Use of firearm: maimed animal on side of the road.

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Pistoler0

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If you found a maimed animal on the curve, maybe it had been struck by a vehicle and had its hips or bones broken, struggling to move or get up but still alive. Picture this being a deer, elk, hog, or even a coyote or stray dog.

What would you do? And what are the legal implications of different actions? (obviously walking away would always be an option).

Would you use your firearms to put the poor beast out of its misery?

I suppose whether or not this is legal would depend on the jurisdiction and where it happens: city street, interstate or state highway, local or rural road or forest service....

I would love to read your thoughts on this.
 
Call the cops or sheriff. My buddy, a Sheriff's Deputy in Oklahoma has put animals down more than a few times while working.
 
Shadow9mm said:
Call the cops or sheriff. My buddy, a Sheriff's Deputy in Oklahoma has put animals down more than a few times while working.
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A concise and straight to the point answer as usual, Shadow.

I forgot we all have phones now and I was thinking about my gun before my phone (guess which one I am more fond of? :)).

The question would have been more relevant if asked in the 80s, uh?
What then?
 
And what are the legal implications of different actions?
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I don't know the legal implications for all 50 states, but of the 8 or 9 that I do know, discharge of a firearm in or across a motorway and its right of way is illegal. Those are state laws.

Depending on the attitude of a game warden, killing a game animal out of season, even for humanitarian reasons, can be a citable offense. Killing it in season without a license or a tag is illegal. Killing on the roadway may be seen as hunting from the roadway. That is regardless of whether you use your gun, knife, or a hammer.

Bottom line, there are a lot of potential legal consequences of being humanitarian in this situation.
 
Pistoler0 said:
The question would have been more relevant if asked in the 80s, uh?
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No, posing the question as it would relate to a bygone era doesn't make it more relevant, it makes it less relevant (IMHO).

Today, I would call 9-1-1. If they wanted to send a cop or an animal control officer, fine. If they gave me permission to put the animal out of suffering, I would do so.

In the 1980s I didn't have a permit and didn't carry, so for that version of the question my answer would have to be "None of the above."
 
No way am I going to risk my freedom or my family's financial independence by discharging a gun outside of a controlled environment like a range unless it is a life-threatening situation.

That's why my taxes pay for animal control.
 
I am not likely to discharge a powerful weapon on the side of the road unless it is to preserve human life. I would call the sheriff dept, advise them of the situation and go on my way. I am not going through life seeking some opportunity to "do something" or be "that guy". I will leave that to other people and my personal mission each day is to carry out activities that are expressly essential to completion of the mission. Messing around on the side of the road with an injured animal is not part of that. I would make a call and leave it at that. An injured animal could easily become a traffic hazard.
 
Call-911

Use of firearm: maimed animal on side of the road.
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We have seen many postings on this same question and the answer is always the same. Even though it might be a difficult decision, it's always advised and sometimes, even "required" for you to dial-911. Most states have written in the law. This has happened, more than once, to me and the last time, I called 911 and yes, it took too darn long. Then another time, it was a matter of drag, shoot, shovel and shut-up. You really have little or no options so call .... 911

And;
Be Safe !!!!
 
If in a semi-rural or rural area, I call the closest CPW office and inform them. I let them know I am a longtime hunter and if it is safe to put the animal down, tell them I am going to. In the 3 times I have made that call, every time they told me to go ahead and do so.

Twice in the city, same scenario, called 911. Both times a LEO showed up. One time the officer put the animal down, another time the officer could not and asked me to do so.

I have hit 5 big game animals in CO as well. Once, the Elk was alive and was a significant hazard in the middle of the road at night. I shot it, my Dad and I dragged it to the side of the road and then I called the State Patrol. Officer showed up about 20 minutes later. Thanked me for my efforts. Asked me if I wanted to keep it. He then spent 30 minutes doing paperwork, finishing about the time my Dad and I lifted the hind quarters into the truck. My Mom said it was the best Elk we ever got. :)

Prudent, reasonable, safety, suffering of an animal all factor in and each occurrence is met with it's own set of circumstances.

I served as an accident reconstruction expert on a case in Boulder where a Man hit an Elk. Subsequently, another driver hit it and his passenger was killed and he was paralyzed for life. There were other issues at play for each party, but in that case, the hazard was not mitigated by the first party. A jury found him liable for damages to the occupants of the 2nd car.
 
There's a lot of remote roads in Northern Canada.

I keep this in the back seat of my truck just for this reason. 100% legal and compliant with both firearms and hunting regulations.

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I've seen a few situations like this. In my experience if the animal is hurt so bad that it can't get up and get away it isn't going to live long enough to suffer much.

And I've seen animals hurt so badly that they couldn't possibly survive very long and they still made it into the woods leaving no opportunity to get a shot. I don't want to see an animal suffer, but the reward isn't worth the risk in any situation I've been in.

Not saying I wouldn't do it. But it would depend on the situation.
 
I served as an accident reconstruction expert on a case in Boulder where a Man hit an Elk. Subsequently, another driver hit it and his passenger was killed and he was paralyzed for life. There were other issues at play for each party, but in that case, the hazard was not mitigated by the first party. A jury found him liable for damages to the occupants of the 2nd car.
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Okay, so somebody hit an elk and the guy who hit the elk failed to mitigate the hazard. What does that have to do with killing a wounded animal in the roadway? Are you suggesting that the elk was still alive and that the guy was obligated to kill it and then drag it off the road himself???
 
Even if you have a phone with you, you might not be able to use it! What then? I believe the right thing to do is put the animal out of it's missery! I've done it before and would do it again. On I82 east of Portland Oregon years ago a deputy sheriff was out with a deer hit on the interstate but wouldn't put it down and clear the road. He claimed it was an animal control job, not his. That to me is pure BS! Deputy should have put down that deer, cleared the road and let the pieces fall where they may!
 
He claimed it was an animal control job, not his. That to me is pure BS! Deputy should have put down that deer, cleared the road and let the pieces fall where they may!
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Well, if that is the case, why didn't you just go out there and shoot the deer in the head, clear the road, and let the pieces fall where they may?

Would you be willing to potentially sacrifice your job, pension, etc. for said deer?
 
Maybe pull over if it's safe and put my hazards on, if it isn't safe flash my lights at all incoming traffic for awhile and call 911 when I can.

But I'm not walking onto a road and firing a gun.
 
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