Pass an injured buck?

[Ridgerunner7]

There is a really nice nine point that I passed up during bow season. I noticed him last night with a pretty bad limp but he was still out feeding and appeared to be very killable. This behavior is uncharacteristic of him. I would say he's getting around OK and was hanging out with other deer. I'd really like to pass them in hopes that he'd make it but if it's likely he would die I would rather take him now. I see deer all the time recover from bad hits and then again I find many, many unrecovered deer when I'm scouting in the spring. I can't be certain but I do think this is a gunshot wound to the shoulder because I have a picture of him on the 20th with no injury and I saw him on the 22nd limping and could see the hole . Thoughts?

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Edcyclopedia]

If it's a limp from a leg/shoulder probably no big deal - very resilient animals.

If you think it's an internal injury that maybe a 50-50...

[Wlog]

Tough call but I think if it were me I'd probably shoot him.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[dan]

If he survives, most likely he will have poor and irregular antler growth in future years if its a severe injury.

[Rich M]

I wonder about meat quality on wounded animals. If there is an infection, does it affect the whole animal?

[Dewey]

Tough call but I think if it were me I'd probably shoot him.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Same here. If he's getting around pretty good I would pass but if he's noticeably struggling I would kill him. Hate to see an animal needlessly suffer.

[mauser06]

Opening day of rifle a fee years back my buddies wife hit a good 10 point. They couldn't find it.


My buddy had a gut feeling it was alive.


We went in on the last day...12 days later ...my buddy walked up and the buck struggled to get up. My buddy put him down.


Her shot was great. But hit the leg/shoulder junction. She was shooting a light caliber. It didn't penetrate. The sound was nasty infected puss filled gross I almost barfed. The buck was very thin. No doubt in my mind he was in his death bed and wasn't gunna make it much longer.



Deer are tough. But sometimes things like that do kill them in time. Infection, cold/winter, predators etc all become more of a factor...

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

Rut wears a buck down bad... They use up the fat they should be saving for winter they go into winter in bad shape. Add an injury, and it is really a struggle to survive.

[Ridgerunner7]

Rut wears a buck down bad... They use up the fat they should be saving for winter they go into winter in bad shape. Add an injury, and it is really a struggle to survive.

Yeah, this area is overrun with coyotes also. If you leave a deer overnight it will definitely be eaten. I will likely shoot him if given the opportunity.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[JoeRE]

I would try to evaluate how bad the injury is.

If he is putting any weight on the leg, I think his odds of survival are good.

If he is not putting any weight on it whatsoever, meaning its probably badly broken, odds are he's not going to make it. Sure a few deer have broken bones that heal but I am certain its only a few. Most will die. When and if we get much snow, those deer with three good legs have a really hard time moving around and pawing through snow for food on the ground. When I see a deer with a clearly broken leg I always put it down. Strong odds its not going to make it.

Coyotes always take the easiest pickings and twice I have found in snow fresh trails where they have pulled down deer - both had broken legs. Its not a pretty sight...blood, hair, and guts for hundreds of yards while they slowly pull it down and eat it alive.

[purebowhunting]

I had this play out Sunday, had a 2yo 8 point come out of a bedding area not able to use its back leg. I passed at first and hoped he'd move off towards my buddy and his son as his son is a first year hunter. I didn't know the injury at the time but at closing time he moved towards me and he hasn't used the leg in sometime as muscle mass was gone. Decided to shoot. Would he have survived, maybe, but even if he did this probably was the last normal rack he'd ever carry. Turns out he was hit by a car, had a broken hip and break at the knee. Don't regret the decision although if healthy I would have passed.