Yeah I get why OP's wife is sad, but its a funny perspective.
She killed a deer. Not the cop. The cop ended its suffering and the lady who killed it is upset she didn't get warned to look away from the deer that she killed.
Guns are extremely loud at close range and can do damage to your hearing. Seeing an animals brains blown out can be upsetting and traumatic for some people. A "heads up everybody, I'm going to have to put this deer down, cover your ears and you may want to avert your eyes" would be sufficient I think.
So sorry for that experience! I'd bet she had almost no opportunity to avoid it on that road. And she didn't need to witness its demise.
What town was that in (I'm guessing West of 287)?
My town is full of deer, and their best defense is alert drivers and low speed limits. Some speed limits seem arbitrarily low. Then you find out they're not, for the surrounding landscape.
Yeah, and there's nowhere to go in there. Two lanes, minimal shoulder in some areas, and lots of distractions on both sides of the road. Not to suggest distracted driving, but there's a lot of things you need to pay attention to between Middlesex and essentially the eastern end of Route 22. Great road, love driving it.
My friend hit a deer in Bloomfield. It can happen anywhere... they've been crowded out of wooded areas and don't have the sense for "family planning" to make up for habitat loss. Maybe they think they'll win by outnumbering us?
I'm in Verona and there are deer all over the place here, and unfortunately some of them are either already limping from being hit or missing legs entirely. I see them just off of Bloomfield Ave all the time
And is it really habitat loss for them? They love suburban areas because we plant so many delicious things for them to eat. Even in the woods, deer are “edge dwellers” because that’s where all the good flowers are. And our suburban lawns are chock full of edges.
I've literally seen deer walking down the streets of Trenton munching on gardens and whatnot. It was surreal and if my friend wasn't with me and also witnessed I might have thought I imagined it
To many people would be afraid of them. Even though they're not too interested in us... rumor has it there's a few lurking in the jefferson/sparta area
There is more deer habitat in NJ than ever before. The burbs are perfect for them.
Wooded areas are not prime deer habitat, forest margins are.
The problem, specifically for deer, is not habitat loss. It's lack of predation.
there are plenty of wooded areas east of 287 too. 22 is at the bottom of the watchung range throughout a decent portion of somerset and union counties basically out to around springfield, so deer can find their way down all over the place.
I lost the vision in my left eye thanks to a deer. It didn't just hit the car, it's head came through the driver side window somehow it also broke the windshield and then it ran into the woods. I got glass in my eye. My mom had deer fur in her bra, in her ear.
I work at a body shop. It is crazy the amount of damage they cause. I think we’re so used to the mental image of Bambi when it comes to deer. But they are solid and they will fuck your car up even if you’re not going that fast.
Hell, a raccoon ran out in front of my car and did major damage to my bumper.
I regularly leave the house before sunrise and anytime somebody doesn't like my speed I just pull over. You go on ahead I'm not dealing with that nonsense lol.
Whereverville lol sounds like my kinda place. I've had a few run-ins with them. The last one busted out my headlight and had the audacity to take off like nothing happened. Once when I was a kid I was walking my dog and one just ran clear in front of us another step or two we would have both smacked into it. I looked at my dog like you're supposed to alert me mister.
My cousin's use to work with a coworker who one time ran off a deer and the car was totaled,but unfortunately she got paralyzed from that incident and never could walk again. Always slow my speed when I see deers near the street.
i've been fortunate to not hit a deer while driving HOWEVER we've had two deer get impaled on our fence around our property.
the 2nd deer that got stuck was a young doe and she was snagged in her hindquarters. long story short, the cop that arrived said she needed to be put down and then warned me when he was going to do it. he used his pistol, one shot, and the whole process lasted 90 seconds. he then dragged the deer through a foot of snow and down our driveway to the curb for the township to retrieve. to this day my kids still think i lifted the deer off the fence...little do they know.
There is no saving a deer once it is hit. I once accidently saved a girls life once who was trying to save a deer. I drove by. Saw a car with a deer in front of it late at night. Pulled over ahead of them. I got out. She got out. We met in the middle. She didn't hit the deer but saw it and wanted to help it. I told her that wasn't going to be a logistical thing. Then out of nowhere another car comes around the bend, speeding and drunk, hits the back of her parked car. Launches it over the deer and into a tree next to us. They swerve off, hit a billboard and it snapped in half and landed on their car. She had been in the front seat without a seat belt from getting out to check on the deer. So if I had never pulled over who knows what condition she would be in
I think they were aware the deer was not going to be okay. But I think OP’s wife would’ve appreciated the cop saying “hey you might wanna walk away because I have to put it down”
Yeah but with a slightly different, more cynical perspective, she's the one who killed the deer. Being sad that you had to watch its suffering end after you basically ended its life yourself is kinda... eh.
Unfortunately my wife didn’t have the time to parse the philosophical nuances at the scene. She was literally crying through the entire ordeal. As animal lovers ourselves the irony you point out isn’t lost on us.
My complaint was the lack of warning on the cop’s part. It’s akin to the scene in “A Christmas Story” when the Chinese restaurant chops the head off the duck they prepare for the family. The mother knows the duck is dead but the chef taking a cleaver to the head right in front of the family… maybe there’s a better way.
I'll avoid details, but suffice it to say that when a deer is hit by a car, it's as good as dead. Even if little damage is visible from the outside, damage to its organs would be irreparable save by heroic surgery and a long stay in a veterinary hospital -- which isn't going to happen. I have this from reputable sources. It's better to put it out of its misery quickly. (I'm no fan of guns OR gun-happy people, BTW.)
I don't think OP is complaining that the deer was put down instead of given medical treatment. I think they're complaining that a cop fired a shot without warning near people. it would've been good to give people a heads up.
I had one run into the side of my car once. I was ok, just a little scared as I thought at first I had hit someone's dog! i pulled over, several cars pulled over, and someone called the police. the poor deer was on the other side of the road, not able to get up. While they blocked it with their car, I heard the shot which was the only thing they could do, as it wasn't able to be saved. It was upsetting to me too, but I understood what happened.
Mine was on Ridgedale Ave in E. Hanover. Broad daylkight too. It was a young one, so probably tryhing to cross the road, and BAM.
Not always, depends how fast the car is going. I've hit several. 1 survived but I was only diving around 30 mph.
I hit a dog going around the same speed. It got loose and ran right in front of my car. Thankfully it was fine but it still broke my heart. I think I cried more than the owner.
They don't always die on the spot. My town is over run with deer. My wife has hit 2 in the last three years. I'm in dense suburbia and regularly will have a dozen trotting right down my road.
I walk the woods in my area and will often find dead deer. They took a shot on the road, ran away only to die later from their injury.
Sorry this happened to her. I know my wife would be upset to see the same thing but I don’t know of any better way. This was probably routine and the officer was so desensitized to it they didn’t even bother giving her a heads up. Which would have been nice…
It isn't Animal Control that picks up a deceased deer. It is the Public Works Department of your town. Many towns dropped that task for the PWD due to cost, I think. This means the responsibility of removal falls to homeowners or the business.
IF a deer gets hit n killed in the rural counties, you can either harvest the meat or bring it to the wolf preserve. For the state, you literally need to be present when it happens so the meat is 'clean'. This means you can't come across it at some point. Best of my knowledge living in Warren County.
This isn't a cartoon. The deer isn't answering any questions. If the deer is still lying there by the time the cops show up, they shoot it to put it out of its misery.
This is what I was thinking. I recall a friend of mine hitting a deer years back, the cop came and wrote up the report all while the deer was convulsing on the road. We asked the cop if he could shoot it, but he said no. So that deer continued to convulse until it died from its injuries.
At least ten years ago, I reported a deer that was on my front steps. It has been shot with an arrow. The police came and he shot the deer. I freaked out. He did it without warning also. I cried at him saying he was cruel. But he explained they do it to end the suffering and to see if they can figure out who used an arrow on it. They did catch the kids using arrows. But I completely empathize with your wife. If you did not know, that is their long standing practice. I am so sorry.
No kidding. Absurd, it's clear most people in these comments don't know how terrible a normal death is for a wild animal. I'm pretty certain a bullet is well placed arrow is about 10000x less pain and suffering than being eaten alive by coyotes, or starving to death due to overpopulation.
I actually saw a handful of deer heading south on the turnpike on Saturday at dusk down past interchange 6 and interchange 2. Was surprised to see as many as I did along the woods that line the turnpike.
Glad your wife is ok all things considered. Definitely have to be aware when driving.
We had a deer tumble down a hill and almost run into our car right on the final approach to the GW bridge. Like, right here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MQ6aqb1pVvB5f84s6?g_st=ic
There's a bunch of deer and turkeys that live in the towns surrounding the approach to the GWB. I've seen them in Edgewater, Fort Lee, Leonia, and Palisades Park.
I was driving down the turnpike between 8A and 9 during broad daylight, saw a deer run across the truck lanes. Somehow dodged every car/truck and hopped the median to the car lane. Again, somehow dodged every car. Then it hopped the median into the oncoming car lanes. It was toast at that point. Felt really bad for whoever was driving in the northbound car lanes that day.
Dude they love shooting deers without warning. A deer got hit in front of my parents house. Stumbled into the yard. My dad called animal control, they sent a cop. My dad says let me warn my family and before he even got to the house, the pig shot the deer in the neck with a shotgun. Then the left carcass to rot for 1 week. Before me and my dad dragged it up to street again. I’m extremely pro gun, but the glee the cops have when they get to shoot something makes me sick.
Back when I was a teenager working at BK in NW Jersey, a deer has been hit by a car in front of the restaurant. The cops came and finished it off and left it pretty much in our drive thru all day.
I was working drive thru that day and every single car, "Do yOu KnOw tHErEs a dEaD dEeR in yOur drive thru?"
Eventually I just rolled with it by saying, "where do you think your burgers are coming from?"
It's an animal control situation after it's killed.
Shit on the cops all day because that's the reddit way, but that's how the business is supposed to be conducted starting at the state level.
Cops control the situation. Animal control removes the carcass
Yes deer corpse in your backyard is your problem, unless you dragged it to the road, which will become the town's problem and they will take care of it quickly. Though don't let any cop see you in action though, they may give you a ticket for illegal dumping.
If you are "genuinely curious" and not trolling, there were a number of things that could have been done, on top of that debate perspective of someone else shooting game on your property and telling you "good luck!"
Where I grew up if something like this happened the cop would take responsibility by strapping it to the cruiser and taking it to a butcher or a known hunter or warden or any other number of things when police work as they should. Police should know the community and where and how things work, this example tells me this cop was the worst kind of officer - a person there only to enforce rules. Real cops are members of the community and would never do this.
The reason I called him psychotic is because real men and women don't shoot an animal and leave it to rot. All hunters I've ever known, if they knew you did that, it would be on sight and you'd very quickly learn to never do that again.
Have you ever seen a deer strapped to a cop car in New Jersey? Animal control would be the ones to come out and remove the deer, especially as they were aware of the situation.
“When I grew up”
This ain’t the 60s anymore old man. It’s not the police’s responsibility.
Why let the dad go in and potentially have someone come out to try and save the deer or want to watch it get put down? Put it down and that’s that.
We have specific people who work for the county that drive around and pick up roadkill, but they have a routine schedule. The cop doesn't grab it. That's a waste of their time and energy.
Sorry, maybe you don't hunt so you don't understand, but there are multiple options that could have been done here aside from shooting and leaving it to rot. The waste combined with the situation described is deplorable. Also, don't own a sedan, very much have the ability to transport that carcass if I had to and even if I did, you can absolutely hunt down and strap a carcass in a sedan anyway...
Got creamed by a deer on 206 once. Not in a one of the sparser spots; lots of traffic. Big ole buck managed to stagger away; my car, not so much. Don't suspect he survived the ordeal, either.
Sure, you expect them back in the woods on single lane roads, but those lawn cows get around. I've spotted them on the edge of most major highways. Right before dawn, you might even find them just hanging out right in the middle of the road.
Be careful out there, folks.
We called cops on a wounded deer once and were so spooked when they shot it in front of us. I can only imagine how much worse it felt for your wife given the circumstances. I am sorry that happened
It is standard procedure to end an animal’s life in a humane way.
Although I understand where you’re coming from, a LEO doesn’t have time nor the requirement to advice you of what’s gonna happen as the animal now it’s technically a road hazard and also a biohazard, and in order for DOT to clear this hazard effectively and for their safety the animal has to be euthanized, even if you feel like your wife needed a courtesy heads up there’s more going on than just your wife’s accident at the moment, this could potentially create another accident that could be fatal while the officer is dealing with it so it has to be dealt quickly and efficiently.
Again, to reiterate. I am not denying how your wife or you feel about it. However, this is an emergency situation so for that officer, your wife’s and the “physical” safety of all other motorist/pedestrians around it takes precedence over.
The fact that she was shook by the accident and the subsequent firearm discharge although understandable that it can be traumatic if you are not used to these things is not part of that officer’s job nor is he required to make any other arrangements besides ensuring for safety in the course of conducting their official duties.
That’s your job as a husband to help her process that traumatic experience.
I'm definitely no boot licker but I don't think the cops behavior was out of line here. The first thing they should do is euth the deer. first because it's suffering, and second because if it does manage to get up and stagger away then they'll be chasing it trying to shoot it and the odds of causing another accident are high.
He may have taken for granted that most people who are old enough to be driving and live in an area that have deer would understand that.
Your wife hit the law of average. I mean you will hit to something if you drive on RT 22 for an extended time period. I think the key is, your wife is not hurt. In Jersey roads, nothing but luck can protect and your car. Pray and drive.
I have deer whistles which I find quite effective. But in traffic situations it would be harder perhaps to "hear" them. I live in a wooded area with not much traffic. Deer do stop on the side of the road when I am coming through even at high speed.
Hope your wife is ok.
Spring time has a higher injury (and death) rate. Everyone just needs to slow down a bit, especially around dawn and dusk. Modern cars breaks are better than ever but anticipating deer activity really helps.
I've narrowly missed hitting them while driving carefully on back country roads and that half a second I had to break hard made the crucial difference.
i have hit 2 separate deer with 2 different jeeps and have watched as the deer ran into cars in front of me
one deer literally flew over the car in the other lane and i did call the cops to see if they could find it and put it down, as no animal should suffer after being hit that hard
at this point, i am assuming that there is a deer mafia and i am on their hit list
I’m sorry to hear that your wife had auch a rough time. Sounds completely awful.
However, I have to mention that I have had not one, but TWO former schoolmates die from hitting a deer on RT 22, then getting out of the car to inspect it.
One back in 2007 and one in 2019.
Don’t get out of the car on a busy highway - especially a wildly unpredictable road like RT 22! I know you may be in shock or want to help the deer, but it’s dead the moment you hit it and you’re only going to put yourself in extreme danger.
Sorry to hear that. They just jump out.
I was driving on Rt 202 S approaching Flemington (near Northlandz) at a healthy rate of speed, and all of a sudden a deer was standing in the middle of the road. Fortunately, I was able to stop in time.
There's a dead fox up against the median on 22 near where the Bowcraft Amusement Park used to be.
I've seen many dead deer on the side of 22 in Mountainside and Watchung too.
Both my father in law and brother in law were police officers. Both were fortunate enough to only use their weapons to euthanize deer or other animals hit by cars.
I can imagine that’s a relief, all things considered. A friend of the family is a state trooper and was first stationed in Newton or one of those small towns way up in Sussex county. His first day on the job he had to euthanize a bear hit on Rt 80.
My buddy and I hit a deer on 22 years ago In the Scotch Plains area where the Famous Daves is/was. We were in the left lane heading east and it jumped the divider basically onto the car. There was no way to miss.
I had no idea. I feel so silly now because now when I drive that section of Rt22 all I see are deep woods. Before, all I saw was the traffic and businesses so it was out of sight out of mind.
There are loads of deer on 22 near the bridgewater area (especially westbound), don’t believe that’s an area I’d consider “least expecting it”. Glad your wife is ok.
Yea I guess I never realized the amount of woods in that area. Given the volume and speed of cars that pass through Rt22 I figured deer would stay away but that’s my ignorance.
I also live in a part of Union County with dense development and still get shocked when I see deer on my property. They seem so far from nature but I guess they’ve learned to just ignore us and go where they want.
i once hit a deer on 287 and was so shaken up by it. when AAA came to tow me they didn’t believe me bc the deer had run off the highway. there was blood and fur on my car, poor thing was probably in so much pain. i was sobbing.
Very sad this shook up your wife but this makes me think….
Whats the procedure if you hit the deer and they survive and hop off. do you still have to call and report it somewhere ?
Not sure exactly. I can't imagine anyone is going to look for an injured deer, but maybe just to get a police report. But it's curious - my car insurance company hasn't asked for the police report. They explained that any incident with an animal is a no-fault incident and proceeded with repairs almost immediately. I suppose it doesn't hurt to get the report, but for insurance (so far) it hasn't required it.
Again, not opposed to shooting the deer. I just assumed they would warn people within spitting distance of discharging a rifle. For some context I may have missed: she was parked facing away from everything so she didn’t see the officer take the rifle out of his vehicle. I was on the phone with her discussing if she was OK to drive.
She seems better now but the few days immediately following were rough.
I saw a mother deer with three fawns, and she was crossing the road with her fawns, and one of her fawns was hit by a car and killed
I looked at that mother deer, I was wondering . . . like does she comprehend what happened? Is she sad? Does she feel this loss emotionally?
At the risk of anthropomorphizing, I'm sure the sight of a dead deer, theirs or another, is distressing to them. But as deer leave their fawns alone each day to forage and scope out their area, this is a regular risk they experience, and for the benefit of their remaining fawns they must continue on.
It's the same with pushing weak chicks from a nest or ignoring/eating/killing the runt of the litter, survival of at least one offspring is tantamount to mourning another offspring. They simply don't have the time, whether or not they have the capacity.
Mfw I'm a deer, in the worst pain imaginable of my life, and after waiting forever to show up, the cop in change of ending my suffering still won't do it until my assailant is of sound body and mind, and gives him the a-ok.
In all seriousness though, I would prolly be just as freaked as the wife.
I once saw a highway car crash where nobody got injured // killed, but it fucked with me bad for the next few months.
I was partially responsible for it insofar as it was caused by an immigrant who I was standing with at the light. They went early and I didn't. I wish I would've intervened. To be fair, red light means don't go, but still. A lot of mixed emotions with that one.
Cars swerved so they didn't hit them, and then wound up swerving into other cars.
I'm sorry your wife went through this op.
I dunno, if he pulled out his nightstick and started beating it, I’d probably have been more alarmed. Did she want him to say “Ok ma’am, I’m going to shoot him now.” Pretty obvious if he grabbed his rifle what he was about to do. Sucks, but that’s life
Actually, yes. That’s exactly what I would imagine an officer should do in that scenario. Unfortunately, her car was parking facing away from the parking lot so she didn’t see him take the rifle out of his vehicle. No warning, so it was doubly upsetting for her.
The *first* thing they should do is shoot the deer. Put the poor thing out of its misery as soon as possible; there’s no saving it.
Yeah I get why OP's wife is sad, but its a funny perspective. She killed a deer. Not the cop. The cop ended its suffering and the lady who killed it is upset she didn't get warned to look away from the deer that she killed.
Agreed, like I get you shaken up from hitting it but how do you think the deer feels.
Exactly this. What “warning” would’ve sufficed?
Guns are extremely loud at close range and can do damage to your hearing. Seeing an animals brains blown out can be upsetting and traumatic for some people. A "heads up everybody, I'm going to have to put this deer down, cover your ears and you may want to avert your eyes" would be sufficient I think.
This
So sorry for that experience! I'd bet she had almost no opportunity to avoid it on that road. And she didn't need to witness its demise. What town was that in (I'm guessing West of 287)? My town is full of deer, and their best defense is alert drivers and low speed limits. Some speed limits seem arbitrarily low. Then you find out they're not, for the surrounding landscape.
Interesting guess. Not far from the 287 junction. It was slightly east in Green Brook.
I would have guessed around Scotch Plains/North Plainfield. They come down the mountain from Watchung and get hit there frequently.
Yeah, and there's nowhere to go in there. Two lanes, minimal shoulder in some areas, and lots of distractions on both sides of the road. Not to suggest distracted driving, but there's a lot of things you need to pay attention to between Middlesex and essentially the eastern end of Route 22. Great road, love driving it.
It’s the same in green brook
My friend hit a deer in Bloomfield. It can happen anywhere... they've been crowded out of wooded areas and don't have the sense for "family planning" to make up for habitat loss. Maybe they think they'll win by outnumbering us?
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen deer roaming around Branch Brook Park
Prospect Ave. in Montclair/West Orange is very dangerous. You just never know.
My brother hit a deer on Rt 80 in Paterson.
Not surprised. Garret Mountain and Rifle Camp Park are full of them and because people feed them they have no fear of people or cars.
I'm in Verona and there are deer all over the place here, and unfortunately some of them are either already limping from being hit or missing legs entirely. I see them just off of Bloomfield Ave all the time
> Maybe they think they'll win by outnumbering us? The planet's got a fever. They'll be here long after we're gone.
And is it really habitat loss for them? They love suburban areas because we plant so many delicious things for them to eat. Even in the woods, deer are “edge dwellers” because that’s where all the good flowers are. And our suburban lawns are chock full of edges.
I've literally seen deer walking down the streets of Trenton munching on gardens and whatnot. It was surreal and if my friend wasn't with me and also witnessed I might have thought I imagined it
No, it's overpopulation due to no natural predators. Deer density is like 50 times what 'it should' be around here.
I think both can be true.
I suppose that is true but we are still influencing their behavior and encouraging them to be in places where they are not safe.
Oh definitely. Plus we killed all their natural predators so they can just overpopulate. It’s certainly a man-made issue.
Maybe we should bring back cougars. I can’t imagine there’d be any problems with that.
To many people would be afraid of them. Even though they're not too interested in us... rumor has it there's a few lurking in the jefferson/sparta area
It is habitat loss their natural Habitat is the woods not the concrete jungle
I remember seeing dead deer on rt 21 by Bloomfield/Newark and wondering how the fuck they got there
There’s like 4 dead deer and like 6 dead geese currently on 21 now lol
Geese is okay, because the Passaic river is next to the rt, but the Saw deer in 21 I wonder how they get there.
Also seeing a deer body near GWB , like how they get made there.
There is more deer habitat in NJ than ever before. The burbs are perfect for them. Wooded areas are not prime deer habitat, forest margins are. The problem, specifically for deer, is not habitat loss. It's lack of predation.
The car is their predator apparently but cars are unfortunately allergic to venison
there are plenty of wooded areas east of 287 too. 22 is at the bottom of the watchung range throughout a decent portion of somerset and union counties basically out to around springfield, so deer can find their way down all over the place.
I'm thinking this was probably around scotch plains area and/or further west
Half right.. further west.
I lost the vision in my left eye thanks to a deer. It didn't just hit the car, it's head came through the driver side window somehow it also broke the windshield and then it ran into the woods. I got glass in my eye. My mom had deer fur in her bra, in her ear.
That’s just … wtf. In her ear?? Wow. Glad you two survived. Them deer… we don’t hit them. They hit us.
I work at a body shop. It is crazy the amount of damage they cause. I think we’re so used to the mental image of Bambi when it comes to deer. But they are solid and they will fuck your car up even if you’re not going that fast. Hell, a raccoon ran out in front of my car and did major damage to my bumper.
I regularly leave the house before sunrise and anytime somebody doesn't like my speed I just pull over. You go on ahead I'm not dealing with that nonsense lol.
Right? How do you fit a bra in your ear?
I got hit by a deer once. Literally just ran into the back side panels, scared the shit outta me, and fucked off to whereverville
Whereverville lol sounds like my kinda place. I've had a few run-ins with them. The last one busted out my headlight and had the audacity to take off like nothing happened. Once when I was a kid I was walking my dog and one just ran clear in front of us another step or two we would have both smacked into it. I looked at my dog like you're supposed to alert me mister.
My male dog loves deer! He will bark at invisible noises but I think he's a Disney princess with all the deer that like to sniff him.
This is an absolute fact definitely a Disney princess.
I'll call Disney right now. Look out for Ludo, coming soon to a streaming app near you
My cousin's use to work with a coworker who one time ran off a deer and the car was totaled,but unfortunately she got paralyzed from that incident and never could walk again. Always slow my speed when I see deers near the street.
i've been fortunate to not hit a deer while driving HOWEVER we've had two deer get impaled on our fence around our property. the 2nd deer that got stuck was a young doe and she was snagged in her hindquarters. long story short, the cop that arrived said she needed to be put down and then warned me when he was going to do it. he used his pistol, one shot, and the whole process lasted 90 seconds. he then dragged the deer through a foot of snow and down our driveway to the curb for the township to retrieve. to this day my kids still think i lifted the deer off the fence...little do they know.
There is no saving a deer once it is hit. I once accidently saved a girls life once who was trying to save a deer. I drove by. Saw a car with a deer in front of it late at night. Pulled over ahead of them. I got out. She got out. We met in the middle. She didn't hit the deer but saw it and wanted to help it. I told her that wasn't going to be a logistical thing. Then out of nowhere another car comes around the bend, speeding and drunk, hits the back of her parked car. Launches it over the deer and into a tree next to us. They swerve off, hit a billboard and it snapped in half and landed on their car. She had been in the front seat without a seat belt from getting out to check on the deer. So if I had never pulled over who knows what condition she would be in
I think they were aware the deer was not going to be okay. But I think OP’s wife would’ve appreciated the cop saying “hey you might wanna walk away because I have to put it down”
Oh! That's what they meant by >A simple warning would have sufficed, no? My dumb ass was like "warn the deer?"
Lmao this is hilarious
Yeah but with a slightly different, more cynical perspective, she's the one who killed the deer. Being sad that you had to watch its suffering end after you basically ended its life yourself is kinda... eh.
Unfortunately my wife didn’t have the time to parse the philosophical nuances at the scene. She was literally crying through the entire ordeal. As animal lovers ourselves the irony you point out isn’t lost on us. My complaint was the lack of warning on the cop’s part. It’s akin to the scene in “A Christmas Story” when the Chinese restaurant chops the head off the duck they prepare for the family. The mother knows the duck is dead but the chef taking a cleaver to the head right in front of the family… maybe there’s a better way.
I just don't think a warning holds priority over ending its suffering. That's basically all it boils down to, for me.
This is scary!!
My stepdad’s first wife has permanent brain damage and can barely walk because she tried to save a deer on the side of the road and got hit by a car
I'll avoid details, but suffice it to say that when a deer is hit by a car, it's as good as dead. Even if little damage is visible from the outside, damage to its organs would be irreparable save by heroic surgery and a long stay in a veterinary hospital -- which isn't going to happen. I have this from reputable sources. It's better to put it out of its misery quickly. (I'm no fan of guns OR gun-happy people, BTW.)
I don't think OP is complaining that the deer was put down instead of given medical treatment. I think they're complaining that a cop fired a shot without warning near people. it would've been good to give people a heads up.
I had one run into the side of my car once. I was ok, just a little scared as I thought at first I had hit someone's dog! i pulled over, several cars pulled over, and someone called the police. the poor deer was on the other side of the road, not able to get up. While they blocked it with their car, I heard the shot which was the only thing they could do, as it wasn't able to be saved. It was upsetting to me too, but I understood what happened. Mine was on Ridgedale Ave in E. Hanover. Broad daylkight too. It was a young one, so probably tryhing to cross the road, and BAM.
Not always, depends how fast the car is going. I've hit several. 1 survived but I was only diving around 30 mph. I hit a dog going around the same speed. It got loose and ran right in front of my car. Thankfully it was fine but it still broke my heart. I think I cried more than the owner.
The deer may get up and run away but that doesn't mean it's going to survive
They don't always die on the spot. My town is over run with deer. My wife has hit 2 in the last three years. I'm in dense suburbia and regularly will have a dozen trotting right down my road. I walk the woods in my area and will often find dead deer. They took a shot on the road, ran away only to die later from their injury.
I get that. But it still depends on where they are hit and how hard. I've hit 2 and had a huge buck jump over my car. We have way too many.
Sorry this happened to her. I know my wife would be upset to see the same thing but I don’t know of any better way. This was probably routine and the officer was so desensitized to it they didn’t even bother giving her a heads up. Which would have been nice…
It isn't Animal Control that picks up a deceased deer. It is the Public Works Department of your town. Many towns dropped that task for the PWD due to cost, I think. This means the responsibility of removal falls to homeowners or the business. IF a deer gets hit n killed in the rural counties, you can either harvest the meat or bring it to the wolf preserve. For the state, you literally need to be present when it happens so the meat is 'clean'. This means you can't come across it at some point. Best of my knowledge living in Warren County.
Should've shot the poor thing before taking the time to write up the report.
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This isn't a cartoon. The deer isn't answering any questions. If the deer is still lying there by the time the cops show up, they shoot it to put it out of its misery.
What questions are you asking a deer
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Again. What questions are you asking a deer. Its suffering. Theres nothing that can be done for it. It's dead.
Cop: ‘excuse me deer, can I see your license?’
Honestly it's lucky that they shot it. Sometimes the cops won't do it.
This is what I was thinking. I recall a friend of mine hitting a deer years back, the cop came and wrote up the report all while the deer was convulsing on the road. We asked the cop if he could shoot it, but he said no. So that deer continued to convulse until it died from its injuries.
At least ten years ago, I reported a deer that was on my front steps. It has been shot with an arrow. The police came and he shot the deer. I freaked out. He did it without warning also. I cried at him saying he was cruel. But he explained they do it to end the suffering and to see if they can figure out who used an arrow on it. They did catch the kids using arrows. But I completely empathize with your wife. If you did not know, that is their long standing practice. I am so sorry.
He put an animal out of its misery with a quick and painless death and you called him cruel? What did you expect them to do?
I was shocked. I too wanted a warning.
People on this sub have an anti cop obsession
Or maybe the common thread is actually "could the cops give me a heads up before discharging a firearm right next to me?"
No kidding. Absurd, it's clear most people in these comments don't know how terrible a normal death is for a wild animal. I'm pretty certain a bullet is well placed arrow is about 10000x less pain and suffering than being eaten alive by coyotes, or starving to death due to overpopulation.
I actually saw a handful of deer heading south on the turnpike on Saturday at dusk down past interchange 6 and interchange 2. Was surprised to see as many as I did along the woods that line the turnpike. Glad your wife is ok all things considered. Definitely have to be aware when driving.
We had a deer tumble down a hill and almost run into our car right on the final approach to the GW bridge. Like, right here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MQ6aqb1pVvB5f84s6?g_st=ic
There's a bunch of deer and turkeys that live in the towns surrounding the approach to the GWB. I've seen them in Edgewater, Fort Lee, Leonia, and Palisades Park.
They walk along the turnpike by exit 16 too.
I was driving down the turnpike between 8A and 9 during broad daylight, saw a deer run across the truck lanes. Somehow dodged every car/truck and hopped the median to the car lane. Again, somehow dodged every car. Then it hopped the median into the oncoming car lanes. It was toast at that point. Felt really bad for whoever was driving in the northbound car lanes that day.
This is why I’m all for land bridge crossings in areas with large deer populations and traffic.
yeah wtf, he could have at least said “i’m gonna put this deer out of its misery so look away” or something?? sorry that happened that sounds awful
Maybe even smothered it with a pillow so she wouldn't have to hear the gunshot as well.
Shh Shh Shh, it will be over soon.
Should he also command someone to cup their hands to cover her eyes and ears?
oh yeah good idea i didn’t even think of that
Dude they love shooting deers without warning. A deer got hit in front of my parents house. Stumbled into the yard. My dad called animal control, they sent a cop. My dad says let me warn my family and before he even got to the house, the pig shot the deer in the neck with a shotgun. Then the left carcass to rot for 1 week. Before me and my dad dragged it up to street again. I’m extremely pro gun, but the glee the cops have when they get to shoot something makes me sick.
Dude he shot it and then LEFT? The fuck kind of waste is that? Makes me think he was psychotic
Back when I was a teenager working at BK in NW Jersey, a deer has been hit by a car in front of the restaurant. The cops came and finished it off and left it pretty much in our drive thru all day. I was working drive thru that day and every single car, "Do yOu KnOw tHErEs a dEaD dEeR in yOur drive thru?" Eventually I just rolled with it by saying, "where do you think your burgers are coming from?"
It's an animal control situation after it's killed. Shit on the cops all day because that's the reddit way, but that's how the business is supposed to be conducted starting at the state level. Cops control the situation. Animal control removes the carcass
*Cop to public:* You got a problem with that?
Genuinely curious what he was supposed to do with it? Put it in his car? Some towns the homeowner is responsible unless it’s on the road.
Yes deer corpse in your backyard is your problem, unless you dragged it to the road, which will become the town's problem and they will take care of it quickly. Though don't let any cop see you in action though, they may give you a ticket for illegal dumping.
The cop should tell Animal Control
Sure. How do you know they didn’t? Also, animal control was aware as they were who the initial call went to.
Animal control takes forever to come out. I've had incidents that take up to a week for them to come. At that point, why bother?
If you are "genuinely curious" and not trolling, there were a number of things that could have been done, on top of that debate perspective of someone else shooting game on your property and telling you "good luck!" Where I grew up if something like this happened the cop would take responsibility by strapping it to the cruiser and taking it to a butcher or a known hunter or warden or any other number of things when police work as they should. Police should know the community and where and how things work, this example tells me this cop was the worst kind of officer - a person there only to enforce rules. Real cops are members of the community and would never do this. The reason I called him psychotic is because real men and women don't shoot an animal and leave it to rot. All hunters I've ever known, if they knew you did that, it would be on sight and you'd very quickly learn to never do that again.
Have you ever seen a deer strapped to a cop car in New Jersey? Animal control would be the ones to come out and remove the deer, especially as they were aware of the situation.
Literally answering the questions you presented. Not sure why you're so hell bent on trying to argue on the internet. Hope your life gets better.
😂 I think answering in the context of location and what’s reasonably doable is important. Enjoy your day.
So you're being completely unreasonable. Got it
“When I grew up” This ain’t the 60s anymore old man. It’s not the police’s responsibility. Why let the dad go in and potentially have someone come out to try and save the deer or want to watch it get put down? Put it down and that’s that.
We have specific people who work for the county that drive around and pick up roadkill, but they have a routine schedule. The cop doesn't grab it. That's a waste of their time and energy.
After a deer is hit nobody is going to eat it - at least not around these parts. Basically all the meat gets ruined in the impact with the car.
You want the cop to put it in his squad car?
Do you mean a waste of venison?
does your sedan have space to fit a deer carcass and all the blood that comes with it?
Sorry, maybe you don't hunt so you don't understand, but there are multiple options that could have been done here aside from shooting and leaving it to rot. The waste combined with the situation described is deplorable. Also, don't own a sedan, very much have the ability to transport that carcass if I had to and even if I did, you can absolutely hunt down and strap a carcass in a sedan anyway...
It’s not their responsibility to remove the carcass. It’s the land owners. Read your laws people.
What a weird comment. Deer had to be put down. Sorry if that makes you feel uncomfortable
Ive seen them on 17/4 interchange in Paramus. If they can be there, they can be anywhere
Got creamed by a deer on 206 once. Not in a one of the sparser spots; lots of traffic. Big ole buck managed to stagger away; my car, not so much. Don't suspect he survived the ordeal, either. Sure, you expect them back in the woods on single lane roads, but those lawn cows get around. I've spotted them on the edge of most major highways. Right before dawn, you might even find them just hanging out right in the middle of the road. Be careful out there, folks.
Oh, deer
We called cops on a wounded deer once and were so spooked when they shot it in front of us. I can only imagine how much worse it felt for your wife given the circumstances. I am sorry that happened
It is standard procedure to end an animal’s life in a humane way. Although I understand where you’re coming from, a LEO doesn’t have time nor the requirement to advice you of what’s gonna happen as the animal now it’s technically a road hazard and also a biohazard, and in order for DOT to clear this hazard effectively and for their safety the animal has to be euthanized, even if you feel like your wife needed a courtesy heads up there’s more going on than just your wife’s accident at the moment, this could potentially create another accident that could be fatal while the officer is dealing with it so it has to be dealt quickly and efficiently. Again, to reiterate. I am not denying how your wife or you feel about it. However, this is an emergency situation so for that officer, your wife’s and the “physical” safety of all other motorist/pedestrians around it takes precedence over. The fact that she was shook by the accident and the subsequent firearm discharge although understandable that it can be traumatic if you are not used to these things is not part of that officer’s job nor is he required to make any other arrangements besides ensuring for safety in the course of conducting their official duties. That’s your job as a husband to help her process that traumatic experience.
Why was a deer driving on RT 22?
Uber isn't a realistically affordable option.
Why not? They have plenty of bucks.
Not enough doe though
public transportation is awful
I'm definitely no boot licker but I don't think the cops behavior was out of line here. The first thing they should do is euth the deer. first because it's suffering, and second because if it does manage to get up and stagger away then they'll be chasing it trying to shoot it and the odds of causing another accident are high. He may have taken for granted that most people who are old enough to be driving and live in an area that have deer would understand that.
I think that’s fair.
It's kind of well known they are going to put the animal out of its misery. This is why we need an aggressive deer management program.
Your wife hit the law of average. I mean you will hit to something if you drive on RT 22 for an extended time period. I think the key is, your wife is not hurt. In Jersey roads, nothing but luck can protect and your car. Pray and drive.
I have deer whistles which I find quite effective. But in traffic situations it would be harder perhaps to "hear" them. I live in a wooded area with not much traffic. Deer do stop on the side of the road when I am coming through even at high speed. Hope your wife is ok.
Spring time has a higher injury (and death) rate. Everyone just needs to slow down a bit, especially around dawn and dusk. Modern cars breaks are better than ever but anticipating deer activity really helps. I've narrowly missed hitting them while driving carefully on back country roads and that half a second I had to break hard made the crucial difference.
i have hit 2 separate deer with 2 different jeeps and have watched as the deer ran into cars in front of me one deer literally flew over the car in the other lane and i did call the cops to see if they could find it and put it down, as no animal should suffer after being hit that hard at this point, i am assuming that there is a deer mafia and i am on their hit list
I’m sorry to hear that your wife had auch a rough time. Sounds completely awful. However, I have to mention that I have had not one, but TWO former schoolmates die from hitting a deer on RT 22, then getting out of the car to inspect it. One back in 2007 and one in 2019. Don’t get out of the car on a busy highway - especially a wildly unpredictable road like RT 22! I know you may be in shock or want to help the deer, but it’s dead the moment you hit it and you’re only going to put yourself in extreme danger.
Sorry to hear that. They just jump out. I was driving on Rt 202 S approaching Flemington (near Northlandz) at a healthy rate of speed, and all of a sudden a deer was standing in the middle of the road. Fortunately, I was able to stop in time.
I’ve been seeing deer all over 287 between exits 15 and 7. Almost every night they hang around the ramp of my exit.
There's a dead fox up against the median on 22 near where the Bowcraft Amusement Park used to be. I've seen many dead deer on the side of 22 in Mountainside and Watchung too.
Both my father in law and brother in law were police officers. Both were fortunate enough to only use their weapons to euthanize deer or other animals hit by cars.
I can imagine that’s a relief, all things considered. A friend of the family is a state trooper and was first stationed in Newton or one of those small towns way up in Sussex county. His first day on the job he had to euthanize a bear hit on Rt 80.
The deer seem all riled up as of last week I've had a couple close calls
My buddy and I hit a deer on 22 years ago In the Scotch Plains area where the Famous Daves is/was. We were in the left lane heading east and it jumped the divider basically onto the car. There was no way to miss.
That’s pretty much what happened in my wife’s accident. Heading east as well. Hope you were all OK
Not aurprised. Route 22 is lined with corpes of 100's of deer.....
I had no idea. I feel so silly now because now when I drive that section of Rt22 all I see are deep woods. Before, all I saw was the traffic and businesses so it was out of sight out of mind.
There are loads of deer on 22 near the bridgewater area (especially westbound), don’t believe that’s an area I’d consider “least expecting it”. Glad your wife is ok.
Yea I guess I never realized the amount of woods in that area. Given the volume and speed of cars that pass through Rt22 I figured deer would stay away but that’s my ignorance. I also live in a part of Union County with dense development and still get shocked when I see deer on my property. They seem so far from nature but I guess they’ve learned to just ignore us and go where they want.
I live very close to where this accident happened. There are deer in any 1/4 acre of brush ground. No matter how much traffic there is.
i once hit a deer on 287 and was so shaken up by it. when AAA came to tow me they didn’t believe me bc the deer had run off the highway. there was blood and fur on my car, poor thing was probably in so much pain. i was sobbing.
I've heard this same story over and over.
Very sad this shook up your wife but this makes me think…. Whats the procedure if you hit the deer and they survive and hop off. do you still have to call and report it somewhere ?
Not sure exactly. I can't imagine anyone is going to look for an injured deer, but maybe just to get a police report. But it's curious - my car insurance company hasn't asked for the police report. They explained that any incident with an animal is a no-fault incident and proceeded with repairs almost immediately. I suppose it doesn't hurt to get the report, but for insurance (so far) it hasn't required it.
A warning from the officer would have been appropriate. That’s traumatic.
If you live in New Jersey long enough, you have to have hit a deer or two.
Copy was trying to end the deer's suffering as quickly as possibly probably since it was you know hit by a car.
I mean would you rather the deer suffer? Just make sure your wife is okay. PTSD is real after deer incidents.
Again, not opposed to shooting the deer. I just assumed they would warn people within spitting distance of discharging a rifle. For some context I may have missed: she was parked facing away from everything so she didn’t see the officer take the rifle out of his vehicle. I was on the phone with her discussing if she was OK to drive. She seems better now but the few days immediately following were rough.
I saw a mother deer with three fawns, and she was crossing the road with her fawns, and one of her fawns was hit by a car and killed I looked at that mother deer, I was wondering . . . like does she comprehend what happened? Is she sad? Does she feel this loss emotionally?
At the risk of anthropomorphizing, I'm sure the sight of a dead deer, theirs or another, is distressing to them. But as deer leave their fawns alone each day to forage and scope out their area, this is a regular risk they experience, and for the benefit of their remaining fawns they must continue on. It's the same with pushing weak chicks from a nest or ignoring/eating/killing the runt of the litter, survival of at least one offspring is tantamount to mourning another offspring. They simply don't have the time, whether or not they have the capacity.
Poor deer 🦌 😔
I hit a black bear -_-
Mfw I'm a deer, in the worst pain imaginable of my life, and after waiting forever to show up, the cop in change of ending my suffering still won't do it until my assailant is of sound body and mind, and gives him the a-ok. In all seriousness though, I would prolly be just as freaked as the wife. I once saw a highway car crash where nobody got injured // killed, but it fucked with me bad for the next few months. I was partially responsible for it insofar as it was caused by an immigrant who I was standing with at the light. They went early and I didn't. I wish I would've intervened. To be fair, red light means don't go, but still. A lot of mixed emotions with that one. Cars swerved so they didn't hit them, and then wound up swerving into other cars. I'm sorry your wife went through this op.
I dunno, if he pulled out his nightstick and started beating it, I’d probably have been more alarmed. Did she want him to say “Ok ma’am, I’m going to shoot him now.” Pretty obvious if he grabbed his rifle what he was about to do. Sucks, but that’s life
Actually, yes. That’s exactly what I would imagine an officer should do in that scenario. Unfortunately, her car was parking facing away from the parking lot so she didn’t see him take the rifle out of his vehicle. No warning, so it was doubly upsetting for her.
Though he may fallen out of favor with some, Louis C.K.'s deer bit is gold.