Is it legal to shoot a deer that got hit by a car ?

[ebubedike]

Like the title says, If somebody hits a deer while driving, is it legal to put the animal out of its misery or no?

Appreciate all input.

 

[16Bore]

Good question. I hit a small buck last year and it was still edible when I pulled over. Waited for a cop to show up write a report....thing got run over at least another 4 times. Wasn’t much left.

I wasn’t sure if I had to call a cop or not, but he said it helps with insurance claims to have a report and helps them keep statistics.

Apparently the state police would like to add another 2 weeks of deer season!

 

[MattB]

It totally depends on the state and municipality. The internet is a bad place to ask such a question because what is legal where I live may not be legal where you live.

 

[MuleyFever]

Probably depends on the state or local laws. I would not trust a one answer for all areas.

 

[ebubedike]

Good question. I hit a small buck last year and it was still edible when I pulled over. Waited for a cop to show up write a report....thing got run over at least another 4 times. Wasn’t much left.

I wasn’t sure if I had to call a cop or not, but he said it helps with insurance claims to have a report and helps them keep statistics.

Apparently the state police would like to add another 2 weeks of deer season!

And how long was it laying down there before you took it out of its misery ? waiting for it to die could take forever.

 

[Phaseolus]

Not in Colorado, but I have because it was the right thing to do.

 

[Missahba]

A number of laws could apply depending on location. Game laws (season/license), firearm discharge laws, animal cruelty laws. Check locally.

 

[rodney482]

Like the title says, If somebody hits a deer while driving, is it legal to put the animal out of its misery or no?

Appreciate all input.

Call police prior to shooting it.

 

[WannabeHunter]

I echo all the comments about the area in which to live. Call the local fish and game office.

But, most places require you to contact fish and game or a game warden. They will normally give you permission over the phone to kill the animal, but will most likely require a warden to come investigate before any other action can be taken.

But again, call and ask F&G and a call to local PD wouldn't hurt either.

 

[ebubedike]

These animals were given to us by God. Not given to gov. Laws are made by men and as such will eventually conflict with what is right. I will choose what’s right. I make effort to know when doing what is right puts me at odds with the authorities over me. The laws of this nation have been perverted to the extent that it is not possible to know all of them. It’s also interesting to me that if the gov wants to claim ownership of all animals, wouldn’t that make them financially responsible for any damage caused by “their” animal?

 

[Panhandler80]

Matrix of state, where it happens in that state, and level of common sense available and exercised by LEO and potential on Lookers.

 

[Panhandler80]

Matrix of state, where it happens in that state, and level of common sense available and exercised by LEO and potential on Lookers.

I'd recommend using your own common Sense. If firing a gun is a poor option cut its throat. When and where you can keep roadkill is a much more cut-and-dry question in the states I've research.

The firearm thing comes into right of way, distance from road, etc. City ordinance, county ordinance, state law,. Etc.

However if there's a portion of Miami or Boston or anywhere else that is city limits and nobody's around I'll put a 22 through the noggin and load it up.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

I did it with my bow last year. Someone hit a doe and broke her back next to my office. It was trying to get up but it’s rear legs wouldn’t work. I directed traffic and waited 20 minutes and after no cops showed up. I took my bow out and put it out of its misery. I was in a suit so I just grabbed a leg and pulled it to the side of the road. About 10 minutes later a local cop pulled up and I told him I put it down. He was like what do you mean. I explained what I did and the next thing I know he says “ oh thank you. You just saved me more than an hour of paperwork because I would have had to discharge my gun. I then asked about a permit to take it. He told me to just take it and he would call it in that he didn’t find it and it would save him some more paperwork”. I called my son and he picked it up and I checked it in with my hunting license. When I got home to skin it. I was shocked that there was no blood shot meat. Found the broke spine and it tasted great!

I may have gotten in trouble but the cop was super cool and I was thinking more about the animal and not the possible consequences that I may have faced.


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[ODB]

I have 0 problem with putting an animal out of its misery. Legal or not. Things like this are beyond legalities. I remember as a kid my dad pulling over after a drunk guy hit a deer on Route 66. All 4 legs were broken and the deer was trying to run on what amounted to her elbows and knees. My dad shot it with his .380 Mauser Hsc. Sometimes you have certain uncomfortable responsibilities when the modern world meets wildlife.

 

[Panhandler80]

I did it with my bow last year. Someone hit a doe and broke her back next to my office. It was trying to get up but it’s rear legs wouldn’t work. I directed traffic and waited 20 minutes and after no cops showed up. I took my bow out and put it out of its misery. I was in a suit so I just grabbed a leg and pulled it to the side of the road. About 10 minutes later a local cop pulled up and I told him I put it down. He was like what do you mean. I explained what I did and the next thing I know he says “ oh tank you. You just saved me more than an hour of paperwork because I would have had to discharge my gun. I then asked about a permit to take it. He told just take it and he would call it in that he didn’t find it and it would save home more paperwork”. I called my son and he picked it up and I checked it in with my hunting license. When I got home to skin it. I was shocked that there was no blood shot meat. Found the broke spine and it tasted great!

I may have gotten in trouble but the cop was super cool and I was thinking more about the animal and not the possible consequences that I may have faced.


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I was sitting on porch of a hunting shack one morning in hot drizzling rain. Had to get on road home that am. A young kid plus
Pulls up and asked if I had a gun. He'd hit a white tail doe just up the road and she was still alive. I got there just as she gave up the ghost. Was a bumper to the head only. MAYBE a 55 pound animal. You talk about tasty!

 

[*zap*]

Dial 911, explain situation and ask what the legal options are.

 

[Bozz]

Do what you feel is right and be ready to deal with any consequences.

 

[rbljack]

Probably depends on the state. Here is my first hand experience in texas. In 2017 while driving out to go hunting we saw an injured buck that couldn't hardly walk just off the road in a field. We stopped, and realized it was hit by a car/injured badly. We wanted to put it down quickly, but there are lots of problems with doing this. 1: you will be accused of shooting a deer from the side of the road. 2: in this case the deer was also on private property, so that brings up a slew of other problems. We called the Fish and Game. They said we cannot shoot it, but would dispatch an officer to us. Within 30 minutes he was on site, and dispatched the animal. He then asked if we wanted the animal. He went on to say it will not be part of our season bag limit, and would not consume my buck tag. He wrote up a separate tag allowing us to possess the meat, and we took the animal home and was able to salvage about 60 percent of the meat. That's how it worked for us here in Texas anyways. Im sure every state is different. I cant tell you how many times ive wanted to cut a set of antlers off a deer hit by a car....but I don't recommend doing that either without calling the fish and game first.

 

[Wmmichael20]

In Michigan our law is basically same as discribed in above post from Texas. Call officer they put animal down and issue a Rd kill tag easy peasy

 

[Wapiti1]

So, this happened in front of my house in rural Indiana. A neighbor clobbered a doe, and broke its spine. He got out and shot it. I was about halfway across the yard yelling to him not to shoot it, but he did anyway.

Here is what happened. He was fined for shooting a deer without a license (it was deer season, though), and shooting across/from a public roadway. They went easy on him and imposed the minimums. It could have been worse with loss of hunting privileges, much higher fines, and loss of his stuff (they could have confiscated his firearm, and vehicle).

Jeremy