Originally posted by sticksender:
Nature happens 24-7-365, whether we happen to be around to witness it or not. Choosing to "mercy kill" a particular animal is strictly a feel-good move. The cold reality is that in the grand scheme of the food chain, it's a meaningless gesture. So we needn't feel obligated to intercede, merely because by sheer luck we happen to find ourselves near a deer with an injury. We tend to overestimate our importance in such matters. A deer is not a human.
BTW, that particular buck appeared to have a foot wound, which is a common event in nature. He was feeding and moving along just fine IMO. Deer are tough as nails, and normally fully recover from any kind of leg injury. But whether he dies today or not, it's an absolute certainty that his carcass will be utilized when he does.
No matter what you'd choose to do, it's useful to keep in mind there are 1000's of other injured or sick deer walking around that you can't do a thing about. When we fret and worry over the "pain" or "feelings" of one single animal, we are slipping into the realm of anthropomorphism. Kind of like the thought process of anti-hunting granola munchers who would dearly love to turn us all into vegans!
agree 100%
