Jump to content

Hypothetical. Injured deer - how would you despatch?


huffhuff
 Share

Recommended Posts

Just something I was thinking about.

 

Let's say I was out walking, or indeed, a neighbour knocked on my door knowing I had a gun. Injured roe deer, clearly in pain and damaged to the point of no return... but still alive.

 

Not on land I have permission to shoot on and I don't have an 'open' ticket to make my own call. I have a 12 bore and a 17HMR.

 

What do you do? What is the protocol? Ring Vet? RSPCA? Sit and watch while it writhes in pain?

 

Honestly, it's not one of those 'a friend of mine' situations...

 

:)

 

Also, thread title should read; Injured deer - what would/should you do?

Edited by huffhuff
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just something I was thinking about.

 

Let's say I was out walking, or indeed, a neighbour knocked on my door knowing I had a gun. Injured roe deer, clearly in pain and damaged to the point of no return... but still alive.

 

Not on land I have permission to shoot on and I don't have an 'open' ticket to make my own call. I have a 12 bore and a 17HMR.

 

What do you do? What is the protocol? Ring Vet? RSPCA? Sit and watch while it writhes in pain?

 

Honestly, it's not one of those 'a friend of mine' situations...

 

:)

 

 

Difficult one as if you do not have permission on that land you may be guilty of armed trespass and poaching! This is a problem I have discussed at length with fellow stalkers when refering to an RTA involving a deer.. if you happened to have your rifle in the boot would you get it out and dispatch the beast or use a knife etc... the resounding answer is no... you call the police, they will liase with the Highways Agency and let them deal with it.. By doing something about it yourself you are leaving yourself wide open for serious poo!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say you were miles from home if it was a roe :oops:

 

Firstly shotgun would be the tool of choice but I wouldn't shoot it until I had permission to do so or a police officer there who agreed. I had one locally where I had to leave it as the "concerned" motorist wouldn't let it be shot and had the RSPCA on the way. That I'd checked with the keeper whose ground it was he was away and couldn't do it so was ready to do so but met resistance. It was a roadside one so was slightly trickier, about 2 hours later they turned up and put it down

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was the toss up between moral and legal avenue that I wanted to explore.

 

I do have slug on my ticket!

 

Dunknield: You say legal? What is legal? Do you mean calibre? Or, the act in general?!?

Honestly I don't think you would get into trouble doing this, unless you did something stupid or dangerous, but last time it was discussed the issue of whether you had deer on your ticket against that calibre raised it's ugly head.

 

I have done this, I did was right and quick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd say you were miles from home if it was a roe :oops:

 

Firstly shotgun would be the tool of choice but I wouldn't shoot it until I had permission to do so or a police officer there who agreed. I had one locally where I had to leave it as the "concerned" motorist wouldn't let it be shot and had the RSPCA on the way. That I'd checked with the keeper whose ground it was he was away and couldn't do it so was ready to do so but met resistance. It was a roadside one so was slightly trickier, about 2 hours later they turned up and put it down

 

Alright Mr Picky, it was a fallow... point blank? Head shot?

 

What a lovely job the motorist did, causing 2 hours of pain and suffering only for the RSPCA to come along and inject him? What then happens to the carcass out of interest? RSPCA take it away or just left there? If taken away, who paid for injection (expensive I hear) and the incineration? Surely not left there for somebody to come along, assume it was road kill and haul it away for eating...full of injected death? Or do they tag them...and leave them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alright Mr Picky, it was a fallow... point blank? Head shot?

 

What a lovely job the motorist did, causing 2 hours of pain and suffering only for the RSPCA to come along and inject him? What then happens to the carcass out of interest? RSPCA take it away or just left there? If taken away, who paid for injection (expensive I hear) and the incineration? Surely not left there for somebody to come along, assume it was road kill and haul it away for eating...full of injected death? Or do they tag them...and leave them.

 

 

I believe they took it away, simply put though having a SGC doesn't give you permission to shoot on anyones land so that is the main issue. If you cannot find the landowner then your next call needs really to be the police and they can sort it out. Only other option is quietly do it without a firearm, as said a knife, hammer or decent bar will all do the job.

The issues you have are armed trespass if someone gets the hump about what you've done and its not been reported to the police.

 

If you have found the landowner or got permission etc then a shotgun to the head from about a foot away does the job. Front or back doesn't make much difference

Edited by al4x
Link to comment
Share on other sites

if its on the road, slit its throat, and stick it in the boot :) free dinner - legal so long as you didnt knock it down,

 

if it was on a footpath or woods with no one else around, chances are you wont have a gun with you, so knife again. and either leave it there or hide it out of public view, if its 2 far to carry - also by leaving it you cant be convicted of poaching.

 

i have also used a tyre iron - out of the responding police cars boot, it was a muntjack so smaller skull than most others - also left it there as was mangled, and the police officer agreed

 

FS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if its on the road, slit its throat, and stick it in the boot :) free dinner - legal so long as you didnt knock it down,

 

 

Not sure you are correct there. Killing and removing a wounded deer on someone elses land is illegal. The road and verges belong to the highways agency, you would in effect be guilty of poaching on Highways Agency land!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if its on the road, slit its throat, and stick it in the boot :) free dinner - legal so long as you didnt knock it down,

 

if it was on a footpath or woods with no one else around, chances are you wont have a gun with you, so knife again. and either leave it there or hide it out of public view, if its 2 far to carry - also by leaving it you cant be convicted of poaching.

 

i have also used a tyre iron - out of the responding police cars boot, it was a muntjack so smaller skull than most others - also left it there as was mangled, and the police officer agreed

 

FS

 

Nothing is ever to mangled for the dogs :lol: that is if it's fresh :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You need permission to shoot over the land. A shotgun is the tool of choice for anything immobile. Different story of it's hanging it's leg but walking. A .410 perfectly powerful enough, no need for anything as dangerous as a slug - more risk than a rifle there.

 

I would usually take the 12G and use something like 30g number 6 about a foot away from the head - imaginary cross from eyes to base of ears. I do have a box of SG's that I would take a shot at 10-20 meters if badly wounded but standing, and move in quickly for a second shot!

 

If an animal has had a broken leg or injuries for long it will be so stressed the meat won't 'set' and it wouldn't be good eating.

 

I have a single shot .32 free bullet pistol and although I may take it, I prefer the shotgun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I drove past a couple covering something at the side of the road about 3 weeks ago, I had a chap in the car who has permission on the land in the car with me, the landowner who has told him since, the couple were comforting a deer and called a vet to attend to help, didnt say who footed the bill for the vet though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have rights under 'Humane Dispatch' legislation but you're also wide open to armed trespass and poaching charges as already said. Leave the guns in the cabinet, the knife in the cupboard and take a hammer.

 

The police can sort out removal and disposal. You can't take the carcass because it's not your land and more importantly because it wasn't killed by normally legal means.

Edited by Wobbler
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Legal response? - shotgun

 

Real life? - whatever you have to hand to do the job humanely

 

People who do this for a living use a number of 'tools' when I spoke to one he said they use what is best for the actual situation, but most favourite being .410 with a slug

 

i would have thought the legal response is call the police and they will despatch the on call vet in the area for humane despatch thanks coxy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can dispatch a wounded animal once a policeman on the scene has given you permission to do so, even on the road, but these days that is unlikely to happen, maybe in a rural area with a rural bobby. So my advice would be stay well out of it and let them deal with it themselves. In the old days farmers would often get called upon to put down such a deer but I don't think it happens now.

 

They say (I don't know personally) that you can't eat a road kill deer because the adrenalin taints the meat and makes it bitter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can dispatch a wounded animal once a policeman on the scene has given you permission to do so, even on the road, but these days that is unlikely to happen, maybe in a rural area with a rural bobby.

A policeman cannot give you permission to enter private property and dispatch an animal, ONLY the landowner can do so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would have said 410 hushpower, no need for a slug, as that close to the skull the lead does not have time or distance to spread, therefore lead leaves barrel as a solid mass, but of course we have the argument of where the creature lies, private land or highway, if a copper was there, Id offer my help, let them decide, after radio contact with their bosses if needed, Id also produce FAC, which entitles me to humainly dispatch any animal if suffering with .22

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...