Tough thing to see. What would you do?

So today, I was taking a truck load of stuff from Ottawa to our new place north of highway 11. A car going southbound outside of Pembroke pulled over to the shoulder, with another quickly pulling up behind it. Didn’t think anything of it until 20 seconds later.
There on the side of the road was a doe that had just been hit, and was flailing like a trout out of water, really sad to see.
Cant get the image out of my head.

I didn’t pull over, but I had a thought what can one do to put it out of its misery? I happened to be transporting two of my compound bows, but no idea if I’d be charged if I had put the doe down. And, I doubt onlookers would have been happy. Wouldn’t you know it, next trip i’ll be taking all my firearms.

Next few hundred kilometres, saw another doe and two moose...all on the highway. Thankfully they stayed put.

Call the police and let them deal with it. If you dispatched it you would feel the wrath of the idiot Liberal system and probably never be allowed to hunt again..

Sad but true!!

There is nothing you can do other than call opp and/or MNR If you don't have the authority to dispatch an animal wouldn't open myself to the liability. Although we have Good Samaritan protection it doesn't extend to animals. On the flip side hang around as once put down by the proper authorities or it succumbs to its injury you can claim the road kill.
Leave the guns at home but to pack your field dressing pack.

I would not dispatch with a rifle or bow.

When my grandfather worked for MTO he carried an axe in the truck for this reason.

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Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers

There is nothing you can do other than call opp and/or MNR If you don't have the authority to dispatch an animal wouldn't open myself to the liability. Although we have Good Samaritan protection it doesn't extend to animals. On the flip side hang around as once put down by the proper authorities or it succumbs to its injury you can claim the road kill.
Leave the guns at home but to pack your field dressing pack.

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Thanks...that’s what I thought. Unfortunately, I still had 5+ hours of driving and it was 32c and no cooler.

Meant to say, but didn’t type it correctly...my next truckload should be our last trip, and it includes my firearms and ammo.

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Originally Posted by Nina Martin

Thanks...that’s what I thought. Unfortunately, I still had 5+ hours of driving and it was 32c and no cooler.

Meant to say, but didn’t type it correctly...my next truckload should be our last trip, and it includes my firearms and ammo.

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5 hrs no problem back straps on the engine block should have it done in 20 min of driving.

saw a goose get hit by a car while walking the dogs. It didn't die, but couldn't walk. A car stopped, blocking traffic, and I aid, its ok, I will send the dog to pick it up, go around. The driver grinned, and said, I would like to see that. So, I sent the youngest dog, while the car blocked traffic. Dispatched the bird with my pocket knife, behind some bushes, and let the dogs take turns carrying it home.

Nobody likes to watch something like that but you never know who will show up and report you for whatever. Best to call police/MNR. Having said that many years ago the same thing happened to us on the way home from a rabbit hunt. Doe got clipped but we used an axe to put her out of her misery. Kid from the closest house ran up and asked if we were taking her. Judging by the house he needed it more than any of us so we helped him drag it to the house. Sad thing but it put meat on someone's table who needed it.

When the police are called in a situation like that,if you make it known that you have the means to put the animal down,a duty officer (Sergeant,Staff Sergeant or Inspector) with the dispatch unit MAY give you permission to do so if he determines that a patrol officer cant reach you in a timely fashion. It's exceedingly rare and depends entirely on circumstances at the time,but,sometimes after I was dispatched,the DO advised not to rush. I used to carry a sharp knife for just such an occasion.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

When the police are called in a situation like that,if you make it known that you have the means to put the animal down,a duty officer (Sergeant,Staff Sergeant or Inspector) with the dispatch unit MAY give you permission to do so if he determines that a patrol officer cant reach you in a timely fashion. It's exceedingly rare and depends entirely on circumstances at the time,but,sometimes after I was dispatched,the DO advised not to rush. I used to carry a sharp knife for just such an occasion.

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Those days are long gone Trimmer. No OIC in his/her right mind would give a civilian authority to discharge a firearm. The liability would be horrendous !

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Originally Posted by rick_iles

Those days are long gone Trimmer. No OIC in his/her right mind would give a civilian authority to discharge a firearm. The liability would be horrendous !

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So I'm told. Sad,eh?

A guy used a tire iron to dispatch a bear that had a broken back, was charged with animal cruelty.

Remember, everyone has a video camera on them and do not have a problem using it.

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Originally Posted by Fox

A guy used a tire iron to dispatch a bear that had a broken back, was charged with animal cruelty.

Remember, everyone has a video camera on them and do not have a problem using it.

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Yep. And they're always ready to make something into something it's not or wasn't in the first place. Their cell phones need to be inserted anally.............sideways,too.

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Originally Posted by trimmer21

Yep. And they're always ready to make something into something it's not or wasn't in the first place. Their cell phones need to be inserted anally.............sideways,too.

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I would second that if it was put into a motion!

You can be paranoid about every tree hugger with a cell phone.
ƒƯƘ ƬɧƐɱ
I do not let the rules stop me from doing what is right.
If I had a bow I would slip a broad head fast through its chest and get it over with.

I once crushed the skull of a spinal injured deer with a heavy rubber mallet that I had with me. Nasty way to kill a deer but better than seeing it jerking around from neck up while body is paralysed waiting to die,

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Originally Posted by johny

You can be paranoid about every tree hugger with a cell phone.
ƒƯƘ ƬɧƐɱ
I do not let the rules stop me from doing what is right.
If I had a bow I would slip a broad head fast through its chest and get it over with.

I once crushed the skull of a spinal injured deer with a heavy rubber mallet that I had with me. Nasty way to kill a deer but better than seeing it jerking around from neck up while body is paralysed waiting to die,

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Consequences of your actions, I agree with you about doing what is right for the animal but I do not believe it is worth jail time for me, the loss of my livelihood, etc.

That is the sad part, that animal will suffer for an hour until a cop gets there because someone watching will get you charged for putting the animal out of its misery.

Letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law.
Decades ago if you accidentally whacked a deer with your car there was no question. "Look at my fender officer. So I took my ax and finished her off. Would you like some sausage when I'm done?" Everyone was cool.
Nowadays, everyone is looking to crucify someone over absolutely nothing.

I know a Police Officer who told me he uses his handgun more often dispatching more deer etc... than any other use. Unless they give you permission (which will likely not happen), call Police and let them deal with it.
It also depends where you are, I hit a deer and it was severely/fatally "damaged", I was on a secluded country road, quickly dispatched it with a knife. Took it and reported to the MNR for a registration #. They asked me if I reported to Police? I told them no, the damage was very minor. Freezer food!

I may or may not dispatch the animal depending upon the situation. If there are lot's of people around I probably would not.If it was out in the country and nobody around then I would try and contact the Police and say I will dispatch it. But haven't had to do it in 25 years. A friend of mine saw a fella hit a deer in front of him. He jumped out and grabed the dying deer and cut it's throat all the fella said was "You must be a deer hunter".

All depends on the situation, some people might whine and cry that you are being cruel and would rather see the animal suffer.

Today driving from Cochrane to Ottawa...first 100km...3 dead moose.

Going to take a long time to die with a broadhead thru the heart, but either a slit throat or hatchet blow to the heat will end the suffering quickly.

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Originally Posted by Nina Martin

Today driving from Cochrane to Ottawa...first 100km...3 dead moose.

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How many dead cars? I can't believe that the people survived hitting a moose when you see the cars.

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Originally Posted by patvetzal

Going to take a long time to die with a broadhead thru the heart, but either a slit throat or hatchet blow to the heat will end the suffering quickly.

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Slitting the throat is not too hard on a doe, try that on a buck with a rack or something like moose or bear/pig.

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Originally Posted by Snowwalker

How many dead cars? I can't believe that the people survived hitting a moose when you see the cars.

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A trip from Ottawa to Dryden, drove the 11pm-7am leg starting at Sault Ste Marie, this was in June, scary when the 18 wheeler is pulled over with a caved in cow catcher and you have a buick rental car.

Keep your eyes peeled on the road up there, dusk and dawn are bad times to be on the road and June is nasty with the bugs driving the moose on to the roads.

I've never thought about the legal implications of dispatching an animal that was clearly in need of the service. If it's an issue, then we can have a discussion about it after the fact. I've used my steel cap work boot toe, .22 mag, hammer, folding scissor jack, or just my hands in the case of birds. I've only done this with public around if it was an obvious animal that was so badly hurt that no vet office was going to help it eg. uncased and loaded my .22 mag with a big WTD doe hung in a page wire fence. Ruptured rumen with blood coming out of its anus and nose, one back leg completely off and the two front ones broken. The animal was bawling the entire time. Any cop that's attended the scene was more than happy that I did the job for them. Saddest thing I ever witnessed was a big mature WTD buck with a broken back, dragging itself with its front legs. A big crowd watching and the poor animal was in this condition for a good 25 mins until the police arrived. The young cop was literally shaking in fear. Poor guy had prob. never killed anything in his life. He was good enough to at least put the animal out of its misery, but he wanted to neck shoot it in fear of a skull rickoshet. I told him he didn't have to worry about that on a deer, and told him to head shoot it, or get his shotgun and shoot it with a slug or buckshot. He shot it 11 times in the neck, with his .40cal service pistol. The bullets only penetrated the hide, then completely mushroomed flat on the meat of the neck. It was bawling as he continued to shoot it. I kept saying "the head" and he finally popped it in the skull. I really felt bad for the guy as he was almost sick.

So many cops have never had to put an animal down and have heard of times on the farm where a cop was called and they asked the farmer/hunter to deal with the animal as it is less paperwork. Amazing the paperwork when they pull their firearm out of it's holster. I remember a neighbour's horse was hit on the road, broken leg and bad condition. The cop did the same as above, shot it over and over, till they finally took the advice of the farmer and shot it in the head.
If I came across a wounded deer, I'd be inclined to call MNR before the cops, unless of course someone needs help or to report property damage (car). Otherwise ask the MNR, and they may approve over the phone to put the animal out of suffering and may approve keeping the animal for meat. I always have a hatchet and knife in the truck, just never know.