Fair?
 

Okay here is my story and before i begin let me clarify by saying that i am not claiming innocence. I live in Ohio and the county i hunt is located in zone "B" according to the Ohio DNR. In zone B the rule book says that you are allowed to shoot 3 doe's and one buck this year. In Ohio two types of deer tags are available and they are as follows: Either sex tag for $25 and a antlerless tag for $15. So far this season i have used two either sex tags and tagged two doe's. This past weekend i purchased a third either sex tag and headed off into the woods in search of my big 2012 buck. After striking out on my hunt Sunday night i climbed out of my tree and headed back to the truck. As soon as i could see my vehicle my heart started racing over the sight of what i thought were flashing police lights sitting in front of my vehicle. After a nervous 15 minute hike back to my vehicle i hear a voice say "Sir...how many deer have you shot this year?" i said "what?" He then proceeds to tell me that i have shot two doe's and used an either sex tag on both. He then asks me for my hunting license and deer tag, which i politely agreed to, and that's when he say's that he is going to write me a $220 fine for hunting without a deer tag which is a class 3 misdemeanor. Btw this guy was a Ohio Wildlife Officer. He goes on to explain to me that in zone B you are indeed allowed three doe's and one buck, but you can only use two of the either sex tags. I admit that i should have read the regulations manual a little better but in my defense it is very confusing and it even took him a few minutes to locate that rule. I just feel like a little mercy could have been given along with a written warning. It's not as if i was out there knowingly poaching, and i have no criminal history. What are you thoughts on the incident? Should i just pay the fine online or show up to court and explain to the judge that it was just an honest mistake and ask for a little mercy?

well i am a stickler for the law and i did not remember reading a 2 limit for either sex tags (i to am in zone c)

now here are your options. you have non you have to fight it if you plan to kill a buck because if you do not and you kill a buck and tag it with that tag then you are facing more charges for unlawful tagging and possably the forfieture of your deer and hunting impliments all the way down to your vehicle

i just looked it up and he is wrong you can tag 3 deer in zone 3 with the 24 dollar permits (just as i thought) so take it to court

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/...eer.aspx#zones


scroll down to the zones map and then read what it say in the red zone c

Only 3 deer may be tagged with Deer Permits(s) ($24) in Zone C.

I'm sorry my mistake i meant to say Zone B.

Ouch! Court has heard alot of reasons i,m sure. Time and money to go enter a plea, were i to be in your position i have the time. My plea would be guilty with a reason. Regulations do need to change but need to be clear as well. Not knocking Michigan regulations(to hard). But have had to explain disabled regulations to a few raised eyebrows.

Here our tags are electronic and my opinion is if its not allowed to be purchased don,t allow it.
Will they reimburse the tag you shouldn't,t have acquired? Which in your case of tagging does with either sex their in essence making more money than buying one of each(if allowed).
Not going to help but i can understand the confusion with some regulations.

even if you were hunting in zone b where you can only use 2 24 dollar permits you are still allowed to purchase a third legally for use in zone c. but if you were infact hunting in zone b then he did ticket you correctly as you would have had to have an antlerless tag to be legal there. if you killed your 2 deer in zone b and used your 2 @$ dollar tags allowed in that zone you will have to kill your buck in zone c

he is allowed to have the third either sex tag they got him because the third either sex tag is not valid in zone b (which he mistakenly said zone c) so in order to be legal in zone b he would have had to buy an antlerless permit. his third either sex tag is valid but he has to be hunting zone c

Yes i understand and agree with that, but i guess my question is do you think it was fair and do you think going to court and explaining the situation could result in a warning vs. this huge fine.

Thanks for explaining, the tag vs zone.

I would go to court and talk to the judge. It was an honest mistake. Just reading this makes me confused on how your DNR does this.

I guess for future you can buy one either sex tag and one doe tag to start the season and you should be set.