How to humanely kill deer that have been hit by a car

[Kiwi Pete]

Was pricing a .410 with a moderator this year at the Game Fair. Bit steep for a whim!!

I guess onme with a 3" cartridge of No.6 at 3 ft will be like a solid slug. THe kinetic impact in the head will be a dead animal instantly.

Had a Knacker man shoot an ageing bullock with a 12b single shot, between the eyes. No.5 as I recall. Instant.

I've also seen 3 rounds not kill a large hereford bullock with a broken leg - all point blank, too, 1 1/4 oz of #5

Was effing horrible

Adrenaline seems to somehow just keep them going, and instinct, I will never forget that day; he had a hole in the head I could fit my fist in

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Just a question

I have never seen a captive bolt / humane killer thingy

if you have a large animal, in distress, that is flailing around - how do you get close enough or still enough to use it ?

at least with a firearm you can be a reasonable distance away, out of harms way

You don't
Unfortunately you have to put yourself in harms way, sometimes - like my approach to pig-hunting

 

[Steevo]

This thread reminds me of another long running thread from way back.

So whatever you do.......just make sure you don’t put it in the stable before dispatching it!!!!!

 

[Dry Rot]

I've also seen 3 rounds not kill a large hereford bullock with a broken leg - all point blank, too, 1 1/4 oz of #5

Was effing horrible

Adrenaline seems to somehow just keep them going, and instinct, I will never forget that day; he had a hole in the head I could fit my fist in

Doesn't where you put the charge make a significant difference? Chop a chicken's head off and apparently it will run around the garden, headless. Never done it but that seems to be one of those common rural legends. "Running around like a headless chicken".

I've stalked and shot a lot of deer and anything clean shot in the neck or rear of the brain drops like a pricked balloon. The first is the major communications centre and the second the control centre. On the other hand, the recommended lung or heart shot can result in the animal running a fair way. But that is the traditional target when stalking as it is a larger area to aim for and less likely to result in non-fatal injury.

I found the web site below which gives wise practical advice. Aiming at the front of the skull makes perfect sense in their illustration as a bullet will pass through the brain and down the vertebral column, but how often will a wounded deer lie conveniently facing you? I think I'd rather put a bullet in the back of the brain.

I always put down my own dogs and horses as I know then it will be done properly. With a horse, I sit quietly in the field waiting until the horse is grazing peacefully and facing me full on. A bullet from the .222 at where two lines from ears to eyes would cross has them dropping without a twitch. But there is always another bullet up the spout, just in case. I would never ever consider a heart shot or side on shot to the head in that situation.

Humane dispatch - Wild Deer Best Practice Guidance

Aim This guide aims to provide advice on the most appropriate procedures for the humane dispatch of injured deer. Legal issues Section 25 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 exempts individuals from being guilty of any offences involving the taking or killing of deer at any time if it is done for...

www.bestpracticeguides.org.uk

 

[unlacedgecko]

Doesn't where you put the charge make a significant difference? Chop a chicken's head off and apparently it will run around the garden, headless. Never done it but that seems to be one of those common rural legends. "Running around like a headless chicken".

I've stalked and shot a lot of deer and anything clean shot in the neck or rear of the brain drops like a pricked balloon. The first is the major communications centre and the second the control centre. On the other hand, the recommended lung or heart shot can result in the animal running a fair way. But that is the traditional target when stalking as it is a larger area to aim for and less likely to result in non-fatal injury.

I found the web site below which gives wise practical advice. Aiming at the front of the skull makes perfect sense in their illustration as a bullet will pass through the brain and down the vertebral column, but how often will a wounded deer lie conveniently facing you? I think I'd rather put a bullet in the back of the brain.

I always put down my own dogs and horses as I know then it will be done properly. With a horse, I sit quietly in the field waiting until the horse is grazing peacefully and facing me full on. A bullet from the .222 at where two lines from ears to eyes would cross has them dropping without a twitch. But there is always another bullet up the spout, just in case. I would never ever consider a heart shot or side on shot to the head in that situation.

Humane dispatch - Wild Deer Best Practice Guidance

Aim This guide aims to provide advice on the most appropriate procedures for the humane dispatch of injured deer. Legal issues Section 25 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 exempts individuals from being guilty of any offences involving the taking or killing of deer at any time if it is done for...

www.bestpracticeguides.org.uk

When ever I’ve put down dogs I’ve always shot them through the front of the skull with a .22lr or a 12guage. Both work equally well.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

When ever I’ve put down dogs I’ve always shot them through the front of the skull with a .22lr or a 12guage. Both work equally well.

No way I could shoot a dog

 

[unlacedgecko]

No way I could shoot a dog

How else do you out em down?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

How else do you out em down?

Get the vet to put them to sleep

 

[steveR]

Just a question

I have never seen a captive bolt / humane killer thingy

if you have a large animal, in distress, that is flailing around - how do you get close enough or still enough to use it ?

at least with a firearm you can be a reasonable distance away, out of harms way

Excellent point. there Roy....

 

[steveR]

Get the vet to put them to sleep

Wew had a very old Lab here, been getting worse and then suddenly went off his back legs. I had the Vet here doing some work on a beast and asked him to put him down, to be told he had no drugs on board!!

No way was I inflicting a trip to the local small animal vets on the poor old dog, let alone being charged 30 quid... A .22 after a moments distraction was quick and clean and stress free for the dog. Done twice since then, not easy for me in one instance, but again, kinder for the dog any day in my view.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Wew had a very old Lab here, been getting worse and then suddenly went off his back legs. I had the Vet here doing some work on a beast and asked him to put him down, to be told he had no drugs on board!!

No way was I inflicting a trip to the local small animal vets on the poor old dog, let alone being charged 30 quid... A .22 after a moments distraction was quick and clean and stress free for the dog. Done twice since then, not easy for me in one instance, but again, kinder for the dog any day in my view.

I don’t begrudge paying £30 for a dog who’s been my best mate for 14 years

 

[unlacedgecko]

I don’t begrudge paying £30 for a dog who’s been my best mate for 14 years

It's the stress of the animal.

My dogs come out with me every day. They don't know what's happening, and never hear the shot.

My dogs are my responsibility, I see them come into the world and I see them out. I wouldn't delegate that to a stranger, much less one who the dog actively doesn't like.

It's ok if you do different. They're your dogs and your choice.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Just a question

I have never seen a captive bolt / humane killer thingy

if you have a large animal, in distress, that is flailing around - how do you get close enough or still enough to use it ?

at least with a firearm you can be a reasonable distance away, out of harms way

If it was a deer I'd get the dog to hold it and use a knife.

 

[Steel]

Best one I know of is a bloke and his girlfriend coming home late hitting a Sambar stag. Bloke got out to check the deer and it started to struggle off with at least one broken leg. He tackled it to stop it escaping and ended up stuck in the fence still holding the deer, calling for his girlfriend to get a knife out of the ute.
Once he had the knife he cut its throat, and not wanting to waste all the venison they tried to get it in the ute. Being a big stag it was probably 150 kg or more and they could not quite get it in. They then drove up the road until they found a house and knocked on the door and got the bloke they woke up to come and help them lift it into the ute.

 

[Steel]

WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT PUT THE BARREL ON THE ANIMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

View attachment 849027

Putting the barrel against the head is fine with a 22, unless the animal is moving about. Back or the side of the head. Having the barrel against the head also stops the noise so nobody would even know you have fired a shot if they were not close.

 

[steveR]

I don’t begrudge paying £30 for a dog who’s been my best mate for 14 years

Neither would I. Lost my Lab last weekend, 11 years with me and as good and loyal as I have ever had... Happily, she died after a super days shooting, performed really well and then came in the house for a warm up. Seemed a bit mardy, so I gave a piece of pie and let her go off to the washroom and then my wife found her dead 30 mins later. Hell of a shock.

However, I hope I would not ever have had to inflict stress on her for her last few hours, if I could help it. Traipsing into town to the Vets would not be my first option I have to say. But we are all different I know.

 

[steveR]

Best one I know of is a bloke and his girlfriend coming home late hitting a Sambar stag. Bloke got out to check the deer and it started to struggle off with at least one broken leg. He tackled it to stop it escaping and ended up stuck in the fence still holding the deer, calling for his girlfriend to get a knife out of the ute.
Once he had the knife he cut its throat, and not wanting to waste all the venison they tried to get it in the ute. Being a big stag it was probably 150 kg or more and they could not quite get it in. They then drove up the road until they found a house and knocked on the door and got the bloke they woke up to come and help them lift it into the ute.

Only in Oz!!

 

[michael N123]

A silenced .410? I didn't know such a thing existed.

Not all vets carry a humane killer. Using the old green lethal injection is hairy in my view and then you are obliged to take the thing back for incineration because you cant leave a carcass full of green juice lying around on case some moron eats it.

Who is going to pay for all the above? No one of course.

There’s quite a few about now either fitted to cheap baikals or mossberg 500s

 

[jellybean]

It's now been 7 days and 138 posts! The bloody deer is still lying there injured while we all argue about the next step.

 

[Dry Rot]

When ever I’ve put down dogs I’ve always shot them through the front of the skull with a .22lr or a 12guage. Both work equally well.

I would imagine the shock from a projectile from either weapon at close range probably does the job as humanely as anything as the brain will be effectively destroyed. I'm told that most people killed during the blitz during WWII did not die from wounds but from the traumatic shock of the bomb going off. Many victims had no signs of physical injury at all.