Legal/police opinion need please!

[Handsome Rob]

So tonight I was driving to winchester. There was a traffic holdup a few cars ahead of me & it turned out a lady had hit a deer. It was still very alive & bawling, trying to get off the road. 4 or 5 folk were stood around doing nothing. I had a rifle with me, so after moving everyone back & checking for a safe direction, I put her out of her misery. Obviously, I was also stopped in the road, so I loaded her in my truck, drove a couple of miles & called Winchester police to let them know what had happened & what i'd done. The lady I spoke to seemed unconcerned, but told me she'd log it, just in case. 

I feel like I did the morally & ethically correct thing, but i'm concerned that there may be a legal repercussion. I didn't really consider the law, at the time, I was more concerned with ending her suffering. 

Do you think I could end up in trouble for discharging a firearm on a public road? This was way out in the country, by the way, not in any municipality or city limits, if that matters. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by Handsome Rob

[Chucktshoes]

My concern would be the TWRA, not regular police.

[Alleycat72]

11 minutes ago, Handsome Rob said:

So tonight I was driving to winchester. There was a traffic holdup a few cars ahead of me & it turned out a lady had hit a deer. It was still very alive & bawling, trying to get off the road. 4 or 5 folk were stood around doing nothing. I had a rifle with me, so after moving everyone back & checking for a safe direction, I put her out of her misery. Obviously, I was also stopped in the road, so I loaded her in my truck, drove a couple of miles & called Winchester police to let them know what had happened & what i'd done. The lady I spoke to seemed unconcerned, but told me she'd log it, just in case. 

I feel like I did the morally & ethically correct thing, but i'm concerned that there may be a legal repercussion. I didn't really consider the law, at the time, I was more concerned with ending her suffering. 

Do you think I could end up in trouble for discussing a firearm on a public road? This was way out in the country, by the way, not in any municipality or city limits, if that matters. 

You're good. They usually want you to do that, but you need to get permission from the TWRA if you want to keep the deer.

Edited December 8, 2020 by alleycat72

[Alleycat72]

Talked to my game warden buddy about what to do in this situation.  He said someone in that situation would be fine and if they wanted the deer they can call Nashville# 615-781-6581. They will be given a number for the deer. Kind of like tagging it in. If you don't keep it, you're good doing nothing.  No names were discussed in the previous conversation. LOL snitches get stitches  

Edited December 8, 2020 by alleycat72

[Handsome Rob]

Just now, alleycat72 said:

Talked to my game warden buddy about what to do in this situation.  He said someone in that situation would be fine and if they wanted the deer they can Nashville# 615-781-6581. They will be given a number for the deer. Kind of like tagging it in. If you don't keep it, you're good doing nothing.  No names were discussed in the previous conversation. LOL snitches get stitches  

Thanks Chris. I actually checked the deer in, the same as if I'd hunted it. I'll call it in in the morning, since TWRA keep bankers hours ()

It was more the discharge of a firearm on a public road that worries me. 

[Alleycat72]

Just now, Handsome Rob said:

Thanks Chris. I actually checked the deer in, the same as if I'd hunted it. I'll call it in in the morning, since TWRA keep bankers hours ()

It was more the discharge of a firearm on a public road that worries me. 

If you called them first, they would have asked you if you had the means to dispatch the deer and if so do so. Been in the same situation. 

[Quavodus]

I did something similar years ago. A spike buck had been hit by a car and was still alive. Another guy pulled over behind me and said if he had a gun with him he'd put it out of its misery and take it. I shot it and we loaded it. I didn't even think about the legalities of it. I think he said he would check everything out.

[QuackerSmacker]

You don't want to overthink these things. Do the right thing, be smart with the next steps, and hope for the best.  I think your odds of getting in a mess in Tennessee for doing the right thing are pretty slim.  Other places, maybe not so much.  I love Tennessee!

[ReeferMac]

5 hours ago, QuackerSmacker said:

You don't want to overthink these things. Do the right thing, be smart with the next steps, and hope for the best.  I think your odds of getting in a mess in Tennessee for doing the right thing are pretty slim.  Other places, maybe not so much.  I love Tennessee!

You're so right.

God Bless Tennessee!!!

(A similair situation happened years ago when I lived in a residential area in NY, Sherriff was on scene, we drove passed, then heard a single gun shot).

I think you did all the right things, too. Bastards at the job site poached a buck yesterday. Killed it with his pistol. They didn't call TWRA. I was tempted....

[gregintenn]

Not a big deal. My old man lives in town. He called the game warden about deer eating his garden.  The game warden gave him written permission to dispatch them. He even loaned him a game camera that texts pics to his phone. I think he shot four deer out of it this year.

Not sure what the neighbors think of an 80 year old man in his drawers firing a shotgun in the middle of the night inside the city limits, but so far there's been no legal repercussions.

[E4 No More]

12 hours ago, Handsome Rob said:

Thanks Chris. I actually checked the deer in, the same as if I'd hunted it. I'll call it in in the morning, since TWRA keep bankers hours ()

It was more the discharge of a firearm on a public road that worries me. 

Keeping in mind that I was NOT a LEO in Tennessee, I would hate to be the idiot having to explain to my judge why I preferred to let an badly injured animal writhe in pain in the road and arrested the guy doing the right thing in a safe manner. The story would be different if you were not safe and injured someone or damaged something. 

[A.J. Holst]

If you get arrested, let me know, I'll protest for you!

I think you did the right thing in a safe and humane manner.

Plus you have an after-bankers-hours action plan.

[No_0ne]

19 minutes ago, A.J. Holst said:

f you get arrested, let me know, I'll protest for you!

Don't you mean break some windows and burn down a random somebody's appliance store ...

[AuEagle]

You did the right thing, good job.

[A.J. Holst]

1 hour ago, No_0ne said:

Don't you mean break some windows and burn down a random somebody's appliance store ..

That would only serve to keep me from getting arrested.

[Pain103]

 Your fine. There is no law for discharging a firearm in the roadway. I would contact TWRA about you keeping it so they can report it with their numbers. 

[robin48]

I love Tennessee. Now if we could get a good Governor we'd be set

[superduty]

Thanks for doing the ethical thing and putting it out of its misery.

[Handsome Rob]

Short & painless call to the bods in the Nashvegas office this morning. They have me a carcass number over the phone & the tenderloins were delicious!

Thanks for all the help & moral support y'all. I rarely worry about much, but in my immigration situation things like this keep me awake. I appreciate all the help! 

[Omega]

6 minutes ago, Handsome Rob said:

Short & painless call to the bods in the Nashvegas office this morning. They have me a carcass number over the phone & the tenderloins were delicious!

Thanks for all the help & moral support y'all. I rarely worry about much, but in my immigration situation things like this keep me awake. I appreciate all the help! 

Oh heck, you're an immigrant?  Well, then that changes, well ,nothing, enjoy the venison. Good Job! 

[Handsome Rob]

1 hour ago, Omega said:

Oh heck, you're an immigrant?  Well, then that changes, well ,nothing, enjoy the venison. Good Job! 

That's the issue. Technically, no. I'm not.

I'm a non-immigrant alien, here on a legal Visa. It only takes one criminal arrest & I could potentially get deported & lose everything!

[hipower]

Ok, now that Handsome Rob is covered, I have a question. Probably will sound silly, but I really don't know.

Where would you shoot an injured deer? Still a heart shot?

[Omega]

35 minutes ago, hipower said:

Ok, now that Handsome Rob is covered, I have a question. Probably will sound silly, but I really don't know.

Where would you shoot an injured deer? Still a heart shot?

Much depends on how active the deer is, if you can, place it at the base of the neck hitting the spine, right where the head meets neck.  It puts it down  quick, but be prepared for a follow up in case you miss the spine.   If it's up and about, or very active, then I go for the heart area, just behind the leg, there are many vitals there that will do the job. 

[Pain103]

21 hours ago, hipower said:

Ok, now that Handsome Rob is covered, I have a question. Probably will sound silly, but I really don't know.

Where would you shoot an injured deer? Still a heart shot?

 As Omega stated depends the position of the deer. I have probably put down 50 plus with a pistol round to the brain. If you choose the broad side near the shoulder but with a rifle or slug. Thats my rules and hasn’t failed me. 

[hipower]

Thanks Omega and Pain103. I've wondered about it often. I see many on the roads during the year, but haven't had the misfortune to see one needing to be put down. I hope I never do, but sure don't want to see any animal suffer.