I have a strange gun question

[Cathead]

From a horrible experience I had last year... when a wild animal was severely injured.
I wished I had access to a gun to put this animal out of it's misery quickly.
I have no knowledge or experience with guns, but certainly can learn.
So.... is there a handgun that would do the job? for even a large animal?

 

[minimotos95]

Dispatching animals doesn't take much power if you can get right next to them, .22lr was used to dispatch cattle for decades.
Here in Colorado it's illegal to shoot big game(even in self defense or dispatching injured animals) with anything smaller than .25 caliber or that produces less than 550lb ft of energy at 50ft IIRC ruling out anything weaker than hot 357 mangum, nuclear 10mm and mild 460 rowland level loads.

The best thing to do in that situation is to call DoW, Game, Fish and Parks, or whoever is in charge of that in the state. Or better yet there's wildlife rescues across the country who will fix the animal up if it's fixable and put it down if it's not.

 

[Cathead]

Thanks minimotos, I'll look up those you mentioned.

It would make sense to call those numbers if it happens again, only worry is that I'll be too far away for them to respond in a reasonable length of time.

 

[highdesertranger]

first off if you have zero firearm experience, get some before getting a gun. don't put the cart before the horse. highdesertranger

 

[Cathead]

highdesert, oh yes, I would get experience/training first for sure! If I do decide to get a gun.

 

[jimindenver]

Getting close to a wild animal, bad idea. A large wild animal, even worse. A injured large wild animal may seem like it's on it's last breath but get close enough to take it out with a 22 and you are likely to get a big surprise and possibly a world of hurt. Be careful.

 

[Cathead]

Maybe I'll stick to the calling for assistance plan and hope it never happens again.

 

[Canine]

In Montana it is illegal to shoot game animals that have been injured such as by being hit by a car. (Unless it is hunting season and have a license. Even then you can't shoot from the road. Good way to get a ticket and lose hunting privileges. Too many hazards by the roadside.) I haven't myself, but people do that anyway. If the animal was a deer and it's head was caved in or if it clearly had two broken legs, I would feel pretty bad leaving it. Animals are tough and can survive and then thrive even with terrible injuries. Some people can be too quick to put down what they think is a fatal injury, but in reality is just a really bad day for the animal.

I wouldn't use a handgun on something dangerous like a badger unless I was in the cab my truck, but then there is no way on Earth I would shoot an animal from such small confines. If I had a rifle and could shoot from a distance, then that would be fine. Animals are fast and handguns are highly inaccurate at even small distances. I bet I could still outrun a badger, but it won't be too long and I'll be too old to do that.

 

[masterplumber]

Badgers can actually be one of the most dangerous critters, that reputation for a bad temper is well earned. Colorado has the same laws regarding dispatching injured wildlife as Montana, and probably most other states. That said, I would have a hard time leaving an animal to suffer if it wasn't mobile. Just a note on gun size - I have had to put down a horse with a 9mm pistol. Hopefully not to graphic, but one shot through the ear into the brain made it instantaneous, but probably the toughest thing I've ever had to do. It was my favorite horse of all time. I grew up on a small farm and have had to put down animals many times, and I also hunt, but looking an injured animal in the eye and dispatching it is not for the faint of heart. Preparing to put down an injured fawn on the side of the road is not a good place to find out if you are cut out to do it, and it could haunt you for a long time whichever way you decide to go. You're probably better off calling the DOW in the state you're in - they will get there as quickly as they can.

 

[Cathead]

I've had to do it with a deer the neighborhood dogs had attacked.
I didn't have a gun, so had to decide what to do, to smother it was all I could think to do at the time.
Your right masterplumber, it still haunts me and therefore the whole gun question arises.
The animal was not going to survive - without going into gory detail - but did I do the right thing? I think so, but it was so awful, I doubt myself. I do know that if I had thought to call DOW, that would of been an hour at least.

 

[Cathead]

Just as a side note.
I've seen a video clip of a wolf (if I remember right) caught in a fence.
A man in a pickup came by with wire-cutters and was able to free it, and it was able to run off.
I know this is a dangerous thing to attempt - but I'm going to keep wire-cutters with me in my vehicle!

 

[minimotos95]

When I was growing up my dog managed to get tangled up in barbwire while trying to drag her kill home. She was able to untangle herself and get home but she kept pouring blood and needed a late night visit to the vets house for stitches. Wire cutters are alway a great tool to have handy, my favorite pair with dikes at the end easily cut fence wire.
I don't see cutting a wolf free as being that dangerous(compared to helping a farm animal with no fear of humans) . Just make sure he has clear path and you stay out of his space when cutting the fence, he will want nothing more than to be free and run away from the humans.

As far as being mentally prepared there's some critters I have no problem putting down while some others(canids mostly) I get very sad at the thought of having to put down. Everybody is different in what's acceptable to them, some wouldn't harm a mouse.

 

[Cathead]

What are the dikes at the end of wire cutters? Does that just mean the angle of the cutting part? or do they have some feature regular wire cutters don't?

 

[minimotos95]

Many of the "wire cutters"  you see are just cutters or primarily strippers with crimper at the end and a small cutting section. This particular has dikes(cutting jaws)  at the end then inside the handle crimper and strippers. This is goto pair for most jobs with electrical or fencing wire.  I've had a few people offer me much more than they are worth after letting them borrow them. You should be able to find pair of cutters in the style,  it saves having to carry 2 seperate tools. 

 

[Cathead]

minimotos, Thanks for the pic, I see what you mean.

 

[bigsallysmom]

If you are going to cut a fence, please carry some wire to tie the pieces back together.

 

[highdesertranger]

you no what, I never thought I would see that on this forum. thank you bigsallysmom. if I could give you 1 million thanks I would. this is such a big problem around here. who gets in trouble around here, the livestock owner. BS. damn !@@#$%^&* mountain bikers and hikers, they are all trespassers. highdesertranger

 

[bigsallysmom]

You're welcome and you are right Highdesertranger. The livestock owners get blamed. That's why every property owner with livestock needs liability insurance. Central Texas has very few trails. Fence cutting is usually from someone who has run off the road and through a fence. Instead of going over to a gate they just cut the wires.
In the Sacramento Mountains of NM the Forest Service installs V shaped gates so hikers don't have to open the larger vehicle gates.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah around here we border a state park. the fence is posted every 50 feet and they just don't care. we have watched them before go right though where a sign is located, then they try to tell us they never saw a sign. I have heard every lame excuse in the book. another thing if you are hiking why would you need to cut every wire on a fence. jeez 1 or 2 wires I could almost see but all 5 wires, the bottom wire is only 6-8 inches off the ground. why can't they step over it. another thing, what are hikers and mountain bikers doing with wire cutters unless they have preplanned to cut fences. highdesertranger

 

[Jana]

Wait a minute. When I was younger, I went through barbed wire fences all the time and never, ever even considered cutting one. WTH? We had to climb through the fences to get to our friends' houses (much shorter than going down the long driveway, down the road, and down their long driveway) when we were kids, and I've climbed through plenty as an adult. What is wrong with people?