When approaching a downed deer or large animal, you should:

Approaching a downed deer or large animal requires caution to ensure both your safety and that of the animal. The correct choice emphasizes a careful approach from above and behind the animal's head. This position allows you to maintain a safe distance while also being in a place where the animal is less likely to see you approaching, reducing the chance of startling it. Animals can sometimes regain consciousness and may react unpredictably when approached head-on or from the front, so this approach minimizes the risk of injury to yourself.

The other options suggest actions that could either startle the animal or put you in danger. Running towards the animal may provoke a defensive response, while circling it might put you in a position where you can be easily seen and potentially attacked. Staying at a distance and merely observing could be a safe approach, but it does not address the need to ensure that the animal has been properly dispatched and to retrieve it if it is legal and ethical to do so.