Horrible, in-humane treatment of a deer

[analyzer]

The other day I witnessed one of the worst in-humane acts I have seen.

I was hunting in the Whitewater Wildlife Management Area at the base of one of the bluffs Thursday morning. I heard 5 shots fired, in rapid succession, 100 yds or so above me. There was some wrestling around in the leaves over a small ridge, and I got in a ready position, in case the deer came my way and needed another slug to put her down. The noise in the leaves stopped, and I assumed the deer had died.

About an hour or so later, 4 hunters in blaze orange started climbing down the hill towards the deer. I left my gun, and started climbing up in their direction to see what they had shot, and offer any assistance should they need it.

When I climbed over the ridge, and looked down in a small ravine, there was a large doe that had wedged herself into a brush pile. A boy of about 16 or 17 years was standing next to me, his mother and father were another 10 yards up the hill from us, and grandpa was standing next to the brush pile.

Grandpa was welding a rather large machete type knife, and whacking away at the brush pile to gain access to the doe. As he was chopping away the branches, the doe kept picking up her head and turning towards him. I could see she was shot in the rear hip, near her tailbone, and had a limb across her shoulders, and didn't appear to be able to stand up. Each time grandpa got near her, she would "growl" at him. It was the first time I had heard a doe Growl. It sounded alot like a ferocious watch dog.

Grandpa was clearly hesitant about how to approach the wounded animal and was trying to decide how to kill her.

I suggested "why don't you shoot her", and he replied, "my grandpa is standing there". I didn't mean from here (we were about 10 yds up the hill from the brush pile), and suggested he go down there and shoot her, but he didn't respond.

Grandpa had now cleared a path through the brush pile to the doe, and was slowly trying to stick the doe in the neck with the large knife. I was surprised he didn't slit her throat, and was appalled at how slowly he was trying to push the knife into her neck. He was clearly having difficulty, and was afraid of the doe, as she kept growling, and he kept pulling away. He again was saying something to the others, and again I suggested to the boy, that he shoot the deer, and he said, "Grandpa doesn't want to waste the bullet".

The next part was shocking. He flipped the knife over, and with the thick part of the back of the blade, he started whacking the doe on top of the head. After 12 to 15 whacks, she finally put her head down. But I don't think she was dead.

He then pulled her out, and started gutting her. I could swear she was still breathing. He didn't seem to care about gutting her carefully, he just stuck the knife in, and pulled downward, cutting right into her gut pile, and right through the bladder, intestinal track etc. He was very fast, but the whole scene was very shocking and disturbing.

I admit, there are times when I clean fish, that are still alive, so perhaps I'm no better than these folks, but I felt like crying in this case. I wished I had brought my gun up the hill, I would've shot her myself.

[bobbymalone]

hard core and unnecessary. if you're gonna do something, do it the right way, cripes.

[motley man]

Sounds like somebody needs to go to a hunter education class.

[TruthWalleyes]

The same guy that "wants to save a bullet" probably put 150miles on this weekend road hunting

[paceman]

Man that leaves a bad taste in my mouth....

[SledNeck]

Im not even gonna say it

[hockeybc69]

I am gonna say it. Firearms season brings a lot of people into the woods that should never be allowed to purchase a license in the first place.

I have listened to the stories for a week now from people that are weekend warriors, and the things they talk about at times just depresses me.

Too many people buy a license to kill at all costs. Common sense and courtesy to the deer are not even on the radar for way too many idiots out there.

Sickening to hear [PoorWordUsage] like this over and over.

[Stratosman]

Terrible story...I would have done what I could have to stop that madness and either shot it myself or gave him a slug out of my pocket if thats what the issue was. What the hell.

I would've been sick to my stomach if I had to watch that garbage. People like that need a serious amount of educating.....

[gr8icefishinmind]

Terrible story.......I think that is one of the worst things about new hunters these days is their lack of respect for the game they shoot!! In a situation like that you obviously take a kill shot AND THEN go to work on getting it out of the mess of branches.

[harvey lee]

Yes, it's sad and adds fuel to the non hunters ammo. There are generational differences and that will never chance right or wrong.

What is even sader is that is the way Grandpa was brought up and the young lad there will be no different as that is what he is taught.

[hockeybc69]

What adds to the "sadness" of the story is how it probably started. The thing was shot in the rear.

How many people are out there with one plan in mind??? See brown and shoot at all costs.

This situation likely started at some bozos shooting a running deer. (assumption of course, but a likely start to the story)

I am appalled at how many people out there will shoot at a deer with no thought process about the quality(or lack of quality) of the shot they are taking.

Lots of deer laying dead in the woods every year because of stupid shots. I hear the 4, 5, even a 7 shot volley this year. What the heck does it take to shoot a deer if you wait for the shot that should be taken? Drives my absolutely insane hearing people tell their tales of lobbing lead at deer out of range, running full tilt, in thick brush, etc.

[harvey lee]

Happens more than we even know. I hear those 4-5 and 6 shot volleys many times in a day where I hunt. It's a large open area and some spend alot on bullets.

[mrklean]

thats just sad and pathetic, a slug costs what $2-$4 at the most, i would have probably just went up and shot it for him. Makes me glad i hunt private land so i dont have to see all those yahoos.

[HookEmHard84]

This story is sickening. Sad and scary that there are people out there that act this way.

[Cheetah]

Could be worse, they could have left it to suffer and rot.

[Musky Buck]

I'm with hockey bc, use a bullet and save that grandkid from seeing something he should never see anywhere, ish, I mighta wanted to shoot the machete guy instead of the doe jk of course but cmon people get it together.

[TylerS]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: deer hunting season brings the worst out of people. You put a gun in a respectable man's hands and he turns into a monster at the first sign of antlers. North Dakota is horrible. Deer season is so ingrained into the social norm that filling a tag becomes more than just an outdoors pursuit, but a measuring stick for the entire year. People will kill a deer at all costs. Its gotten to the point where I'm just about ready to sell my rifle and pick up a smoke pole. A bit of cold weather and less traditional method of harvest sure weeds out a lot of the "hunters" out there.

[Bear55]

I agree with others, put a bullet in the deer. I am really not going to lose sleep over this because just about every other way a deer goes in nature is as bad or worse then this but to save bullets is beyond dumb.

[DTro]

Sorry you had to witness that Analyzer, that's a tough situation for sure.

Thanks for sharing your story and I believe that it is a good one for us all to reflect upon rather than comment any further.