Sittin' on the couch yesterday evenin' and the dogs go to barkin'. I can tell by their bark that something's in the yard or close by so I jump up and go outside. They're both by the back of my p/u so I holler to see what they've got. That's when I notice that in front of the p/u is standing the big 10 that I hunted all season long. He ain't 12 yds from me, just standing there letting the dogs bark. I get the dogs shut up and Ginger brings me the camcorder and I start filmin him. I get within 5 yds of him and he just acts like I ain't there. He looks very disoriented and just kinda sits there, occasionally turning his head, and a couple times he actually started walking towards me. Whole family is on the porch watching and I get kinda worried he might charge so I get them all back closer to the door. Picked up a wiffle ball bat and chunked it at him, it landed about a foot in front of him and he never flinched. He then starts walkin' down the fence line and you can hear his antlers rakin' up against the horse wire and he actually clanked them off of the pipe a few times. Then walks into a tree limb, before moseyin' off down the road. Everybody's fired up to watch the footage of this big sucker so we head into the house and hook the camera up only to realize that I never pushed record during 10-15 mins of "supposed" filming...I'm freakin out, so I decide I'm going down the road to find him figuring he can't go far. I go out the front door to get my surefire out of my other p/u, grab a coat and am about to head after him when Ginger hollers that he has came back and is in the backyard!!! I make sure to press record this time and get a minute or 2 of video on this majestic buck, that I have hunted for an entire season, had sleepless nights over and here I am less than 15 feet from him and am pretty much residing to the fact that he will not be here next year to pursue. I don't know what's wrong with him, but the way he was acting, It'd be hard pressed to bet on him making it through the night without the yotes gettin' him...I'm tryingt to teach my kids to do the right thing, but I ain't so sure that the right thing to do in this case would have been to put him down, regardless of the laws....

I know I have an empty feelin' in my stomach right now that I know this beautiful buck is gonna end up at mother natures mercy. Sorry for long read, but I had to tell it. I will try to get the video uploaded later this week.

possible he'd been hit by a car?

Had a horse once that ended up with rabies act sort of like that. Did he walk with stiff front legs like a goose stepping soldier?

Doing the right thing will get somebody in your business pretty quickly and they will be telling you what the right thing is, which it is not.

Is it the majestic buck suffering mother natures wrath.. or him not being on you wall that gets you the most?

Not saying it wouldnt bother me, but I know which one would bug me the most..

Did he act blind, maybe just reacting to noise, you said you throw a ball but not hitting him. Did you yell or talk with him make any changes?

Sounds like he has lost most of his vision. Did his eyes look glassy and dull colored? Could be from fighting and gotten blinded in both eyes. Could also be that he cracked his skull or has a pedicle injury from fighting that got infected and healed over before the infection was healed. Causing it to get into his brain. I know that brain infections will cause them to go blind. On two occassions I have heard of deer getting blind from a vitamin deficiancy.

He could be blind, in shock, or rabid. I would call GW or sheriff and let them know of a possible rabid animal. They can make the decision to put him down.

You have to let Mother Nature take its course .

Hope its not CWD

you showed great restraint.... not sure i or many others could have watched him that long...just being honest

I've seen animals including deer injured by a car acting that way
and Coons and varmits get distemper and walk drunk and stiff legged usually late summer..makes you think they are rabid..Most
Police Ofcrs. well put an animal down like that, however you always have the option ...SSS...Shoot, Shovel, Shutup...DD

Where's the video you got?