What would you do? Deer hit in traffic.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I was coming home from coffee this morning and saw a deer in a 4 foot wide grassy median and she had just been hit and had a pretty good wound on her rear end.

The doe was struggling, trying to get her feet under her and looking to get away.

If this was in Medina County or anywhere between here in El Paso, I would have stopped and put this poor creature out of its misery.

But here in San Antonio, I did not do anything.

I feel bad about this but I don’t see anything I could have done that would not have caused trouble for me.

What would you do?

[JimT]

Unless you don't mind getting into trouble, not much you can do.
It's a product of the Nanny State. They don't want anyone acting on their own. "Call 911 and wait."

[Griff]

In CA back in the '70s we were taught to call animal control. If it was a buck, it presents a clear danger to the populace demanding immediate action... a doe... not so much. However, that close to a roadway, even then it might cause an accident.

[GunnyMack]

It's sad but funny around here as the insurance companies would rather you hit the deer rather than swerve possibly causing a more serious accident.
Personally I drive much slower this time of year as I don't want to hit a deer nor possibly kill a doe and her fawns because that's what will happen if a doe is hit.
I once watched a cop miss a car hit deer 3 times with a shotgun he was feet away! I bit my tongue as I was a witness.

Now it's bears that are getting hit more and more. A couple weeks ago a guy I know hit a small bear after opposing traffic clipped it. The bears nose went right into his left front tire/rim and with the spinning rim it's nose stuck right in and spun the bear breaking its neck.

Certainly the best thing to do is put the animal down after car vs animal. Sadly though you can't in lots of places. So you call the police.

[jeepnik]

If possible, I would have used this. No one can then complain about using a firearm.

It what is currently in my GHB.

[piller]

I feel bad for the deer. As far as what to do? I don't know.

[Lastmohecken]

I see a lot of dead deer over the course of the year, anymore, but they have always been dead, so I didn't do anything. I have hit two deer over the years, the last one I hit when I was going about 70mph and it blew every air bag in the truck, and I basically lost a hood and a quarter panel. I did call the law on that one, for insurance purposes, as it was a pretty new truck. I never found the deer, I don't know what happened to it. It was probably laying there somewhere and I just missed it. The deputy didn't look for it very long either.

The other one I hit with a VW Bug way back in the late 70's and I stopped, the deer was dead in the highway. This was after dark in the fall. A guy I knew in a pickup stopped right afterwards. Being the good citizens that we were, we just loaded the deer in his pickup, and took it to my house, skinned it and I gave him half of it. We didn't see a need to call anybody on that one. That old VW was so tough and made out of heavy steel, it hardly even hurt my car.

Here in Arkansas, I would probably stop and shoot an injured deer, unless there was a lot of traffic. Out of state, probably not, unless I had to stop anyway. But I would only shoot it if everyone present was in agreement that it needed to be done. But if was a liberal state, no way.

[EdinCT]

This reminded me of a incident years ago. A deer was hit and was alive and bleating in a father of a friend's lawn. He had placed a call and no one had showed up for quite awhile so being in a rural area he walked to his house and got a 22 rifle and dispatched the deer. As he was walking back to the house a warden showed up where he was promptly arrested and charged with multiple charges.
Also another friend had a deer hit and crawl into his yard. A lady police officer showed up a was fretting over what to do. He told her to shoot it and end its suffering. The young officer replied I couldn't shoot a deer and radioed the station but was told get it done, it's part of your job.
She closed her eyes and missed twice! My friend who was well known to the force (dog training) said to her I have my CCL pistol do you want me to shoot it. She let him!
My friend then asked her what will you do if you ever need to shoot a person? Her reply was a person no problem, a deer no way!

[RIHMFIRE]

been there and done that....not a thing you want to see or do
but it did go to someone's freezer

[nwcatman]

mid 90s my brother was driving outside of austin in the hill country at night and saw a car hit and kill a deer. he waited about an hour for someone to show up. no one did so he tied it to the ladder on the back of the his van and left. game warden stopped him a few minutes later and arrested him. the jail called me a coupla days later at the station and told me what had happened as he had refused to pay the bail and had listed me as his contact #. they said he had about 10 more days to go and i could sent the bail $$ but as he was by that time running the kitchen and cooking they would hate to see him go. he got on the phone and said don't pay. as he was basically living out of his van and jobless he didn't mind. came out later that the ones that hit the deer had called 911 and reported it. the fish fuzz/rabbit ranglers got onto him so fast we think they were staking out the deer waiting to see if someone would pick it up. having lived on the nueces river for 15 yrs later on and seen what they are capable of i wouldnt doubt it a bit.

[Lastmohecken]

This reminded me of a incident years ago. A deer was hit and was alive and bleating in a father of a friend's lawn. He had placed a call and no one had showed up for quite awhile so being in a rural area he walked to his house and got a 22 rifle and dispatched the deer. As he was walking back to the house a warden showed up where he was promptly arrested and charged with multiple charges.
Also another friend had a deer hit and crawl into his yard. A lady police officer showed up a was fretting over what to do. He told her to shoot it and end its suffering. The young officer replied I couldn't shoot a deer and radioed the station but was told get it done, it's part of your job.
She closed her eyes and missed twice! My friend who was well known to the force (dog training) said to her I have my CCL pistol do you want me to shoot it. She let him!
My friend then asked her what will you do if you ever need to shoot a person? Her reply was a person no problem, a deer no way!

Yep, I don't really understand it or people who can't pull the trigger on something suffering. IMHO, a couple of rules, I live by is #1 Don't call the Game and Fish, if you shoot something by accident, or need to dispatch something. Handle it yourself and let go at that. No one is going to give you a medal for it, but you might get a ticket or jail time. Shoot or not, shut up and walk away when you can.

Anyway, another thing is anyone who can't manage their emotions and do what needs doing, should not be a deputy or cop. That's my opinion. But I grew up on a farm where we handled our own problems, without assistance from outside sources.

[Lastmohecken]

mid 90s my brother was driving outside of austin in the hill country at night and saw a car hit and kill a deer. he waited about an hour for someone to show up. no one did so he tied it to the ladder on the back of the his van and left. game warden stopped him a few minutes later and arrested him. the jail called me a coupla days later at the station and told me what had happened as he had refused to pay the bail and had listed me as his contact #. they said he had about 10 more days to go and i could sent the bail $$ but as he was by that time running the kitchen and cooking they would hate to see him go. he got on the phone and said don't pay. as he was basically living out of his van and jobless he didn't mind. came out later that the ones that hit the deer had called 911 and reported it. the fish fuzz/rabbit ranglers got onto him so fast we think they were staking out the deer waiting to see if someone would pick it up. having lived on the nueces river for 15 yrs later on and seen what they are capable of i wouldnt doubt it a bit.

Sounds like entrapment and a couple of bored Possum Sheriffs, needing to collect some taxes. But I am pretty sure there are laws on the books prohibiting the collecting of road kills on the highway, especially sawing the antlers or horns off of an antelope or Buck deer.

[fordwannabe]

I am sure there are laws about taking the dead deer too but...just because there are laws about something doesn't mean it's right. Look at Politians most of whom don't know right from wrong and a WHOLE BUNCH of them can't spell ethics much less use it in a sentence. These are the people who make the laws that let a wounded animal suffer when it can and should be put down, and then God forbid somebody take the animal and eat it when THE LAW says if needs to lay there and rot. Phoey!

[AJMD429]

.
I've had to shoot several deer, and one box-turtle, injured by cars (and back over a rabbit I ran over and didn't fully kill).

But never in the city.

[nwcatman]

mid 70s i shot a run over dog while on patrol on main street (hwy 80) maybe 3 AM in the tiny town of canutillo tx. went about my business. few minutes later i was dispatched to investigate a call about gunshots there. radioed "it was me". got back "ok". then someone else called in to thank me. no muss no fuss. common sense.

[Paladin]

I used to carry this in my cruiser for that. Many times when I walked up to look at the animal I just shot it behind the ear and told people it died. I bought this set up in 1981 and it has probably killed more White Tail deer than many hunters.

22 Walther Sup.jpg

[fordwannabe]

Well done Paladin! I guess you took Have gun will travel to heart. As a total thread drift...I just saw several of the original Paladin business cards at Cody. Very Cool!

[Pat C]

See it all the time on interstate, quick 911 call and Game Warden or State Police will be there in 10-15 minutes.

You stop on highway your taking a big risk yourself. While back a fellow stopped to move a turtle and was struck and killed. On the news.

Ive done it myself , but the way people drive anymore use great caution . Best to call 911.

[yooper2]

I've killed many deer that were hit by cars but have always lived in rural area where it wasn't an issue. It would be really hard for me to let one suffer in place where I couldn't dispatch it.


Eric