# If you hit and kill a deer, what are your state's laws regarding your right to claim



## camotoe (Sep 19, 2006)

My son hit and killed an 8 point buck this morning at 6:00am on his way back from work. I asked him if he kept it and he said these guys showed up and he thought they were with the state and they said he couldn't have it. I was always under the assumption that in Ohio, if you hit and kill a deer, you are entitled to it. That buck could have been some good eating for my son and his friends. Anyone know the law regarding this? My son should have been more determined to pursue it, IMO but he's still young.


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## bob1961 (Dec 11, 2003)

yeah them guys most likely saw that deer get hit and moved in and took it off him for themselves knowing he might not know that they weren't from the state also i bet they didn't show him any ID or were in uniform....how did the state get there so fast then, driveing around looking for deer hit by cars ???....they jumped on an oppertunity to snag that buck and then say look what i shot yesterday to there slob friends too....if i hit a buck and get it loaded into my truck and get it home what the state don't know is good fer me and they won't know cause i'm not telling no one bout it but maybe i found it dead in the woods....here in PA the PGC will charge you 10.00 bucks a point to keep the rack that you hit with your truck or car and either a buck or doe they would like you to call them to add that deer to there stats and issus you a possession tag to take the deer home.................bob

....


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## ban_t (Dec 27, 2005)

If you hit a deer in Indiana you get a tag if want it, I do not beleive you have too pay for it. I have not been billed. I hit a doe and called the police , since it really wrecked my truck. but anyway I asked and they issued me a tag and called it a good day. No charge no problems. I felt it was the least they could due. Heck the deer and mee both lost out deer got one truck, myself got one expensive repair bill, I got dinner. Well At least I got Dinner:darkbeer:


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## Buksknr53 (Mar 30, 2006)

I have never hit a deer, but know a lot of folks who have. From what I have heard, the person who hits the deer gets it if he wants it. I know that in Va. you're supposed to call the police or game warden if you hit a deer. They will issue a tag for it. A couple of years ago, I was riding with a friend on the way to our clubhouse for a day of hunting. He struck and killed a doe. When he called the game warden to report the kill, the game warden told him that he didn't have time to come out. When my friend asked if we could take the deer, the warden told us to use one of our tags if we had one, or leave it in the ditch! I can understand not wanting to get caught with an untagged deer, but we were not hunting with the truck, and the game warden should have come to the scene and issued a tag. That was a waste of a good deer.


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## SPIKER_67 (Nov 7, 2007)

I hit a nice 4 pointer last year with my truck. Here in NY, the troopers carry a book with "many" tags. He told me to slit the ear, and attach the tag. He just wouldn't let me gut the deer at that location...man did it stink, but the meat was as good as any that I've shot..:shade:


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## Hep (Jan 26, 2006)

I believe in Wisconsin.The driver that hit the deer gets first say.If He or She doesn't want it anyone else can claim it, and the police will issue a tag free. :darkbeer:


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## KYBUCKFEVER (Oct 3, 2007)

Here in Kentucky if you hit a deer you must first call a CO in that county and report it as being hit by vehice. He then must come out and verify it was killed by the vehicles impact and not a weapon. He will then issue you a carcass tag where you can do as you please with the deer.


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## GCOD (Nov 24, 2006)

here in Florida the game warden actually comes and picks it up they will not let the person that hit it keep it ,they dispose of it


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## camotoe (Sep 19, 2006)

GCOD said:


> here in Florida the game warden actually comes and picks it up they will not let the person that hit it keep it ,they dispose of it


That seems like a perfectly good waste of a resourceIMO


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## Slice (Jul 20, 2005)

Up here in Michigan. The troopers will issue a tag and you can take the deer, you need to contact the DNR and let them know. 

The only exception is they can not issue a tag for a spotted fawn and you can not take it. The same is true for a bear you can take the bear but if it is a cub you can not take it.


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## LongRifle (Jan 22, 2007)

In Ohio, for our deer crashes if you hit it and want it we issue an HP-60 (property receipt) which allows you to have the deer. At least that is how we do it in the Highway Patrol, don't know what other agencies do.


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## cajunsticker (Oct 25, 2006)

My buddy (with me in the truck) hit a small doe last weekend. The police showed up in 5 minutes. We were on our way to a lottery muzzleloader hunt and had our orange on already. The officer said, "well at least you have your orange on." He told us to take the deer if we wanted it because he'd get 100 calls before 10:00 if we left it on the side of the road. No tags here anyway.


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## TWOWITHONE (Oct 3, 2007)

In Pa. you gotta call the GC and I beleive they send you a permit for it. Now if you smack a buck and you want to keep it you have to pay its either $8.00 dollars or $10.00. a point on that rack.


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## ratliffc (Oct 21, 2007)

*in ia*

in ia we call police depart. or DNR. Cops respond quickest they come give u a free tag, make sure its dead, and leave you to dragging it home.


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## Strutter Cutter (Jun 28, 2004)

*Road Kill Cafe*

I believe TN passed a law 2 or 3 years ago that you could pick up the deer . Before that, you had to leave it. 
So, if anyone's eyes brighten up at the sight of meat on the road, just stop and load it up :darkbeer::darkbeer::darkbeer::mg:.


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## oldmanperry (Jul 23, 2007)

In MA any road killed deer is yours, you must wait for an EPO to come and issue a free tag. You may not keep a moose that you hit, they take those.


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## MNmike (Dec 27, 2003)

*Same in MN*



Hep said:


> I believe in Wisconsin.The driver that hit the deer gets first say.If He or She doesn't want it anyone else can claim it, and the police will issue a tag free. :darkbeer:



Been there, and done it.

A GF of mine smucked a doe one year that the local police issued a tag to me for free.


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## brown it's down (Dec 3, 2007)

*ohio driver*

I live in ohio also and I have hit three deer and my sister hit one. WHen she hit the deer the highway patrolman had to shoot it. He asked us if we wanted the deer but we didn't so in this instance we could keep the deer. I think too that it was some thugs that wanted to take a nice buck for themselves. "What jerks"


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## brown it's down (Dec 3, 2007)

*paying for deer*

I think they can take that idea and stick it. Im not paying for anything. Here is an idea , how about we make them pay for our car damages now! we have to pay the state for deer tags so I guess they are property of the state so they need to pay damages done to deer/car accidents!


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## 1adam12 (Aug 27, 2003)

In Missouri you can keep it if you contact a Conservation Agent (Game Warden) to get paperwork making it legal to possess.


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## Punch_Free4L (Mar 25, 2007)

1adam12 said:


> In Missouri you can keep it if you contact a Conservation Agent (Game Warden) to get paperwork making it legal to possess.


Pretty much same thing in NY


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## eaholmes1325 (Sep 18, 2007)

GCOD said:


> here in Florida the game warden actually comes and picks it up they will not let the person that hit it keep it ,they dispose of it


Not sure what part of the state you are in, but I hit one a few years ago and got to keep it. The warden came out to dispatch it because it was in Feb. (asked me over the phone if I had means of putting it down myself but the dispatcher must have been an anti b/c she about lost it). I asked if I could keep it and he said yeah, even called in and told people I would be cleaning the deer in the woods so that nobody would give me any trouble.


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## copterdoc (Oct 9, 2005)

In Illinios, you can take any road killed deer. The vehicle operator has "first dibs", but if they don't want it, anybody can take it.

There is no tag required. All you need to do is record the date and location of the kill and keep that information, with the meat, until it is completely consumed.

You do not even need to report it.


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## Meat hook (Jan 2, 2008)

*In Fla*

I have been on the scene of many a deer kill in Florida. I was a traffic officer until retirement. 
In the past, Fish and Game was called and the meat was offered to boys ranches for food. That all went by the wayside as they no longer wanted to be burdened by it. Now the person whom struck the deer can have it with the officers blessings or call a friend. Mostly it is viewed by officers as salvaging meat by owner request as opposed to wasting it, however most are just left along the roadside. 


Basically there is no directive that is in place. :moose:


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## BLB752 (Aug 16, 2004)

Here (AR) the driver can keep it. If they or a passer by does not want it we usually have a list of folks that want it and will come get it when we call. We notify the SO and they keep a list of road kill for the game and fish.

Most of the time there is not a lot left that would be salvageable. Reminds me of a water balloon with fur.ukey: Other times they are stone dead and not a mark on them. 

Had a guy just load up a small doe and drive to the PD for a report. I got his info and walked out to look at the damage to his truck and the deer was standing up in the bed of his truck.


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## crazyfarmer (Jan 8, 2008)

Buksknr53 said:


> I have never hit a deer, but know a lot of folks who have. From what I have heard, the person who hits the deer gets it if he wants it. I know that in Va. you're supposed to call the police or game warden if you hit a deer. They will issue a tag for it. A couple of years ago, I was riding with a friend on the way to our clubhouse for a day of hunting. He struck and killed a doe. When he called the game warden to report the kill, the game warden told him that he didn't have time to come out. When my friend asked if we could take the deer, the warden told us to use one of our tags if we had one, or leave it in the ditch! I can understand not wanting to get caught with an untagged deer, but we were not hunting with the truck, and the game warden should have come to the scene and issued a tag. That was a waste of a good deer.




yes, in Va we issue a tag for the deer if the person that hits it wants it. Usually the driver wont, but if its a nice buck most do claim it.


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