Maybe a little insulted at having been popped with a .380, but better off even so. Good job.
That was my one mistake, I forgot about the G36 in the glove box, or the 870 I have up for sale in the passenger seat with a box of 00 buck shot in stock. I guess the pocket pistol had less impact on the neighbors.
You did the right thing. I would have used a knife just because I would not want to have to rely on the responding officer having some common sense. 99% would, but with my luck I would get the 1% without.
i had almost the same think happen last rut. I have my.40 smith on me but my wife kept telling i shouldn't put him down. I called animal control and left. It was toast..more dead than alive but trying to breathe. I saw a cop in the neighborhood later that day ask him - he kinda teased me a little for not doing it - said i should have hesitated. I regret not doing what you did...
Ran over one with a full size van some years ago, no gun in the van so I tried to talk the owner of the lawn he crawled on into loaning me his. He refused (scared he would have to dispose of it) LEO came up to write up the accident, and I heard him getting permission to discharge his weapon on the radio. He got out of the car and the dead, dying deer suddenly jumped up and bounded off. He looked at me rather astonished and exclaimed "Can you believe that!" I just looked at him and dead-panned "No proof of insurance"
I had it happen here as well. I called the Sheriffs Dept and told them what was going on. They explain that everyone was busy and could not get an officer out there. I told them that I would put it down if they would say I could. They put me on hold for a few minutes and then come back and told me to go ahead. Thought it was pretty good of them to say go ahead. I guess its the benefit of living in the country!!