Last week while hunting in Texas, a man stopped me and told me a buck had been hit and it's leg was broken, on the ranch road. I found the spike buck laying by a fence and called the rancher who got the TPW officer on the other line. He asked if I could put it down. I put the phone down and shot the buck. The rancher had his ranch hands pick up the carcass and dispose of it. That's how you do it. Either that or shoot it to end it's misery and keep it to yourself and the man-in-the-moon.

I have seen way too many critters exhibiting the aftermath of a failed head/neck shot. That is the single most problematic cause of crippling here in Wyoming. Still, the legal thing to to is call the local warden, even if the animal wanders off to starve to death.

On two occasions I have called one of the local Wardens and secured permission to dispatch the animal after describing the nature of the injury and probability of survival. Fortunately, the warden is a shooting buddy of mine.

I guess one has to let their conscious be their guide. The worst thing a person can do is to shoot the animal and drive off without reporting the incident.

This summer I ran a fawn < 8 lbs through my swather header. It was laying in knee high alfalfa and I didn't have a chance at seeing it. It survived. It's front two hooves had been cut off, had intestines hanging out of a gash in its belly, and had a puncture in it's chest the size of a quarter. I grabbed my swather gun, ran out and put it down. And then I shut up about it. And I'd do it again if I KNEW I would be charged over it. Then I'd wait for my day in court and plead my case.

If I were to run over a fawn with a swather, I would shoot the poor critter. But I would also let the local warden know what happened.

there is a time to do what is right and just keep quite about it. not everything needs to be told on facebook, twitter, the bar, a hunting board or other places.

Anyone, warden, judge, ANYONE, who would charge you in such a case needs a very sound beating. To NOT put a mortally wounded animal out of its misery is criminal in itself. To condemn someone for doing so, while perhaps in keeping with the "law" is immorally stupid.

Sounds about right to me...

Yup, situational ethics. I have had several talks with different game wardens about the issue of killing big game animals to put them out of their misery. Shoot, shut up, and drive off is not a very bright idea. That type of behavior wastes a lot of resources when the animal is found and reported. Worse yet, if you are seen shooting a big game critter and drive off, the ensuing poop storm can be a PITA.

For all the game warden knows (based on the report) is you may have just committed a drive by thrill shooting. Happens a lot in Wyoming. By all appearances you may be thought to be guilty of taking an animal out of season and wanton waste. All of that can be avoided by one phone call.

I won't condemn anyone for dispatching a crippled critter. I have done it more than once. But I always got permission first, or reported it after. Avoids a ton of hassles.