I would like to know if there are any rules applied to this scenario, have in mind that getting the animal off its mystery is also a priority(at least to me, watching it shake and grunt wouldn't be fun).
Appreciate all info.
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I would like to know if there are any rules applied to this scenario, have in mind that getting the animal off its mystery is also a priority(at least to me, watching it shake and grunt wouldn't be fun).
Appreciate all info.
Varies from state to state. In Texas it's illegal to harvest any deer if it's not deer season, and it's illegal to harvest a road kill year round. If it's deer season, the deer has only been wounded by the car, and you have a hunting license, then you should be good. Otherwise, I recommend calling a game warden.
I do feel bad for them but I'll keep driving without stopping to listen to it grunt. I'm not playing games with discharging my firearm. I have it for self defense and the deer isn't attacking me
Looks like Texas has a law against discharging firearms on right of way. Not sure if that is town by town thing and it seems to have an element that it is done recklessly to be illegal.Quote:
Originally Posted by TexHill
Probably not. There may be laws against discharging firearms on a roadway. There are also laws against discharging firearms within a certain distance of dwellings. Plus game laws.
A family member in Arizona recently hit a javelina. She later asked a deputy whether she could have shot it. He said no, against the law. She didn't have a firearm at the time anyway, so she ran over it again 3 more times before it died. The deputy looked a little queasy. Those things are tough.
This is one of those discretion on behalf of the LEO needs to be exercised imo.
Probably technically unlawful in most jurisdictions but, meh. It’s the right thing to do.
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While working on patrol in a small NC town one night, we got a call about an accident involving a car and deer. Another unit and I happened to be close by and arrived within a minute or two of the radio call. We put the deer down on the side of the road. Normally in this situation we would have the town utilities department pick up the carcass in the morning, but before we ever got back in our cars, a white pickup truck showed up, a guy in overalls got out and stated "I was on my porch and heard the squealing tires and thud, followed by a shot, and figured someone hit a deer. Can I have it?" We helped him load it into the bed of his truck, and he drove back home. My partner and I got a good chuckle out of it.
Unfortunately, that's a no go in Texas which is stupid. Sadly, that deer would have been left for the coyotes to eat.Quote:
Originally Posted by john armond
Growing up in Northwestern Montana, I have shot two of the three deer I had hit with my car in my teen years. I carried a little bolt action .22 in my car, and when I was in college a .45 Ruger semiauto. The last time, I called the highway patrol and they came and picked it up after I put it out of it's misery and took it to a needy family. I never thought about the repercussions or legalities, but then again the place is very rural.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpmuscle
Yep, do the right thing, just don't get caught doing it.
It is illegal in my state to shoot them also, you need to call the DNR and wait until they show up.
If you were to drive over its head to end their pain I doubt that would cause any problems. It would look like damage from the vehicle deer collision.
In Idaho, only LEOs are allowed to dispatch disabled game animals. Check your local regs
In FL you would get hemmed up for shooting a wounded deer.
That’s a state by state by town by county by cop by cop call. Far too many variables and far too risky.
Now if it’s a skinny, whole nuther enchilada.
PB
In Va, you're suppose to report hitting a deer to law enforcement, whether it be the local law enforcement, state police or game wardens. They will give you a form to turn in if you need to file an insurance claim. I never really got a straight answer from the game wardens concerning shooting an injured deer. While it is the right thing to do, It is really up to LEOs to decide if it was injured to the point of requiring it to be put down. I can see a bad situation if you put one down and then the game warden shows up and deems it wasn't necessary. Then your faced with fines, losing hunting privileges, etc...
We had a situation where there was a deer at my buddy's cabin that was clearly attacked by a mountain lion or linx... that DNR says doesn't exist here. It's hind quarters and back were literally shredded. He started to put it down, but decided against it because the law was so sketchy about doing it. A few minutes later, the game wardens showed up. They were called by the neighbor farmer who saw the deer earlier. They put it down. They told us that if something like that happened again, to call DNR and report what happened and ask them if we could put it out of it's misery, but to make sure to get the name of the person you talk to though in case. So in the end, best thing to protect your a@@, unfortunately for the deer, is to report it and let LEOs handle it.
That's a little harsh, don't you think ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Arik
Whats harsh? Driving past the deer? What do you want me to do?Quote:
Originally Posted by .223Pound
Laws here and there flying around, These animal were given to us by God and i have mainly read about laws here but not much speak about taking up off its misery like you should. IMO a positive moral compass of getting the deer of its pain is the right thing to do. waiting for some kinda authorization might take awhile and watching the deer suffer can be a drag. i have seen a situation were the deer died while the person in the car was trying to call the authorities.Quote:
Originally Posted by Arik
So what do you want me to do? Tell the cops don't worry about the law cause I'm invoking God! You know why you've only read about laws? Because no one wants to break the law and having to hire a lawyer and potentially loose your right over a deer.Quote:
Originally Posted by .223Pound
Here's what Penn Game Commission has to say about it.
It is not legal to kill “put it out of its misery” any
injured wildlife; again, call the region office.
a start of what you could get popped with: Road hunting, poaching, hunting out of season, unlawful discharge of a firearm(municipal laws apply), shooting across roads, etc..
In what state do you live?Quote:
Originally Posted by .223Pound
Sounds harsh but not worth the risk IMO. Not worth risking my drivers license, carry license, FOID (yeah yeah everyone laugh at the IL guy), hunting license, my freedom, or my money. That said, if I hit one and was able to get in touch with a police officer or game warden who gave me the go ahead, I'd absolutely put it out of its misery.
Believe me, I get it. It sucks to see an animal needlessly suffer, and I'm sure it sucks even worse being the deer, but the religious morality argument doesn't hold up in court if it's illegal or deemed reckless. Bear in mind the default death for a deer is due to starvation, disease, or being eaten alive by a predator.
Maine has a high collision rate with deer. We are not allowed to "shoot them". Its not worth jail time over a suffering animal. I feel bad for them, but 10 years or so in jail isnt worth it.
Tho a sheriff said nothing about hitting one on the head with a ax. Which worked very good.
Not allowed to shoot injured animals in Alaska either. It still happens. I've shot two moose, both with the permission of Fish and Wildlife, by officers that knew me because they were still somewhat mobile with broken backs and kept flopping into traffic.
I don't get too wound up emotionally about it. Laying there and dying for a few minutes can't be worse than being eaten alive by bears and wolves in my part of the world.
There's a let it lay rule for falconers that applies to game their birds catch out of season..... In other words kill it if there is no option but don't take it home, leave it where it is.
I see the OP never stated what state he lives in. I assume he looked into and out it to illegal.
Like i said before, 10 years in jail and some hefty fines is not worth it to me. If the animal is suffering, i have nailed it in the had with a ax i always keep in the truck.
I think it's illegal in most (all?) states due to it being too easy to poach something and claim it was road kill.
Safest thing to do is call local LEO, State Police or Game Wardens and let them deal with it. If they give you permission to dispatch the animal then takes names for your own safety. I hit a doe once and called the State Police and they sent out a Game Warden who happened to be close by. He came and dispatched the doe and took it to a local processor and from there it was going to the Salvation Army.