snapper Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 I've been deer hunting for the past few weeks and twice now I've seen a big (I mean big) gobbler who is wounded. I don't know how he got wounded (car, spring season, fox, yote etc...) but the first time I seen him he was limping really bad, but getting along fine. The second time (about a week difference) he fly's fine, however, he could barely walk. He kept falling down and having a real hard time moving. My question is...if given the chance would you take this bird even if your season (fall) hasn't started yet? If he isn't harvested during the fall season, I don't think he will make it through the winter. There is no question he got worse in just a week. I don't know if he can even roost seeing how he can't even hardly stand. What would you do...let mother nature play out his fate, risk getting caught and put him out of his misery, or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Re: Ethics.... Hmmmm........if I knew where he was hanging out I think I might just wait until the fall season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] Hmmmm........if I knew where he was hanging out I think I might just wait until the fall season. [/ QUOTE ] Ditto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowtechTurkeyHunter Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] Hmmmm........if I knew where he was hanging out I think I might just wait until the fall season. [/ QUOTE ] deffinately ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Re: Ethics.... That's a sticky one. I don't think I could, in good conscience, kill the bird out of season......... unless he was incapable of moving. In other words, he was definitely going to die in that spot whether I killed him or he died on his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY911Bowhunter Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Re: Ethics.... I say the same as all of the posts. Contact your DNR - see what they say - as if you don't know already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covehnter Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Re: Ethics.... I'd do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishinone Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Re: Ethics.... I would kill it, to end it's suffering. I douth it would be fit for human consumption, and am suprised a yote hasn't found and killed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted October 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] Contact your DNR - see what they say - as if you don't know already! [/ QUOTE ] See, thats where my prob. comes in. The question at hand is about ethics, not law! Man made laws, but only God can give you ethics. My heart tells me that if God was there, he would have ended the birds misery. However, I'm not God and don't want to pretend Iam. But do I listen to my gut/heart and think I'm doing the right thing. At the same time risk getting fined and losing hunting privilges? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bow Hunter Derek Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... If you are concerned about being busted by the law, then practice the old 3 S's ... Shoot, Shovel, and Shut up. We don't even have a fall season here in Indiana (next year). But I can tell you that if a big tom or hen is hobbling around and it is obvious that it will not make it on it's own, then I'm putting an arrow in it. Some things are bigger than the law. I'd shoot the animal and make the best use possible of the meat. I doubt I'd tell the DNR as they would just turn it into more hastle than it would be worth. I'm generally a "by the book" hunter, but there comes a point when common sense and ethics must come before the law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Schmeck Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Contact your DNR - see what they say - as if you don't know already! [/ QUOTE ] See, thats where my prob. comes in. The question at hand is about ethics, not law! Man made laws, but only God can give you ethics. My heart tells me that if God was there, he would have ended the birds misery. However, I'm not God and don't want to pretend Iam. But do I listen to my gut/heart and think I'm doing the right thing. At the same time risk getting fined and losing hunting privilges? [/ QUOTE ] God is there! It's the natural order of things for this kind of occurrence. If you want to try to take him legally when the season opens I say go for it. Otherwise, let nature take it's course. While none of us wants to see something needlessly suffer, nature will take care of it if the bird is that bad off. A predator of some sort will put an end to the suffering and have itself a meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... Well, I think you know what I would do. Some things are best unsaid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted October 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] A predator of some sort will put an end to the suffering and have itself a meal. [/ QUOTE ] Guess your missing my point Bruce, aren't we (humans) animals? Aren't we predator's? The only thing stopping me is "man" made laws! Not trying to start any big debates here, I won't even be back to that area before the fall season starts, so I personally won't kill that bird illegally. Just one of those things that keeps sticking in my head. Wondering if I did the right thing and let him go...wondering if he's still alive...wondering if he's dieing a slow death...wondering if something/someone else put him out of his misery...wondering if maybe he just got into some bad bugs and was stoned!!!! Just sorta bugs me that I didn't shoot him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borch Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... Well I know what I'd do. Part of my personal ethics is that I will hunt lawfully. Certainly I hate to see any animal suffer. And if such a bird would cross my path during legal season I'd end it's suffering. Otherwise I'd give it chance to recover(these are tough birds and you never know) or become food for the many natural predators that aren't governed by man's laws. Just my take on it. Borch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherguy Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... Unfortunately if your season is not open yet i would say that is still poaching. Sucks, but thats nature. Just hope you get a crack at him during the fall season and if not nature will take its course and the scavengers will get him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Re: Ethics.... I THINK I WOULD TRY AND WAIT UNTIL FALL SEASON OPENS.KNOWING MY LUCK I WOULD GET CAUGHT.IF I WERE TURKEY HUNTING IN THE SPRING AND SAW A WOUNDED DEER I DONT THINK I WOULD SHOOT IT,AND I DONT THINK THIS IS NO DIFFERENT.THATS MY OPINION.IM NOT SAYIN ITS RIGHT,JUST MY TAKE ON IT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanH Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] Well, I think you know what I would do. Some things are best unsaid [/ QUOTE ] Yea i agree with that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuntingInMaine Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Re: Ethics.... [ QUOTE ] well, I would still kill him-and take my chances. I could not live with myself knowing i had the chance to end pain and suffering and chose not to. [/ QUOTE ] I agree! But then i also agree that this is part of the circle of life and a coy dog or something similar would take care of it. But then again, if you shot it and leave it, scavengers will still take care of it and the bird doesn't have to suffer any longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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