"It's not like we ran over a neighbor."

[Ripley]

Said my sister from California who was in the front seat of the car I was in driven by my Dad in North Carolina Thursday night.

A small doe jumped in front of my Dad's car, he did what he could by slamming on the brakes and saying "oh SHIT!!" while going about 45mph. We hit it and we felt the bump bump, ran over it.

Now I know there was nothing we could do at the time, but be thankful the deer did not crash through the windshield (as I know happened to a friend back in Ohio, where she was seriously hurt), but I immediately felt sick that we had hit such a large animal and probably left it to die painfully in the rural 2-lane road.

So, on the 3 minute drive to my parents house I got emotional. Stupid, dumb, animal-lover, liberal-me. I said we had to do something. Of course we pulled into the drive, looked at the front of the car and there was no major damage to the folks car. But I felt sick.

I am normally not a wimp. I am NOT against hunting of deer. I have eaten venison. But I was sick, physically felt like shit because there probably was a big animal in or on the side of the road suffering and it should be put down. Now my Dad has guns, but he totally dismissed this.

Unbelievably, the other four family members in the group who were in the car decided to jump on the computer and check out stuff after we looked at the front of the car (and it was okay). They acted as if we did not even kill (or injure - I don't know) a large animal.

I don't live in their state, so I didn't know who to call. My Mom told me if I was so concerned I should call their local fire department. Transfer, transfer...at 10:00pm all I could hope for was that a state trooper or some one killed the animal if it was still living but deathly injured.

I felt very alone in my feelings for the animal. I simply wanted to contact someone who could put it out of it's misery. It wasn't there when we left the next morning. Maybe it actually lived to drag itself off into the woods. Who knows.

But I found out something about my family members.

BTW, California sister: Bush voter last time, Kerry this time. Parents: Kerry

[Eurobabe]

1. I feel for ya, I hit a big deer going 55 in 1994

it tore up the front of my Passport and brush grill, I cried for an hour I was so shook up.

Stuff happens, thankfully none of you were hurt. I know how you feel though....

[villager]

2. why do you think most of our species stands idly by...

...while most other large mammals are going extinct in the wild?

We lack the "empathy" gene. Not you, not most of DU -- but most of homo sapiens.

It's a hard time to be close to the earth, and all her critters.

But good for you.

[Longhorn]

3. I understand how you feel, Hon.

I saw a squirrel get hit and drag itself off the road and the image brought tears to my eyes and haunted me for months (still does, actually!)

Be proud of your empathy for other living beings. We need more people like you, not fewer! I'm glad everyone in the car was okay. :hug:

[AIJ Alom]

4. I once ran over a beaver on a ramp, it ran right in front of me and I had

no choice. I felt the same way as you because I had just taken an innocent life. You're not alone.

[Vanje]

5. I'd have cut the jugular and dressed it out properly

I carry a full set of clean sharp-honed butcher tools with me when I travel. And a clean sheet to wrap fresh meat in.

I use these tools in my work with sheep, but have solemly but thankfully dressed out the occaisional white tail or muley road casualty, and took it home.
(Dear God we ask that you commend this beautiful creature to our use and make us worthy to recieve this blessing.....)
Yeah. Its illegal in my state.
So, arrest me.

[MADem]

6. That is CRAZY...

Maybe you can find someone to help you change the law (a Democrat, preferably, to shut up the "we own hunting" GOP punks). That law is silly, wasteful, and foolish. Are they afraid that people will drive around looking for animals, and then gun the motor? Not a very efficient way of putting meat on the table...

Hell, what's done is done. If someone can get nourishment and some good from a terrible accident, making a law against it is just silly, stupid, and disrespectful of the whole circle of life thingy.

[StupidFOX]

7. Well... it could encourage illegal hunting if it were legal

Ooops! Ran over that endangered animal! Oh well, I can take it home and mount it on the wall (wink, wink)

[Lorien]

8. You are not a wimp. Compassion should be honored

NOT shamed. The aggressive RW movement has altered and de-evolved our society to the point that having ANY feeling towards other species (especially wildlife) is condemned. It's all part of our coporate controlled Brave New World; no compassion for animals equals meat industry profits, fur industry profits, and best of all, weak environmental laws. A cold, unfeeling and selfish population is VERY profitable. So you haven't had a big swig of the Kool-Aid. No wonder you're a Democrat!

[Ripley]

9. Actually, I am not a Democrat.

Just a lowly Independent who seems to vote Dem a lot.

I was shocked that we hit such a large animal and no one else even thought twice about it, except to say, "damn, I hope they get it off the road quick."

I know deer road kills happen often at this time of the year. And people get injured in these. But the lack of empathy I found in my immediate family was astonishing. I feel sad.

Oh well.

[TrueAmerican]

10. You should of called fish and game or sheriffs department

They will come out and take care of it.

[idiosyncratic]

11. You have a true, Democrat mind.

Recently they showed the results of some PET Scans done on both Republicans and Democrats.

When each were shown the same image -- i.e., exploding atomic bomb -- the Democrats' brains lit up in the area of empathy.

The Republicans felt nothing of the sort.

If I can find a link, I'll post it.

I've always believed Republicans were wired differently. This new research proved it.

[skygazer]

12. I'd rather run over most of my neighbors than a deer

No, I don't REALLY mean that but I do like animals a lot more than many of the people I meet and I understand your emotions not knowing if the poor thing was suffering or not. No creature deserves to suffer. I am appalled that your family did not treat you, at least with more compassion even if they felt none for the deer. :hug: :grouphug: :hug: Have some hugs. I salute you for your kind feelings.

[Cleita]

13. That's too bad.

When I lived in the woods, these animal/car accidents happened all the time. Even cautious drivers like myself sometimes couldn't help hitting an animal that just jumped out in front of you at the last minute and often too late to swerve or apply brakes soon enough to not run over them.

Usually, someone who had an gun would stop and shoot it to put it out of it's misery. I always wished we had the compassion to build roads on high berms with tunnels under them, so the wildlife could pass undisturbed and safe from cars underneath the roads. Actually, wild animals live in a dangerous world of predators and weather conditions that makes their lives very precarious anyway, although I really feel we shouldn't add to it.

[Wcross]

14. I carry a shotgun in my truck...had to use it twice.

Ok, poke fun at me but I am as rural as you can get and still have lectricity and indoor plumbing. I have put two deer down after someone else had hit them. There was no way either would have survived the injuries. I don't hunt and I respect animals but I hate to see anything suffer.
What I really hate are rabbits! The little guys will be safe on the side of the road- then dart right in front of the truck trying to fake you out or something.

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. Awww. Damn. I know exactly how you feel.

:hug: I get upset when I hit any animal or bird. I stop traffic for squirrels. Some people have no compassion for other living things. Think good thoughts about the deer. There's nothing more you could have done. :hug:

[Ripley]

16. Aww.

Thanks for your appreciation of my feelings.....

My cat was in "prison" all week while I visited my parents. Guess what the guy did when he got home? He ate a baby gecko trying to get in my house...YUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKK. He was chewing it when I walked by and he left the back feet and tail. My cat was humane in his kill.

:D

[Mark H]

17. You're not a wimp.

I was out hunting last year and the day after I got my deer, I went to get my tree stand and ran across an older hunter that was trying to find his deer. He was sure he got a good shot on it, but it traveled Much further than he thought it should. We went back to where he shot at the animal and I found blood. Looking around further we found that his bullet had struck a branch and had fouled his shot. He was heart broken thinking that animal was out there dying a slow painful death because of his mistake. I helped him track down his deer. I thought that old man was going to have a stroke going as far as we did to find his deer. (over a mile over rough country)

[Ripley]

18. Empathy ?

Thanks for your story.

And Welcome to DU! :toast:

[karlrschneider]

19. I know exactly what you mean. I know some older hunters who can't shoot

straight and do 'gut shots' on a lot of game. It horrifies me. And I'm not all that big on killing wild animals (only do it for food), but people need to realize that when they pick up that package of "ground beef", someone in a packing house hit a very large brown-eyed cow with a "bang-stick", sending whatever ego it might have sent off into eternity,
it's no different from (or maybe less humane)than getting a deer. Another thing is that deer are a source of, actually, more healthful protein than most beef these days. I can't conceive of being a 'vegan' because I love the taste of meat too much, but there actually is a modicum of conflict there...but even if we eat only vegetables, we still have to "kill" something. It's tough to sort out.

[prayin4rain]

20. Aawww I am sorry, That would upset me too. The deer and the family.

[Cat Atomic]

21. That's not wimpy- it's just compassionate.

I hit an animal in a similar situtation myself. It was mortally wounded, and I had nothing to put it out of it's misery. Felt horrible.

I also hunt and fish. There's no excuse for causing unnecessary suffering. It's natural and right to respect animals- especially your prey.

[BiggJawn]

22. A call to the State Police would have been OK.

The animal may have been injured and could have possibly wound up in the roadway again.

Even dead, it was a traffic hazard and you'd been in the right reporting it.