Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: chukar58 on October 18, 2016, 11:12:32 AM

Title: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: chukar58 on October 18, 2016, 11:12:32 AM: While out scouting before the season I observed a mule deer that had been crippled and was limping badly due to an injured hind leg. The next day I ran into the same deer and really got to have a good look at him with my spotting scope and named him Pegleg. Its looking like the hind leg may be broken above the hoc and he is not able to put any weight on it. I suspect that this injury happened awhile ago because rival buck challenged him to a mock fight and Pegleg locked antlers with this rival and was doing his share of pushing and shoving for a few minutes. I was left wondering if given the shot would I harvest this buck. What would you do as a Sportsman and Hunter?
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: OutHouse on October 18, 2016, 11:19:44 AM: Either you take him, another hunter takes him, or the winter eats him. I say put him down. Could it be an arrow wound?
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: TikkaT3-270Shortmag on October 18, 2016, 11:22:28 AM: If its legal absolutely. Might put him out of misery as well.

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Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: hemi on October 18, 2016, 11:27:55 AM: :yeah:
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: yakimarcher on October 18, 2016, 11:30:35 AM: Dump him!
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: chukar58 on October 18, 2016, 11:32:21 AM: It could be an archery injury or perhaps hit by a car or some disease or perhaps infection. I thought I would shoot him just to end his pain knowing full well his days are numbered any way you look at it.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: Buckmark on October 18, 2016, 11:37:36 AM: I would take him :twocents:

I shot a buck years ago that was limping, not using a front leg and while skinning him i found a smashed lead ball in his shoulder.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: lamrith on October 18, 2016, 11:42:59 AM: I would drop the hammer or give him a splinter without a second thought.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: JohnD on October 18, 2016, 11:47:26 AM: I shot a deer about 15 years ago that only had 3 legs. It looked like it was born that way and was a few years old. Still tasty but not much meat on that shoulder. I didn't even think about not shooting... but I have never been the best hunter in the world so I'll shoot anything legal. :-)
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: skeeter 20i on October 18, 2016, 11:52:32 AM: My oldest shot one a few years ago that only had 3 legs. Said he felt sorry for it. It came in ready for a fight as soon as the boy hit the horns together. Said it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: Seabass on October 18, 2016, 12:57:19 PM: I don't see how it would be any different than shooting any other buck? If you kill one you kill one. It's just one less buck than there was before. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. We are talking about animals for food.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: Lincoln4 on October 18, 2016, 01:06:24 PM: :yeah:
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: Pathfinder101 on October 18, 2016, 01:50:11 PM: Quote from: chukar58 on October 18, 2016, 11:32:21 AM
It could be an archery injury or perhaps hit by a car or some disease or perhaps infection. I thought I would shoot him just to end his pain knowing full well his days are numbered any way you look at it.
\

:yeah: I have done this before. Kinder than letting a pack of coyotes eat him alive...
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: Henrydog on October 18, 2016, 02:14:32 PM: JohnD that is the coolest photo I have seen in a long time. I always tease my kid when I am out hunting and he is stuck in school that I will tie up a 3 legged deer for him.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: nwwanderer on October 18, 2016, 02:53:29 PM: Not unusual, they seem to do fine with three. Elk, deer, coyotes business as usual
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: jackmaster on October 18, 2016, 03:08:52 PM: Quote from: Pathfinder101 on October 18, 2016, 01:50:11 PM
Quote from: chukar58 on October 18, 2016, 11:32:21 AM
It could be an archery injury or perhaps hit by a car or some disease or perhaps infection. I thought I would shoot him just to end his pain knowing full well his days are numbered any way you look at it.
\

:yeah: I have done this before. Kinder than letting a pack of coyotes eat him alive...
:yeah:my dad did this a few years ago and he is pickier than me when it comes to blacktail, but this buck was wasted away by a bad infection in his back, couldn't even get up hardly, dad shot him and tagged him and did everything except eat it, the meat smelled like he had gang green all through his body, pretty sad, but that's what being a sportsman is about :tup: I have more respect for animals than I do most people :tup:
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: lokidog on October 19, 2016, 10:07:08 PM: Weather girl shot a three legger a few years back. It was missing a front leg below the knee. Smelled horrible, the state issued her a second tag.

Yours sounds relatively healthy, I would shoot either way.

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Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: Bango skank on October 19, 2016, 10:18:15 PM: A doe showed up at my place today with a bum front leg, cant put any weight on it. Her days are numbered im sure. Limping bad.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: DaveMonti on October 19, 2016, 10:19:37 PM: Years ago, the farm I hunted in Pennsylvania had a gimpy doe. One of her front legs must have been broken and healed at a weird angle and her knee wouldn't bend. She walked funny, but she got around just fine, and due to her injury, she must have compensated by becoming VERY smart! She was the most "aware" deer I've ever seen. She'd walk down a trail and stop and look right up at me in my treestand several times a year, snort and off she'd go with the herd following her.

Anyhow, we gave her a free pass out of respect and because she was entertaining to watch. She was around for quite a few years and had twins every year, even though the hardest winters I can remember. Tough old broad!
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: fishnfur on October 19, 2016, 10:59:37 PM: OK, well then, what if it had two missing legs? Would you still kill it? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: csaaphill on October 19, 2016, 11:36:32 PM: Quote from: OutHouse on October 18, 2016, 11:19:44 AM
Either you take him, another hunter takes him, or the winter eats him. I say put him down. Could it be an arrow wound?
Not necessarily Me and my dad for a few years seen a doe on this one hillside almost every year called her Gimpy she survived at least two winters if not three.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: csaaphill on October 19, 2016, 11:44:25 PM: But is it legal then yeah more likely I'd take it. But not so much because it's going to die but if it's legal. If not let it go watch it though if possible and see if it lives. Odds are if not injured to the point of Eminent death then it will likely live.
Title: Re: Pegleg Deer would you shoot?
Post by: chukar58 on October 20, 2016, 12:08:05 PM: That's a good cross section of perspective for Pegleg and if he shows himself on my watch I will give him a dirt nap.