About three weeks ago in Kentucky my brother shot at a buck he said was 24" wide. It was a long shot and he thought he had missed. We couldn't find the first sign that he'd hit it. I also figured he was exaggerating about the size. He found the buck dead today and he said he may have underestimated the size. I'm not familiar with this. What's the correct thing to do in this situation? Common sense would indicate that if he wants to keep it and claim it as a kill he would have to tag it and with KY being a one buck state, he'd be finished, but what if he'd killed another buck before now? I told him that I would call his DNR, explain the situation and ask what the proper thing to do is. Does anyone know off the top of their heads? This was a gun kill, but I'm after a quick answer because he's still out in the woods.
Obviously he can't tag it legally if he already spent his one buck tag..... Report it as an EHD find? Report it as a found deer but don't claim it as a kill (technically he doesn't know he killed it). Don't bother reporting it. Leave it lay (yeah right). Claim it as a bow kill with legal tag? Not sure but those are some options that come to mind.
I don't see the problem then....tag it and be done with it or call a warden and ask but he'll likely say tag it.
In Jersey if you are in possession it better be tagged or you will get fined!! I don't know about Kentucky though.
I think Illinois will give you some kind of permit if you find something like that. I'd probably go that route, but would definitely call the dnr. The only way I'd burn my tag would be if the dnr required me too, with the time that's past and you saying didn't find anything at time of shot to indicate a hit why assume that shot is what killed it. If it was that long of a shot its very possible it was a miss, who know what happened after that. That's just me though, but I would definitely make the call to the DNR.
I'd definitely call a CPO and get their input. One of three things will happen. 1. The CPO will affirm his story and tell him to tag the buck that he killed 2. The CPO may take possession of the head/antlers and wish him a good day 3. The CPO may take an understanding to his story, realize that the meat is inedible and issue hime some sort of salvage tag rather than use his tag if the cause of death is indeed indeterminable. It really depends on your brothers story and how hard he searched for it if he did at all. It's a tough decision on what to do, but it all comes down to a moral decision. It's obvious he wants the antlers, and with the one buck law he has his buck. I personally would tag it if I felt even 80% certain that my shot was lethal. If he opts to shoot a second buck and keep this one it would be a decision and potential violation he would have to live with.
He won't have to tag it. Call and report it as a found deer. They will MOST LIKELY let him keep it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
If he's POSITVE it's the one he shot then he should "man up" & tag it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would agree that if he feels this is the buck he shot, he should just go ahead and use his tag on in. That's why we have a certain number of tags. The CO will tell him such if he tells the CO what he is telling you. He could probably lie and get a salvage tag, but he will always know he didn't take the high road.
If he calls an reports it like he should then it'll work out 1 of 3 ways. They'll tell him to use his tag, they'll issue a salvage tag and let him have it, or the warden who checks it out will take possession of it. Ive heard this happening all 3 ways here locally.
