Ethical ??? for everyone

[Big Fin]

These are some great replies. Great topic.

I have never been in a situation that Goldtip, MTMiller, or Buzz have described. Would do what they did, with whatever tool or weapon I could find. And, I would be very upset about how the situation came to be.

I have the wounded animal scenario happen to me a few times, where I was looking to fill a tag, and all times I shot the animal. The circumstances made the decision pretty easy.

Now, if it was the first day when I had my Arizona Strip mule deer tag, and it was a 3X3, I would be struggling hard on that one. Really, I would probably let him go, unless the warden told me it was OK, or I would put him out of his agony and tell the warden what I did. If the warden felt it necessary to write me a ticket, so be it.

If it was my Montana elk tag this year, or my NV or AZ elk tags, again, it would have been hard to shoot the animal early in the hunt. As many have said, should a hunter feel obligated to clean up a mess created by mother nature, vehicles, fences, or other hunters? I think we all want to see the suffering end, and if the coyotes or ravens get a meal, good for them, but at least the suffering has stopped for the animal.

I think we all would like to do the right thing and put it out of its misery, and I probably would, under any condition. But, would I use my tag, as I did in the three instances I have mentioned? Not sure.

If it looked like the meat would be inedible, no way would I burn my tag on it. If it was edible, I would possibly tag it, or at least ask the warden if I could salvage the meat and bring it to a food bank, or something. Would hate to see good meat go to waste.

Guess it just depends on the circumstances. Without a doubt, I would do all I can to bring an end to an animal's pain. I will take my chances on whether or not that gets me in trouble. Tagging it is another issue.

Looking forward to more of these comments.

Probably another equally difficult struggle is what Devil Diver mentioned. You know you have hit an animal. Do you say, "Ah, what the hell, stuff like that happens." Then go hunting for another one. Or, knowing you struck a mortal blow, do you quit hunting and do all you can to recover the animal.

I suspect that possiblity has as many"depends" scenarios as the original post of this thread.

 

[oleefish2]

I found a buck antelope dying along side the road west of Casper WY. I called the WY G&F and explained the situation to a warden. I was told to leave the animal alone, period and that they would see if they could get someone out to check out what needed to be done. I was warned if I did anything to the antelope I could be charged for poaching and the illegal killing of a big game animal. I wish that we the hunting public could be trusted to do the right thing, as I feel the people of Hunttalk would do..

 

[----]

Would hate to see good meat go to waste.

See, this is where I look at things differently than probably most everybody else on this site. In my eyes, that meat isn't necessarily wasted. It goes back into the ecosystem, and something greatly benefits from it. Also, if that animal feeds a pack of wolves, that's one more healthy animal that lives in it's place.

Probably another equally difficult struggle is what Devil Diver mentioned. You know you have hit an animal. Do you say, "Ah, what the hell, stuff like that happens." Then go hunting for another one. Or, knowing you struck a mortal blow, do you quit hunting and do all you can to recover the animal.

I look at this COMPLETELY different. If I wound an animal, I either find that animal or go home. No way is that tag getting used on a different animal.

 

[elk_hunter]

Last year when we were archery hunting for elk in the backcountry of Colorado, I ran into a guy who hit a 4pt bull and recovered the broken/bloody arrow. He relayed the story that the bull split from a bunch of cows and he was trailing the bull all over the mountain when the cows came in behind the bull and "washed" away the blood trail and tracks of the bull and he never found trail/sign again. He pulled out his GPS and showed his tracking and the whole screen was covered with linear/tight lines where he criss-crossed/zig-zagged over a pretty large area. He said he felt sick about it. But he kept hunting for another bull.

As for me, I've never been presented with a "wounded animal from someone else" situation nor a "I shot/wounded an animal and couldn't recover it" scenario. I hope I don't have to deal with those, but the wounded animal from another person -- well, it's gonna get put out of its misery. I don't know what I'd do about me wounding/unable to recover an animal.

Deep thoughts on this stuff.

 

[Dinkshooter]

This post made me think of this deer today so I went and scanned up the photos. My advice is to always follow blood trails and do the ethical thing and put them down. The front right hoof is the one that was shot.

 

[elk_hunter]

Dink, what an awesome buck!!! :hump:

Buzz and miller -- thanks for posting those pics. It's interesting to see real-life pics of this stuff.

This also reminds me of the broadhead Greenhorn found in that elk this year...they are some tough critters.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Nice reservoir tip their dinkshooter.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Not the first time I have been called a "D" with ears.

My wife hates that hat. I had to go buy a extra just in case I ever loose it.

 

[Sytes]

Same sentiments as Buzz and others here.

I dont blame anyone for making an ethical/legal choice either way...letting an animal suffer or ending it. Thats a tough call and I'm not sure there is a right answer. But, the one thing I do know is that I have to sleep at night living with my decisions, despite what the legality of the situation may be.

I guess if it came down to it, and a warden wanted to ticket me for killing an animal that was obviously suffering from a severe wound...I'd press hard and make sure my signature got through all five copies...and then have my day in front of a judge. But, thats just me.

Exactly.

I had an incident where I had a lot of trouble getting a deer out of an area... Became dark as heck! Realized when finally reaching the truck, my tag had torn off! I contimplated my options... Spoke with a few friends - A couple said - burger / steak it yourself... don't bother contacting FWP. They will make hell out of it over something ridiculous.
Well, I contacted FWP. Was instructed to take the deer to the office and discuss further there. I arrived, explained my situation and was questioned beyond a friendly manner - more in a neutral manner... and not as a convicted criminal. Shortly after, I was given a replacement tag and off to the processor I went.

I found it fair in the questioning and I am sure there may be a record on file re: the innocent incident... People often think law enforcement should just take peoples word... though complain to high hell when repetition of such occurrs and law enforcement did nothing... because they took a person at his/her word? Hense "Trust but Verify"... I can see how concern over reporting to FWP has received the negative impression... this world is not made up of trusting unknown people... I have also met law enforcement who are good at using their own judgement... though GOD forbid they use such judgement and it bites him/her in the arse... It is not just a job - it places unwanted despair for that officer's faimly on his job security - simply to trust a person.

 

[Moosie]

I can say that I'd let it go. And I did in N.M. this year. We were out and saw a deer as we were driving down the road at night that was shot by someone oviously and I didn't shoot it. My feer was more that if I tagged an Animal, even if hit, My hunt is done. It sounds selfish and it is, but I kept going. I can see me getting a ticket and loosing my licence for Shooting from a road at night and not tagging a deer.

Unlike Buzz and others that are obviously better people then me for that, I'm not willing to press hard signing my name on that situation.

 

[justdada]

If you put a bullet in it, you have an obligation to punch your tag. That's the law (at least in CO)

Leaving it for the coyotes should not be an option for anyone considering themself a hunter. That should be all our ethos. A hunting license does not give us 'Kings privledge' to tend the flock by removing the sick/injured only to leave them to rot.

If I wound an animal and fail to recover it, I would consider my tag filled. That's my ethic.

If I see a sick our wounded animal that I don't have a tag for or intend to eat, I let it walk right on by.
Nature is rough, has been since before I was around, will be when I am gone. I feel that attaching human emotions to the lives and deaths of wild animals is the single greatest detriment to the future of our sport. That is how animal rights groups find support, with a sad looking fox stuck in a trap. Not to say I don't feel for an injured animal, but I don't believe they know or feel the way that we do. And saying you are 'putting it out of its misery' is really only a way to say you feel sorry for it.
Hell, if I break my leg, I don't want you coming over and wackin' me with a pulaski either!
Hate to disagree with some of you as I respect most here, but nature is capable of the task.

That is not to say I wouldn't take a wounded animal that I had a tag for, cause I would! My dander just got stirred up with the talk about shooting and leaving an animal, as though you are saving it from certain death by killing it and leaving it for the poor starving coyotes.

While helping out at a taxi studio, I fleshed a deer hide that had recovered from a lion attack, that had no less than 20 scars down its back, some of which were 2 feet long. It healed and the scars looked plenty old.
Another fella brought in an elk that had a chunk (14") of another bulls anlter broken off in its skull. He had to have been carrying that around for a year, cause inside his head it was all cysted (sp?) over.
Some of them survive what would seem to be sure to kill them...

 

[elk_hunter]

justdada, I don't think your statement (If you put a bullet in it, you have an obligation to punch your tag) is true. Isn't the verbiage that if you kill an animal, you have an obligation to punch your tag? Maybe each state is different, but I thought that most all states require you to verify that you killed an animal and then punch the tag. So if you never know if you actually kill an animal, technically you have no obligation to punch your tag.

 

[justdada]

Right you are.. Please replace "put a bullet in it" with "kill it".

Thanks

 

[greatbasin]

I dispached a wounded antelope doe this year and punched out, in an area that had a very nice buck...so I guess you can guess my answer. I just could'nt stand to watch her hobble away on her lame leg after drinking. I felt good after taking care of business and you know what? kharma may just bring that buck to me next year.

 

[belly-deep]

Same sentiments as Buzz and others here.

Exactly.

I had an incident where I had a lot of trouble getting a deer out of an area... Became dark as heck! Realized when finally reaching the truck, my tag had torn off! I contimplated my options... Spoke with a few friends - A couple said - burger / steak it yourself... don't bother contacting FWP. They will make hell out of it over something ridiculous.
Well, I contacted FWP. Was instructed to take the deer to the office and discuss further there. I arrived, explained my situation and was questioned beyond a friendly manner - more in a neutral manner... and not as a convicted criminal. Shortly after, I was given a replacement tag and off to the processor I went.

I found it fair in the questioning and I am sure there may be a record on file re: the innocent incident... People often think law enforcement should just take peoples word... though complain to high hell when repetition of such occurrs and law enforcement did nothing... because they took a person at his/her word? Hense "Trust but Verify"... I can see how concern over reporting to FWP has received the negative impression... this world is not made up of trusting unknown people... I have also met law enforcement who are good at using their own judgement... though GOD forbid they use such judgement and it bites him/her in the arse... It is not just a job - it places unwanted despair for that officer's faimly on his job security - simply to trust a person.

It all depends on who you end up dealing with. I know guys that "have done the right thing" and have ended up with a ticket for it.

 

[noharleyyet]

Ok, whats a pulaski????

.

....sometimes a term of derision.

 

[The Hedgehog]

shoot first, ask questions later

 

[BirdsNBucks]

I would harvest the animal. I have done so on 2 occasions during the WI 9 day gun season for whitetails. I am a die hard bowhunter but am in the woods taking some kids out. I have the tag anyway and would rather see the animal put to use than going to waste. I would also like to rub off on the kids as an outdoorsman rather than just a hunter.

 

[Sytes]

It all depends on who you end up dealing with. I know guys that "have done the right thing" and have ended up with a ticket for it.

Agree. That is why I enjoyed Buzz's comment about taking it to the judge

I have heard stories - though I am only able to speak of my experience - which was abrasive and tough though I understand such.
It could have gone different than that - at which point - I would have pled my case to the Judge.

 

[----]

Agree to disagree I guess.
Thankfully I'm fortunate enough to have never been in the situation where I've had to make that decision, and knock on wood I never will be.