What do y'all think?

I'd put him out, he even looks all tensed up.

Its definitely a serious wound. Possibly one that will end him. Also, not a terrible deer. So that's 2 good reasons to take him. If he is still upright, the meat would probably be ok if you killed him, plus the rack. I don't think a bobcat. I just can't picture a bobcat going after something like a full grown buck deer at all, let alone doing that much damage before the buck was able to disengage, one way or another. Its not a tiger. A fawn, or very small yearling? Sure. A sick/injured/ deer incapable of getting away? Why not. A dead deer? Absolutely. But I don't think this guy.

Road rash

glockgod said:

Road rash

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Agreed, after seeing where you are located......... our bucks are loosing their antlers now, if not already.

Also, that is a big wound, a bobcat, IMO, could not do that.

I think he was shot! Don't know why it didn't put him down that close to the spine?

Hit by a geo or stuck under a fence or something. Looks kind of bad, I would think he'll die. If legal I'd help him along.

Looks like the answer might be behind him in the picture.. Probably best to put him down if you get the opportunity

Deer are pretty resilient. I’d want to see what the other side looked like. But you wouldn’t be in the wrong for putting him down.

If you have a tag and a legal season yet, then put him down if you like. Otherwise if you can't do it legally you need to let nature take it's course. Deer are pretty tough and can survive a lot. He doesn't look in bad shape for post rut and his eyes are big and bright.

Highland Lofts said:

I,d end it for him if the opertunity come about. SSS

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I'm always amazed at the amount of folks here on THR, that so readily suggest illegal activities to others here. Also amazes me the moderators here allow it. If one feels the need to SSS, then they are poaching....period. The mere sight of a wound on a blurry picture does not equate to a clinical deduction, even for a veterinarian. The deer being so close to a fwence tells me he either jumped it or crawled under it, both a difficult proposition for a deer on it's last leg. It also looks like an older wound, meaning the deer has survived it for a while. Again, if it's a legal kill, go for it. If you're just shooting to leave it lay with no more indication of it's misery than the blurry picture, you are a poacher.

I have found dead deer full of ganegrene with injuries like the deer posted, a very slow painful death.
You do what you do, I will do what's right.

He said earlier their season ends Feb 10, when I hunted Alabama in the 70s and 80s the limit was 1 a day so no tags. I personally would try to take him out IF during the season, or show the picture to a DNR officer and see what they say.

Barbed wire fence? I found one dead with two strands of barbed wire around his neck. He had a large wound like that on the back of his neck.

H&Hhunter said:

As mentioned the only legal recourse is to shoot that deer during season with a tag. Mercy killing is not legal or an excuse for breaking the law.

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I disagree! You break the law every day driving down the road same as me and every other driver out there. If an animal is hurting or faces a terrible death from a coyote or pack of dogs by all means put it down and I've personally done that!

Last deer I killed when I lived in GA was limping down through the property before I shot him. When I got home I had him on the gambrel and as I was cutting hide on his front leg clear pus poured out under the hide. His whole front leg was swollen and it smelled. The fur was a bit rashed up and I'm thinking he got hit by a car. That area around the property was notorious for car strikes. I cut the leg off at the shoulder and chucked it. The rest of the deer was fine. Also, had he not met his fate via a 45-70 cast bullet he most likely would have recovered.

Obturation said:

Hit by a geo...

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I literally LOL’d at that!

Sam

A puncture wound from another buck’s antlers could easily cause an abscess, resulting in a large crater-like slough like this. Can’t see them in the photo but I’d bet a donut there are maggots enjoying that damaged tissue. Maybe the buck can survive, maybe not. If you see him again on a trail camera, please give us an update.

Obturation said:

Hit by a geo or stuck under a fence or something. Looks kind of bad, I would think he'll die. If legal I'd help him along.

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Yeah, I was thinking barbed wire, or something. Unlikely he'll survive for long, like that.