Is it cruel to shoot a deer up the butt with an arrow?

I think shooting an arrow at a defenseless creature is pretty nasty, whether or not it was up his butt.

Shooting them is prettty cruel too.

Yes!

I’m not a fan of hunting but if you are going to hunt to kill the animals than do so and make it clean and quick. There is absolutely no reason to let an animal suffer unless you are some sort of psycho. People who are okay with making animals suffer because they find it funny often turn out to be psychopaths or at the very least lacks maturity and empathy. I would steer clear of this person.

What should I do about it?

There’s nothing to do. Lots of animals are shot and wounded during hunting season. Some get killed by the hunter, some escape to die later. These things happen all the time.
I once saw a deer running downhill after one front leg and one rear leg were shot (almost) off. One hunter tracked the animal down a bit later, maybe 30 minutes, and finished it off.

Not only cruel, disgustingly cruel if a hunter intentionally did that for kicks. That sure comes across to me as sickness of the mind and the soul.

@Cindy1302 You can report it to the Humane Law Enforcement Department 202–723-5730, but they probably would want a first-hand account. In other words, you saw it happen. I’m pretty sure your friend would be very upset with you especially since you don’t know if it was intentional or accidental. They would just deny it and your friend will hate you and nothing will probably come of it. But if you ever do see such a thing in person then go for it. Report it. But like I said. If it was intended then stay away from all of them.

I have really mixed feelings about hunting. I eat meat and so I pay people to slaughter the animals I consume. It’s not a very nice process and one I try to pretend doesn’t happen. Hunters have the integrity to take animals in a humane way and are an important part of managing the population of species like deer that have mostly had their natural predators driven off by humans. I have deep respect for people who are capable of being ethical hunters. I’m too much of a coward to look at an animal in the eyes and pull the trigger…and yet I eat meat. If it really was about survival for my family and myself, I would probably be able to do it, but it would not be an easy or joyful thing.

That said, there are people who get off on killing animals and making them suffer. This is grotesque and psychotic behavior as @Pandora mentions. I’d avoid being anywhere near your friend’s brother’s friend. That guy sounds disturbed.

The numbers of animals culled in this country and deer in particular must be staggering. Deer, like rats have probably never had it better since the virtual elimination of everything that formerly preyed on them while the the availability of food due to human practices is all but limitless. As for the photo itself, I would suspect the arrow may well have been positioned in a dead animal to create the illusion of an actual event.

Report that you observed a Deer with an arrow protruding and let them take care of tracking it.
Maybe do not mention whom did it?
I venture that there would be an article written about it and everyone will comment on the culprit’s behaviour, which should hit home to him and his friends.

Inflicting extreme pain on another creature is cruel and in this case is somewhat sick as well. Those who like to do such things often go on to hurt humans. It is a character flaw, and nothing to boast about.

That is NOT an ethical hunter. I’d actually chew his ass and find his tags and destroy them. He doesn’t deserve to hunt and the processor may call him in. Not cool, he should feel shame and if he shows his dad or uncles, they may kick his ass.

Hopefully it was not intentional. The hunter is supposed to aim for the heart for a quick kill. Going up the butt is torture for sure. There used to be medieval devices that did that to torture humans.

Pretty cruel. I would think about contacting the local game warden. Do not approach the individual, unless YOU, are law enforcement.

Pretty cruel to shoot there. With archery you need to know spots to hit so it is a quick death and so you don’t have to track it down.