The other day my fiancee and I almost struck a deer at 12am off I-66, in what some would call "the country." She is a HUGE animal person and vegetarian so the thought stuck with me longer than usual. If I were to strike the deer and it was visibly wounded beyond healing, should I get out and shoot it with my .45?
Growing up I spent plenty of time hunting so I'm no foreigner to slaughtering deer, but after meeting my future wife I've since given up the pastime (it was never that big for me anyway, I'd rather fish). However, if we struck an animal and it was going to suffer in pain until it died, would I be expecting any trouble from local law enforcement if I just got out, shot it, then left it? I realize that located plays a big part in this issue because the closer to an urban environment you are, the more likely trouble with firearms will occur but what would the general rule of thumb be?
I remember a time when my dad struck a deer with his truck. He grabbed his butcher knife (we were on out way out for a hunt), chased down the deer, cut its throat, then tossed it in the back of the truck. Now, that's a little brutal an would absolutely mortify my fiancee. However, I think she would understand that the animal needed to be put down and for practicality sake calling a vet isn't the best option.
Sorry for the long drawn out story. The sum things up, if you hit a deer on the side of the road should you just shoot it? Try to be realistic in your answer and understand that animals are hit all over, not just in rural areas. Discharging a firearm that close to the road is most likely illegal under all circumstances, but putting and animal down and getting back in my car to carry on about my day doesn't seem like something that's going to put me on America's Most Wanted list...
Growing up I spent plenty of time hunting so I'm no foreigner to slaughtering deer, but after meeting my future wife I've since given up the pastime (it was never that big for me anyway, I'd rather fish). However, if we struck an animal and it was going to suffer in pain until it died, would I be expecting any trouble from local law enforcement if I just got out, shot it, then left it? I realize that located plays a big part in this issue because the closer to an urban environment you are, the more likely trouble with firearms will occur but what would the general rule of thumb be?
I remember a time when my dad struck a deer with his truck. He grabbed his butcher knife (we were on out way out for a hunt), chased down the deer, cut its throat, then tossed it in the back of the truck. Now, that's a little brutal an would absolutely mortify my fiancee. However, I think she would understand that the animal needed to be put down and for practicality sake calling a vet isn't the best option.
Sorry for the long drawn out story. The sum things up, if you hit a deer on the side of the road should you just shoot it? Try to be realistic in your answer and understand that animals are hit all over, not just in rural areas. Discharging a firearm that close to the road is most likely illegal under all circumstances, but putting and animal down and getting back in my car to carry on about my day doesn't seem like something that's going to put me on America's Most Wanted list...