Originally Posted by
iSnipe
I bet if I called your Fish & Game there, they would DISPUTE that statement! I'd take and win that bet. Especially the way that statement is generalized.
Can't imagine all the deer that are left over night in the woods because they either can't find him immediately and are waiting 'til the morning for better tracking light OR...
...all the deer that are left over night simply because the shooter was uncomfortable with the hit and wanted to give time for the animal to expire. 'Round here in the lower states, we hunters have a saying... "When in doubt, back out".
Now if a hunter shoots a deer, locates it and leaves it over night, they should be required to tag it first. Then if the carcass encounters predation, spoilage, etc, the hunter is out the meat and the tag.
iSnipe
I was under the impression that we were talking about a situation where the hunter shoots and locates the dead animal, but still leaves it in the field. Iowa law requires that a deer be tagged within 15 minutes of locating it, or before the carcass is moved, whichever comes first. If you shot one, and didn't tag it, and left it, the DNR could cite you for failure to tag the animal. If you did tag it and left it, and it was found and reported, you might be charged with waste of game/failure to retrieve an edible portion of the animal. I'd think it really depends on the officer, but I doubt that he'll accept the excuse that you were just too busy to drag your deer out. I could be wrong, but that's not a conversation I'd want to have with a DNR CO.
Mike