RTA deer : tell me I did the right thing !

[Nimrod1960]

Friend called to say a deer was staggering along the road “with its leg hanging off” a few miles away and quite a queue of traffic was building, crying and hysterics in the background.

I knew where it was, quite open and rural.
Could easily nip over with the .410 or 12 with some BB. Rifles out of the question of course.

However, I told the friend on the scene to call the police and let them deal with it.
I explained that I was very sorry but would not want to discharge a firearm on or next to the public highway, especially with people I do not know hanging around or passing.

Feel a little guilty about letting it suffer longer than needed.

Is there a scenario in which I could or should have acted differently ?

 

[JMikeyH]

Friend called to say a deer was staggering along the road “with its leg hanging off” a few miles away and quite a queue of traffic was building, crying and hysterics in the background.

I knew where it was, quite open and rural.
Could easily nip over with the .410 or 12 with some BB. Rifles out of the question of course.

However, I told the friend on the scene to call the police and let them deal with it.
I explained that I was very sorry but would not want to discharge a firearm on or next to the public highway, especially with people I do not know hanging around or passing.

Feel a little guilty about letting it suffer longer than needed.

Is there a scenario in which I could or should have acted differently ?

If the world wasn't completely ****ing mental then you might have a reason to feel conflicted. As it happens, the world is completely ****ing mental and so you did the right thing.

 

[Donkey Basher]

Sad to say that, in this day of camera phones, live streaming, litigation, general outrage & virtue signalling, I think you did the right thing by leaving it to the ‘appropriate’ people to deal with it.

Did you do the right thing for the animal, no. But you already know that.

 

[TringSaint]

I have dispatched a deer caught up in an rta with a knife before. A few of us held it down (fallow pricket) and I did the deed.
No fuss or bother.
The carcass came back with me too!

 

[pete evans]

Trust your judgment. Morality and legality are not always aligned, not to mention the court of public opinion/social media. I would have done the same in the scenario you describe

 

[Mr. Gain]

You didn't inflict the injury on the deer. You had no more obligation to dispatch it than any member of the general public. In this context, that you had more ability is immaterial. Moreover, had you acted, the chances of losing your licences would have risen to substantially more than zero, as would the chances of being on the receiving end of every form of harassment. Consequently, you had a responsibility to yourself and to your family not to act beyond identifying suitably authorised persons to dispatch the deer. It doesn't feel good, but it should help to reflect that the choice you made was exactly the sort of responsible decision one would wish of someone who owns firearms.

 

[Malxwal]

Indeed, a sad reflection on society that you're forced to make what feels like the morally wrong decision.

 

[VSS]

Personally I'd have done it, because it would have felt to me like it was the right thing for me to do.
But only you know what's right for you, and there's no shame in having made the decision that you made.

 

[Nimrod1960]

Thanks all for your comments, I have to say I am still torn about it. But it does make my **** boil that the age we live in forced some sort of twisted compliance logic into my head.

 

[CookM]

Even having the knife available to do the job makes you a nutter nowadays.
Sad.
I used to get called when l lived in Hants to sort this sort of thing out by people who could not ever do it themselves, but knew who would.
It may have helped their concience even.

 

[Bo Diddley]

I had the same situation twice in one week, a month ago. I politely declined. Didn't want the potential hassle.

 

[artschool]

let no good deed go unpunished.

you did the right thing

 

[Malxwal]

The last time I had to do this was 9am traffic on an A road in front of traffic stopped both ways, no police around. I got the deer off the road and into the woods/bushes at the side of the road as quickly as possible and applied the knife. Think it was pretty obvious to all present what was going on, but nobody else seemed to want to intervene.
Job done and everyone on their way in a couple of minutes.
I've also helped a young female SSPCA officer hold down an injured deer to be euthanised while a full grown man stood watching, too useless to even lend his mass.

 

[nf-fuse]

Don't get involved

 

[Rake Aboot]

I’ve said it before
The welfare of the deer comes before all else
I’d have killed it and been happy to defend doing it to anyone


Sad times when deer stalkers let a deer suffer rather than face scrutiny
I’ve killed deer in front of members of the public with a large adjustable spanner
If they don’t like it I tell them not to watch


We’ve turned into a bunch of scared wimps .

Well when I say we , I don’t mean me .

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Friend called to say a deer was staggering along the road “with its leg hanging off” a few miles away and quite a queue of traffic was building, crying and hysterics in the background.

I knew where it was, quite open and rural.
Could easily nip over with the .410 or 12 with some BB. Rifles out of the question of course.

However, I told the friend on the scene to call the police and let them deal with it.
I explained that I was very sorry but would not want to discharge a firearm on or next to the public highway, especially with people I do not know hanging around or passing.

Feel a little guilty about letting it suffer longer than needed.

Is there a scenario in which I could or should have acted differently ?

You did the right thing!

Let them get on with it, that’s what their paid to do, and you are quite correct cover your arse at every corner unless the police call you to do it, guns stay in the cabinet.

Shot 100’s of Deer on the side of the road for the police over the years, it’s a labour of love nothing more nothing less cost you money and sleep, with little thanks and no return in time and fuel.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Thanks all for your comments, I have to say I am still torn about it. But it does make my **** boil that the age we live in forced some sort of twisted compliance logic into my head.

You’re thinking too much, don’t let it bother you.

 

[ndjfb00]

You did the right thing if you value your now valuable FAC /SG and a potential whole world of pain, do you have liability insurance for HAD in a public place? Does your vehicle insurance cover you for this type of activity?

Emmotions can soon overtake any rationale thinking, you did well, give yourself a pat on the back

 

[ndjfb00]

You didn't inflict the injury on the deer. You had no more obligation to dispatch it than any member of the general public. In this context, that you had more ability is immaterial. Moreover, had you acted, the chances of losing your licences would have risen to substantially more than zero, as would the chances of being on the receiving end of every form of harassment. Consequently, you had a responsibility to yourself and to your family not to act beyond identifying suitably authorised persons to dispatch the deer. It doesn't feel good, but it should help to reflect that the choice you made was exactly the sort of responsible decision one would wish of someone who owns firearms.

Great reply

 

[Heym SR20]

I think you did the correct thing. However if I was carrying a rifle / shotgun and came across a deer injured in an RTA on a major road I would probably ring the police, inform of the accident and volunteer my services as I would be onsite.

With major roads there are an awful lot of dangers, and you do not want to be trying to deal with a deer with traffic moving at 60 mph.