Mercy Killing

[Mule_Deer]

What would be the appropriate thing to do if you were in your stand and saw a wounded yearling doe pass, would you mercy kill it? If you knew the hunter that had shot it and could not find it, and also know that it had happend 8 days earlier, If you shot it for mercy, would it be edible??? Could it be dangerous to eat is my question? And would it be wrong to leave it in the field after mercy killing the wounded deer?

[ARKANSAS WHITETAILER]

Look at the thread in rifle hunting under sick/injured deer and that will give you some points of view. If it is still alive it should be fine to eat. Was it laying down or up moving fairly decent? If it was laying down from the injury get the poor shooter to go back and finish the job and save your tag. Either way I would not let it suffer. It may get sick this winter and infect the rest of the herd. Kill it, grill it, and invite the poor shooter over for supper. Just my .02 cents.

[Southern Man]

If I thought it would suffer and die, I'd kill it. If not, I'd let it pass. As long as the deer is alive the meat (or most of it) should be fine. I'd skin it and inspect it tho, but I do my own butchering. The area around the wound might be bad. Hard to say without saeeing it.

[joel the signman]

you would be amazed at what deer can survive.the find bullets and broadheads in them all the time the get hit by cars and still keep going.without seeing it i would say let it walk.If i had bonus doe tags i would shoot it and give it away

[Hunting Man]

I won't go into details but at our camp we pretty much clean up the sick and wounded.

[BruceBruce1959]

Probably the best thing to do would be to leave it be and let nature take it's course.
If it does survive, another hunter may harvest it or it will die off and end it's role in the wildlife cycle.