This is a first
12-13-2002, 01:46 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
This is a first
A rancher called a friend of mine and told him to come out and shoot a wounded deer he found crippled up. He told him the buck had a broken leg and would run a short distance and held his head around on his back then kept falling down. The buck never would look straight ahead.
When my friend got there he walked up on the buck to put him out of his misery. He discovered the buck indeed had a broken leg (not confirmed by being shot). But what was totally shocking was the fact that one of his tines had penetrated his back skin. The tine was then thrust a few inches rearward then reemerged from a second hole. The antler tip was showing completely through and the animal was unable to unhook himself from the hide of his own back!! The flesh was rancid and since it had a broken leg he put it down with a shot from his bow. The firearm season was over at that point. He used his bow tag and brought it to town to check in. It was a big 135 class 8 point so the antler evidently was long enough to not dislodge. We think the buck must've been in a death fight with another buck and was pinned to the ground thrusting the antler under the skin. When the buck realized he was hung up he must've panicked and jerked the antler clean through to totally lock it down!
When my friend got there he walked up on the buck to put him out of his misery. He discovered the buck indeed had a broken leg (not confirmed by being shot). But what was totally shocking was the fact that one of his tines had penetrated his back skin. The tine was then thrust a few inches rearward then reemerged from a second hole. The antler tip was showing completely through and the animal was unable to unhook himself from the hide of his own back!! The flesh was rancid and since it had a broken leg he put it down with a shot from his bow. The firearm season was over at that point. He used his bow tag and brought it to town to check in. It was a big 135 class 8 point so the antler evidently was long enough to not dislodge. We think the buck must've been in a death fight with another buck and was pinned to the ground thrusting the antler under the skin. When the buck realized he was hung up he must've panicked and jerked the antler clean through to totally lock it down!
12-13-2002, 08:59 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
RE: This is a first
Dog
He already has bucks bigger than this one on the wall so it was a matter of sportsmanship and compassion. He's planning on a skull cap placque without the fanfare. He has 4 shoulder mounted bucks and over 15 or so skull cap placques. Several of the skull cap placques are already larger racks than this. He doesn't need to show off.
He's an accomplished hunter nearly 60 years old and realizes this wasn't a "hunt". It was a mature decision from a seasoned hunter and a sacrifice because he planned on hunting for a big one that escaped rifle season. He lives in the area and loves all deer. It was out of mercy that he saw a suffering animal and decided since he had the tag the animal could be put down on the spot in mercy. No telling how fast a warden could've been there meanwhile the animal was humanely dealt with. It was his brother's land and the rancher that first spotted the buck was one of their hired hands without a tag and didn't own a bow. He called me to relay a weird story and some sadness in seeing the animal in that condition. He actually felt fortunate he had the tag to use as he passed up some dandy's and we still have over 2 weeks of buck season left. That's sportsmanship.
Now after saying all that if he was to decide to shoulder mount the buck isn't that <u>his</u> business? Of course he doesn't consider it a true fair chase trophy. But sometimes people mount non trophy deer in honor of a special circumstance, an unusual animal, or for some special characteristic. What I'm saying is that the usual pride of a clean harvest of a trophy animal isn't the only reason to have it mounted. He's not going to mount it but if he did it would be alright with me.
He already has bucks bigger than this one on the wall so it was a matter of sportsmanship and compassion. He's planning on a skull cap placque without the fanfare. He has 4 shoulder mounted bucks and over 15 or so skull cap placques. Several of the skull cap placques are already larger racks than this. He doesn't need to show off.
He's an accomplished hunter nearly 60 years old and realizes this wasn't a "hunt". It was a mature decision from a seasoned hunter and a sacrifice because he planned on hunting for a big one that escaped rifle season. He lives in the area and loves all deer. It was out of mercy that he saw a suffering animal and decided since he had the tag the animal could be put down on the spot in mercy. No telling how fast a warden could've been there meanwhile the animal was humanely dealt with. It was his brother's land and the rancher that first spotted the buck was one of their hired hands without a tag and didn't own a bow. He called me to relay a weird story and some sadness in seeing the animal in that condition. He actually felt fortunate he had the tag to use as he passed up some dandy's and we still have over 2 weeks of buck season left. That's sportsmanship.
Now after saying all that if he was to decide to shoulder mount the buck isn't that <u>his</u> business? Of course he doesn't consider it a true fair chase trophy. But sometimes people mount non trophy deer in honor of a special circumstance, an unusual animal, or for some special characteristic. What I'm saying is that the usual pride of a clean harvest of a trophy animal isn't the only reason to have it mounted. He's not going to mount it but if he did it would be alright with me.
12-13-2002, 09:12 AM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: st. charles Illinois USA
Posts: 20
RE: This is a first
Hey soonershooter,
Sounds like your buddy is a darn good guy and someone I'd hunt with. With all the antlers hanging around his place, he's got a few stories under his belt. I think what he did was a display of compassion. Put that animal down and spare him the certain agonizing death. Thanks for the story. It's always interesting to hear stories like that. Just last night, we had dinner with our Dog Trainers and others friends and talked about the recent deer story around here. From what I understand, another buck had the head and rack attached to his rack. Not sure what happened to the body of the other deer. Not sure it was true or not, but someone said they read it in the local paper ????? Strange things happen in the wild.
Sounds like your buddy is a darn good guy and someone I'd hunt with. With all the antlers hanging around his place, he's got a few stories under his belt. I think what he did was a display of compassion. Put that animal down and spare him the certain agonizing death. Thanks for the story. It's always interesting to hear stories like that. Just last night, we had dinner with our Dog Trainers and others friends and talked about the recent deer story around here. From what I understand, another buck had the head and rack attached to his rack. Not sure what happened to the body of the other deer. Not sure it was true or not, but someone said they read it in the local paper ????? Strange things happen in the wild.
12-13-2002, 09:29 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fort Wayne Indiana USA
Posts: 574
RE: This is a first
soonershooter - Thanks for the story, interesting and probably a rare occurance.
Your friend did what I would hope all of us would do out of respect for the animal; end the suffering. But Dog has a good point regarding having a CO or other law enforcement, they could brain shoot it for a quicker death.
KUDO's to your friend.
Shoot often - Hunt always
Your friend did what I would hope all of us would do out of respect for the animal; end the suffering. But Dog has a good point regarding having a CO or other law enforcement, they could brain shoot it for a quicker death.
KUDO's to your friend.
Shoot often - Hunt always
12-13-2002, 11:48 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,168
RE: This is a first
everytime i here some treehugging hippy say that all hunters are a blood thirsty children i want to think of stories like these, where man shows mercy upon his prey. sad to see something like this happen though, truly sad. id like to personally thank your buddy though,
propmahn
save the world, reload your brass
propmahn
save the world, reload your brass
12-13-2002, 05:48 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
RE: This is a first
Gforce
A quick death from a bullet possibly hours later isn't quick at all. This was a no brainer since the animal was suffering at the man's feet. The deer died quickly in the best possible way and had a much better fate than waiting an untold amount of time for the warden just to save a tag IMHO. This is a big 3,000 acre ranch and was miles from the nearest town in one of the largest counties in our state. The law might've been on the other side of the jurisdiction at the scene of something far more criminal. They weren't guaranteed to arrive even before dark much less any sooner. There are only 2 wardens for the whole county so there wasn't likely going to be a quick response.
He is a good man and all of us are better off hunting with guys like him in our camps.
A quick death from a bullet possibly hours later isn't quick at all. This was a no brainer since the animal was suffering at the man's feet. The deer died quickly in the best possible way and had a much better fate than waiting an untold amount of time for the warden just to save a tag IMHO. This is a big 3,000 acre ranch and was miles from the nearest town in one of the largest counties in our state. The law might've been on the other side of the jurisdiction at the scene of something far more criminal. They weren't guaranteed to arrive even before dark much less any sooner. There are only 2 wardens for the whole county so there wasn't likely going to be a quick response.
He is a good man and all of us are better off hunting with guys like him in our camps.
12-15-2002, 04:15 PM
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fort Wayne Indiana USA
Posts: 574
RE: This is a first
I agree, and as I stated; "KUDO's to your friend" and "Your friend did what I would hope all of us would do out of respect for the animal; end the suffering." I have made no ill statements toward him and apoligize if you have mistaken anything I originally replied.
The reason I made the statement concerning the CO or LEA's is because of the following: There is no way of knowing how an animal gets injured without witnessing the event. Could the injury have occurred due to a car-deer collision? In many states, Indiana is one, only a CO or LEA can put an injured animal down that was not known to have been injured by hunting methods. Legally that is.
I found this out the hard way after a buddies wife called after hitting a button buck in the head on her way to work one morning and said the deer was still alive and breathing. I worked second shift at the time so I went to the scene.
I arrive to find the animal very much alive and trying to raise its' head of the ground; his neck was broken a couple of vertebre behind the skull. This was during gun season, but I had my bow in the car so I finished him with a arrow through the lungs. Less than ten minutes later, nearly an hour after the accident, the sheriff arrived and then proceded to chew me a new rearend for doing what I believed at the time to be ethical for the deers' sake. Our hunting regulations booklets contain no such information stating the requirements in this type situation.
I could have lost my archery equipment, hunting prileges for up to five years and my vehicle. Fortunately I went away with a good reaming and a newly learned lesson.
If OK has no restrictions concerning downing injured animals, great. My comments directed at CO and LEA intervention was not intended to defame your friend or prolong the deers' agony. That was just my opinion; if you still have doubt, read my first paragraph again.
Shoot often - Hunt always
The reason I made the statement concerning the CO or LEA's is because of the following: There is no way of knowing how an animal gets injured without witnessing the event. Could the injury have occurred due to a car-deer collision? In many states, Indiana is one, only a CO or LEA can put an injured animal down that was not known to have been injured by hunting methods. Legally that is.
I found this out the hard way after a buddies wife called after hitting a button buck in the head on her way to work one morning and said the deer was still alive and breathing. I worked second shift at the time so I went to the scene.
I arrive to find the animal very much alive and trying to raise its' head of the ground; his neck was broken a couple of vertebre behind the skull. This was during gun season, but I had my bow in the car so I finished him with a arrow through the lungs. Less than ten minutes later, nearly an hour after the accident, the sheriff arrived and then proceded to chew me a new rearend for doing what I believed at the time to be ethical for the deers' sake. Our hunting regulations booklets contain no such information stating the requirements in this type situation.
I could have lost my archery equipment, hunting prileges for up to five years and my vehicle. Fortunately I went away with a good reaming and a newly learned lesson.
If OK has no restrictions concerning downing injured animals, great. My comments directed at CO and LEA intervention was not intended to defame your friend or prolong the deers' agony. That was just my opinion; if you still have doubt, read my first paragraph again.
Shoot often - Hunt always
12-15-2002, 05:53 PM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cambridge, Ontario CANADA
Posts: 25
RE: This is a first
Thanks for the story. If there is one thing I cant stand its an animal suffering. My wife says that I care more for animals than people. That's not true I just feel for a suffering animal as I dont think they can understand what is happening to them where a person knows when they get hurt and where to go for help. Hats off to your friend as I would have done the same.