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Taking trophy antler rack means following the rules
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By CHUCK CLEMENT, Staff Reporter
| 11/21/2012 |
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Stories circulate at this time of year about deer carcasses that are found laying out in the open along roads or in pastures or fields, in which the bucks have their antlers or entire head missing -- taken by someone wanting a trophy for their wall. According to Cody Symens, GF&P conservation officer for Lake County, reports about headless or antlerless deer carcasses occur four or five times each week during the last half of November. The frequency of the appearances is related to deer in the region busying themselves with mating. The peak period of the rut, or deer mating season, typically runs from mid to the late November.
During their rut, the bucks are more active and less cautious, making them easier to hunt and easier to hit with an automobile.
"There's a big toll on bucks during the rut," Symens said. "When you find those dead deer with their antlers or heads missing, it's typically the result of a car-deer accident or maybe someone had been using a spotlight at night to shoot a buck."
A conviction for using a spotlight to shoot a deer is just part of the trouble that poachers can find on their plates.
Violations of big-game hunting regulations can typically fall into the status of Class 1 misdemeanors, which carry fines of up to $2,000, possible jail time for up to one year, and mandatory loss of hunting for one year.
Symens said the severity of the penalty often depends on the size of the deer. If the criminal charge is considered a lesser Class 2 misdemeanor, the fine can typically amount to $150 and loss of hunting for a year.
Along with a criminal penalty, a poacher can receive a civil penalty of $1,000 for killing each non-trophy deer. For killing trophy animals, the civil fines can range from $2,000 to $5,000.
If a motorist accidentally hits and kills a buck with an impressive rack of antlers, the poaching penalties won't apply to the car-deer accident. The unlucky motorist can claim the deceased buck as long as he or she has obtained authorization from a SDGF&P conservation officer.
Taking the carcass or any part of the animal, such as its antlers, without official authorization is illegal.
According to Symens, all that an interested party needs to do is call the local 911 dispatch center and have the dispatcher contact him or another conservation officer.
"A person can claim the carcass as long as that party takes the entire animal, not just the antlers or head," Symens said.
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©Madison Daily Leader 2013
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