Legal to Shoot a Deer hit by a car?

[protective measures]

This one often falls under the heading, "Officers discretion".

If its inside the city, technically they could write you up for discharging a firearm inside city limits or within 50 yds. of a hwy. or street as both are misdemeanors.

As long as it was done safely & humanely many officers I know have told me they would let it slide.

 

[ATLEMT]

i stopped a few years back after someone hit a deer. the deer was suffering pretty bad and trying to crawl away with the two legs that wernt totally jacked up, both eyes were either gone, or so damaged i couldnt see them, and it was cut up real bad.

I called the local police (not 911, looked up the number on my phone) and talked to one of the officers and explained the situation. I asked if I could put it down and the officer said as long as i could do it with one shot and do it safely he was fine with it. I stayed on the line with hime till after it was done just in case anyone stopped or said something.

.38 to the head and it was out of its misery, I know the feeling of not wanting to just let it suffer and die.

 

[blakejohn]

Chances are that under the circumstance it would be allowed to slide unless you have some anti gun freak that seen or heard it and wont drop the issue

 

[Petro_58]

I don't believe you would have any Problems out of LEO for dispatching a wounded animal.

 

[Skiwagon2]

No. Ethical thing to do, but you could lose gun, vehicle and lots of money. I had a buddy in the same situation.....put the hit deer down and the game warden took his new truck, gun and tried to put him in jail. By the way, he was in his 50s....not some kid with an attitude.
Cost him thousands in lawyer fees just to get his stuff back. Never assume common sense rules in this type situation.

 

[rtross]

I don't know what the law recommends, but kudos to you for doing the right thing.
You did the right thing; don't even question yourself.
JMHO

 

[spavent]

Same thing happened to me though I just witnessed the same type of collision, deer up in the air about 30 feet, both legs broken, scampered into the woods, I followed, got the trusty knife and put it out of its misery, called cops, (checked on the driver), cops came, I asked if I could have the animal and they consented, field dressed it, put it in the truck then pulled out to the red light(in front of six flags at discovery blvd)..lol.

Good reason to carry a good knife!

 

[protective measures]

I think I just had one of my D.P.D. buddies tell me about this.

He said that a subject matching your description chased the deer (a 10 pointer by the way) through two yards and a ditch before finally taking it down.......




Just kidding. You're fortunate you weren't hurt. I've had a few lose calls w/ deer on my motorcycle.
Many riders are killed each year when they hit deer.
My closest call came once when I rounded a curve pretty fast & startled a buzzard that glanced hard off of my helmet.
A direct hit probably would have taken me right off the bike.

 

[Retread]

Keep a sledge hammer, or an ax/hatchet in your kit. I wouldn't use a gun. You never know what the cop is around the bend is going to do. Just aim for the other side and don't wimp out. Farmers have been doing it to beef for years.

 

[StateLine]

This one often falls under the heading, "Officers discretion".

If its inside the city, technically they could write you up for discharging a firearm inside city limits or within 50 yds. of a hwy. or street as both are misdemeanors.

As long as it was done safely & humanely many officers I know have told me they would let it slide.

This was going to be my response. I had to dispatch quite a few injured animals over the years. I couldn't see myself busting someone else for doing the same thing as long as it was done safely and humanely. Laws may vary in GA but I would always try to find someone to take the fresh kill. More than once a good ol' boy in a pickup would happen along the scene and volunteer to take the deer away.