Sad deal. Hate to hear about any deer having to suffer. In an AR county, can you take a sick/injured deer out of it's misery if it doesn't meet the minimum width?

I bowhunted a large ranch for 16 years that is bowhunting only, and this ranch had around 30 bowhunters and a manager that recorded and aged every deer taken.

Even with a very high recovery rate there were still animals that were hit and had to be trailed, and sometimes you just never found the animal despite good blood.

Also many times bucks were taken that upon cleaning them old broadheads would be found intact and completely healed over in shoulders, backbones and other body parts.

Just because a deer is hit with an arrow doesn't mean it's an automatic death sentence.

While hunting on this ranch I often heard the comment that would bring a broad grin to my face and that was when someone would say....I've never wounded an animal and I don't understand these guys that can't hit a deer in the vitals at 20 yards? I just won't shoot a deer unless I'm sure I can make the shot!"

During my 16 years bowhunting that ranch I wounded three deer that I didn't recover, and two of the three I was able to varify that they lived upon seeing them later in the season, with one that became predator food.

You hunt long enough with a bow and it's not if it's going to happen, but when!