun season, scored over 160 B & C. A deputy cut the head off and took it home. That is generally not allowed by the conservation department and they discourage cutting the antlers off road kills. But nobody said anything to him.

But again, your advice is pretty sound.

[GigaBuist]

Rickster, good job! Not a fun thing to happen upon but you did the right thing.

Sindawe, plenty of people just "don't know" I guess. They panic and keep on going, and even if they KNOW they should do something they don't have anything on hand to take care of the problem. Anybody that panics when they hit a deer probably doesn't have the fortitude to knock it out with a tire iron (not my first choice, either!)

[Freedomv]

Three years ago I noticed a deer down in the middle of a harvested bean field and finished it off with the reciever hitch from my car. The deer was paying attention to the traffic, which was slowing down to see what was going on, it didn't watch me and I basicly walked up from behind it and hit it before it could get up and run.
It had been hit by a car or truck but wasn't banged up too bad and it must have been pretty sore. I had a bow tag in my wallet so I tagged it, field dressed it, put it in the back of the station wagon and my wife and I continued on to the hospital were we were going to visit her mother.
I got more than a few looks when I came thru the front door of the hospital and went directly to the rest room to finish washing, but no one said anything or quistioned why my hands were so bloodied up. I guess I didn't look like a crazed knife murderer or maybe they thought my wife had me under control.
Vern