I would try to fight it in court if I were you. I consulted our game laws and sure enough, it says, "Immediately after killing a deer.........., you must validate your kill tag....." However, if for example, you gut shoot your deer, and attempt to recover it immediately, you are likely to loose it forever and the animal will waste in some location you're unlikely to never find. I am sure our state, in its infinite wisdom has some law against that too. In most cases, how can you be positive of your shot placement?? The question is, how do you know exactly when the animal expires..especially if the shot placement can't be precisely known?? I think most judges would look at this DNR official (if he had the balls to show up at the hearing) and ask why he is wasting the court's time with such a frivolous ticket and maybe remand him back to school for additional education!