Ask a Conservation Officer

[Lee Borgersen]

   Ask a Conservation Officer:
 
   What to do if I shoot the wrong deer

Q: While deer hunting I hit a doe instead of the buck I was aiming at and don’t have a tag for it. What do I do?

A: As Conservation Officers we know that mistakes can happen. The worst thing someone can do if a mistake is made is let the animal go to waste, hide it, or try to get away with it. If you make a mistake such as this the best thing you can do is call your local Conservation Officer. If you self-report the violation, you stand a far better chance of receiving a warning. I can’t speak for all officers,  but frequently a warning can be given for something like this. However, you can almost guarantee a citation if you are caught trying to hide a violation.

To find out who your local officer is, the DNR website has a CO locator with a map of station lines. You can also call the Minnesota DNR information line at 1 (888) MINNDNR (646-6367) which is answered 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. State Conservation Officers are dispatched through the state patrol dispatch center, so an on duty officer can be reached by calling the dispatch for your area at any time.


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