On finding a wounded animal ...

[Ds J]

Hi Folks,

(My apologies for having been silent over the last weeks - work is as much as ever (have not been to a shooting range in months!) and the app on my phone won't allow me to enter this site. Using another app solved the mystery.)

I need to get this off my chest: what to do with a wounded animal? I drove so see a congregational member last week. When I drove onto the farm, I saw a young kudu bull (18 months?) in front of me in the road, but it did not bolt and run. On coming closer, I saw it was weak and when it turned around at 20 meters, the lower jaw was obviously shot off and hung straight down. A ghastly sight to say the least. After checking with the farmer, I culled the kudu with my pistol and waited for the farmer to pick it up.

This leaves so many questions:

• Poaching is a problem in our area, but why leave a wounded animal? Obviously, the shooter tried for a head shot and failed miserably. It must have been a rifle because the whole lower jaw was blown to bits.
• Why shoot an animal that has barely been weaned, or maybe even not?
• What to do with such an animal? My father once put down a wounded animal on a hunt and had to pay for it; actually it happened to him twice on different farms.
• Why take a chance with a difficult shot? Shoot the largest target area and get it done.
• Would it be considered ethical if one found such a wounded animal elsewhere -  next to a tar road - and cull it? Or must one let it go ahead to die slowly from thirst and hunger?

[Treeman]

There is a law that provides for the killing of an animal in suffering. You may actually put down a dog that's been hit by a car using a firearm providing you take responsibility for your actions.
I recently shot a cow in the middle of town that had been hit by an car. I stated that there was a law providing for this action to those around the scene, I then asked all to stand some way behind me. I then said that I have checked area and found it safe to shoot the cow into the head with the understanding that the bullet in use would not exit the cows head and that if this should fail the far side was soft soil. I was also able to state that the next object on exit side was an complex security was.
I said this loud and as a statement and then shot the cow. A vet arrived a bit later and then the police arrived. I mentioned the law and what precautions I had taken, I also pointed out that there was no exit wound. The cop wrote my details in a little book and that was it.

[Treeman]

I have a copy in all my vehicles -
The Animal Protection Act, No. 71 of 1962, is a South African law aimed at preventing cruelty to animals. It consolidates and amends existing legislation on the topic. The Act defines "animal" broadly to include various domestic and wild animals, both in captivity and under human control. It outlines offences related to animal cruelty and provides for powers of arrest and search by authorities. The Act also allows for the destruction of severely injured or diseased animals to prevent further suffering

(5) It shall be a defence to an action brought against any person arising out of the destruction of any animal by him or with his authority, to prove that such animal was so severely injured or so diseased or in such a physical condition that it would have been cruel to have kept it alive, and that to summon a police officer or follow the procedure prescribed in this section would have occasioned unreasonable delay and unnecessary suffering to such animal. 

[Ds J]

In our area I mostly drive alone in deserted areas, hence the need to check for stray bullets etc is much smaller than elsewehere.

I am very much relieved to hear about this law - it makes things a lot easier. Thanks!

It is necessary to state that one does not often encounter such cases, but having experienced it I am very glad to have been able to cull the animal. All in all, I am even more wary of shot placement.

[Mohamed]

I recently witnessed a blesbok shot in a the jaw,(missed head shot, found out later) where it jumped and dropped.It looked like the animal went down,no one seen it get up or run, but when they went to the spot to look for it, it wasn't there.The conditions on the ground made it difficult to track due to all the rain that was received in the area. It was found with its herd, but there weren't any opportunities to shoot it at the time, later that afternoon it was shot and recovered. Not sure if the kudu you found was in a similar situation. It was a lesson for the shooter and to all those present. The suffering to the animal is terrible as it could suffer for days if not found, unable to eat and getting weaker with each passing day.

From friends who have a farm, every season they have to deal with recovering wounded animals. The hunter pays in full for wounded animals. New inexperienced hunters, bad shot placement,rifles not sighted in, hunters taking chances, the reasons are many.