Car killed deer

[ouchfoss]

I was wondering what the law is for taking horns from a animal hit and killed by a vehicle. This 2 point was laying dead on the side of the highway the other day and I wanted to maybe grab the horns but I remember someone telling me once that its actually illegal to take them. The deer is already gone now ( not sure if animals or what moved it) but next time I see one dead I'd like to know whether or not i can take the horns.

[PolarBear]

Illegal!  Several thousand dollar fine if it is a 4pt or better.

[ouchfoss]

Thats what I thougth. I'm glad I never messed with it.

[300winmag]

I took the head of a nice 3 pt out by oakvile the other day with a axe on the way home from work . So I say finder keeper ......

[PolarBear]

Now there's something to be proud of. 

[cabin308]

Illegal!  Several thousand dollar fine if it is a 4pt or better.

I took the head of a nice 3 pt out by oakvile the other day with a axe on the way home from work . So I say finder keeper ......

Doesn't matter if it's a fawn or a buck  .  Careful what you say.  You go around tooting your horn like this you get ticketed and I get bonus points.
  Criminal Wildlife Penalty Assessment
In addition to criminal penalties, courts assess a
criminal wildlife penalty for conviction of illegally
killing or possessing: deer, elk, bear, or cougar -
$2,000; moose, antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain
goat, or any endangered species - $4,000; trophy
deer (four points or better), or elk (five points or
better) - $6,000; and mountain caribou, grizzly
bear, or trophy mountain sheep (3/4 curl or better)
- $12,000.

[tony04]

i always thought you could take the horns, just nothing else...

[cabin308]

i always thought you could take the horns, just nothing else...

That's only for naturally shed antlers.

[YellowDog]

Read your regs (page 65) and call a WDFW officer if it is worth it for you to take the time to do so.  Cabin, might be partially right about the portion of the regs you are citing but only if you don't first notify WDFW and if they tell you you cannot keep the antlers.

4. Wildlife Found Dead:
You may remove and dispose of wildlife found
dead on your property or an adjoining public
roadway, but you must first notify WDFW. Dead
wildlife can only be removed for disposal, not for
personal use or consumption.
(WAC 246.203.121)

Would keeping the antlers from a road killed buck be for "personal use" because I doubt you would be taking them for personal consumption.

[Palmer]

I'd like to see the code reference but I've heard its illegal.  However, if its not a game warden, the authorities probably don't know and wouldn't care if someone cleaned up the highway for them by taking the animal.  I've seen people do it and they don't get stopped and no one seems to care.

Kinda like my Uncle's neighbor's dog who chases deer and has a dead fawn in his mouth in the spring every once in a while so I hear.  If you told the police they probably wouldn't respond.

These are things I wouldn't do but people don't care or they think its just a deer.

I guess my point is that sure it may be illegal but with the way we pick and choose laws we want to enforce and ignore others - I figure its nominally illegal.  However, always use your moral compass.  I've been filling my tag every year by hunting my own, not loading up somebody's road kill.  I wouldn't be above cutting off a nice set of antlers off road kill though.  If there's a big fine then it wouldn't be worth getting caught.

I'll put it this way:  If a friend of mine got caught cutting antlers off road kill, I'd feel sorry that he had to pay a fine and wouldn't pass any judgement on him.  

I would think the law is in place to prevent poaching.

Thanks for the reference to the WAC Yellowdog.

[bowtech721]

ya i can see both sides... the law is the law and if it wasnt there i can see how poachers could have a way out but in reality a road killed set of antlers isnt gonna end the world...

[SHANE(WA)]

Pretty damn obvious it was nailed by a car if they wanted to check

[jagermiester]

I had a boss that moved to the states from Germany.  Shortly after his arrival he witnessed a deer get hit by a car. He pulled over and started putting it into the trunk of his car to take home.  A state patrol officer pulled over and made him put the deer back into the ditch.  He was so angry at this because in his home town no one would leave without taking all that good meat.  I always thought it was funny to think of what story that officer must have about the crazy German guy who was trying to put a deer into the trunk of his VW

[h2ofowlr]

If you have a tag for the season in which it was killed, you can use up your tag if you choose.  This state does not offer and road kill permits.  Many states do offer these permits for a minimal charge.
I guess it deters those with big rigs and brush guards from running them down.   

[SHANE(WA)]

Well there is some sort of program for people to pick up road kill, they have a list of people they call if in a area and fresh