WHAT WOULD YOU DO? An ethics question.

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You've heard a bugling bull that sounds like he's been chain smoking for decades...old and raspy. As you work your way towards the calls...a massive thunderhead rolls in and before ya know it...the winds hits and the Arizona sky goes dark. You feel the hairs on your head and arms tingle, the air is charged. Then the thunder and flash as strings of lightning strike all around you...blowing up trees and starting small fires. Now comes the rain...Biblical rain. The kind of monsoonal downpour that floods in two minutes. You cannot really do anything but wait it out and try not to stain your shorts. Fifteen minutes later the clouds have moved on and you're looking for the bull again. As you move uphill you come to a clearing and find an entire herd of elk on the ground. Some are dead, some are still moving...they got zapped by Mother Nature. And there he is...a magnificent bull every inch of 370 on his knees struggling in vain to get to his feet. Nobody is around. You are hunting solo. So...do you put an arrow in him?

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Dunndm

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You've heard a bugling bull that sounds like he's been chain smoking for decades...old and raspy. As you work your way towards the calls...a massive thunderhead rolls in and before ya know it...the winds hits and the Arizona sky goes dark. You feel the hairs on your head and arms tingle, the air is charged. Then the thunder and flash as strings of lightning strike all around you...blowing up trees and starting small fires. Now comes the rain...Biblical rain. The kind of monsoonal downpour that floods in two minutes. You cannot really do anything but wait it out and try not to stain your shorts. Fifteen minutes later the clouds have moved on and you're looking for the bull again. As you move uphill you come to a clearing and find an entire herd of elk on the ground. Some are dead, some are still moving...they got zapped by Mother Nature. And there he is...a magnificent bull every inch of 370 on his knees struggling in vain to get to his feet. Nobody is around. You are hunting solo. So...do you put an arrow in him?

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How wounded is he? If he’d survive... probably not: if he is going to die in a pain anyway, yeah? I probably would. Pretty situational


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elkduds

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Agree w Dunn, plus: If I were ready to be done w that hunt I'd tag one that just died, so one less would be wasted.

Bruce, epic photo there.
 

Hoot

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I’d watch for a little bit to make sure I understood the situation, what I decided on would be dependent on if I could call a game warden, could video the scene to document, how far from the truck I was etc.

Generally speaking though I am of the belief that we should end animal suffering if there’s no chance of survival, so the bull and any other elk would get arrows if I were able
 

Rodéo

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Yes, assuming I had an elk tag and I went there to shoot a bull, I would put an arrow in him, enjoy that meat, mount him up, and tell the story of the day of thunder, lightning, bugling bulls, and biblical rain to anyone fortunate enough to ask.
 

Bl704

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As others have said, yes, especially if he appears to be suffering or unlikely to survive.

Do I get extra credit or points deducted if I also call the game warden to relay the situation and let them decide if any other animals are salvageable?
 
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One question I would have to ask myself - Did the good Lord put that bull in front of me as a gift or as a test? Assuming all legal, not on land I couldn’t hunt and tag was valid I would answer that it’s a gift.


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OP
Where's Bruce?
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In reality there really is no way to determine whether the bull will survive or for how long. At the moment you are able to walk right up to him...your guess is just that, a guess. Has the juice running through him affected the meat and/or his guts? Don't know...won't know until he's opened up. There are cows down all around you...many are dead. because of their size? Possibly but again, you don't know. Maybe they were closer to the lightning strike. Is it ethical or unethical to kill a wonderfully huge bull that might otherwise survive? Is it ethical or unethical to walk away unsure if the animal is suffering?
 

Vaultman

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I've been told by fish and game warden, NEVER put your tag on game you didn't shoot (ODFW). I'd get to a place I could contact fish and game notify them and wait for further instruction or for them to meet me to show them where it was.
I certainly wouldn't put a bullet/arrow in more than one, which makes me think I wouldn't even do it for one. Though I hate to see them suffer it is not my job or authority to make that decision...
 

lif

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I think the question here is why wouldn’t you shoot it? I’d like to hear some of those answers.
 

mtmuley

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When his scenario presents itself to me, right after I draw a Missouri Breaks Bighorn tag, (odds are better for the sheep tag) I'll let you know what I would do. mtmuley
 
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What ever I chose, I would certainly give F&W a call to notify them about it; especially if I chose to harvest one. After all, not notifying them could be a good way to make front page news, despite being 100% legal.
 

CaseyD

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I’ve eaten enough tags to know when a gift is handed to you. Smoke him, then call a warden and see if you can get salvage tags for the others. Call everyone you know and start hauling it out to stock freezers for friends and family. After you’ve cleaned out your britches from the storm that is😂
 
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