# Tagging a deer head found on your property



## anonymous7242016 (Aug 16, 2008)

If you found a dead buck on your property and wanted to keep the head would you have to tag it to keep it or call the dnr or local law enforcement like you would if you wanted to keep a road kill?
If you shot a deer and found it 2 weeks later do you have to tag it to keep the rack? Or can you get a permit like for road kills?


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

Copied from another post on a different thread:


DNR and ANTLERS 

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I shot an 11point on October 11, 2008 Did not find the animal until October 25. The yotes and birds had chewed him up pretty good to the point the skull was almost void of skin. So I grabbed the head and was going to do a european mount. I was disgusted that I was so close to finding this deer, I walked within 10 yards of him. Well any how I shot a doe sunday morning (Nov. 2) I usually don't shoot does this time of year but I want to try out a new butcher and our camp will use the meat through out November. On the way to the butcher a CO saw the deer leg sticking out of the truck and stopped me. He checked out the deer and tag everything was fine. We sat there on the side of the road talking about hunting and the story of my 11 point came up. After I was done telling my tale he says " Do you have the rack?" Now every ounce of my brain is yelling in my head to say no, but one little thing says don't ever lie to the law they get more mad when they find out you lied to them. So I say "Yes". The CO then asks " Did you tag it?" I say "no". He then proceeds to tell me that you can not be in possesion of antlers or head or combination without tagging it. Even if you did not shoot it and found it dead on your hunting property if you decide to keep the rack or head you have to tag it. Sheds are the only exception. WEll then he asks are you going to be in the area next weekend. I tell him I will (he already knew from our previouse conversation) So he says bring the head with you and you can either tag it or give it to me if you want to save your tag. By the way this guy has only been a CO for 5 months, he was very nice and treated me with respect I want to make it clear I have no problem with him personally................But come on man just let this one slide .
Ok I know I should tag it if I want to keep the rack. It is not a monster 11 point but it was a good 2.5 year old buck about a 16 inch spread with double brow tines. My problem is if I burn a tag what if I get a chance at 2 more nice bucks (chances are slim I know but could happen in my area) Or if I give up the rack and don't get any bucks then I am out my rack. (this is probably what would happen)
Another thing is this actually true? Do you really have to tag a head to keep it. What about road kills the dnr or cops can issue you a special permit to keep a road kill, why couldn't they do that for my deer head/skull? 
What should I do please give me some input.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

According to the hunting guide, it is unlawful to tag a deer that you did not kill. So therefore I would not tag it. But I would make sure to call the DNR as to the proper thing to do. If you shot a deer but found it 2 weeks later, you must tag it to keep it. You shot the deer, therefore you must tag it according to the law.


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## mr.cj (Oct 6, 2007)

if that is the deer you shot and found a few weeks later then you need to tag it


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## Cobramach1 (May 30, 2008)

That is an interesting question, because who actually has the tag for any of the mounted deer in your homes whether they just be the antlers or the entire head? In SD we put the tag around the leg and after processing, it just get's tossed unless I need to turn the boned meat over to a processor and then he gets the tag and I never see it again.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

Cobramach1 said:


> That is an interesting question, because who actually has the tag for any of the mounted deer in your homes whether they just be the antlers or the entire head? In SD we put the tag around the leg and after processing, it just get's tossed unless I need to turn the boned meat over to a processor and then he gets the tag and I never see it again.


Once processing has begun the deer is no longer required to be tagged by law. I have however seen numerous mounts with tags still attached especially at deer camps and especially when Michigan used the old metal tags.




> If you found a dead buck on your property and wanted to keep the head would you have to tag it to keep it or call the dnr or local law enforcement like you would if you wanted to keep a road kill?
> If you shot a deer and found it 2 weeks later do you have to tag it to keep the rack? Or can you get a permit like for road kills?


This particular question has been discussed a number of times on this site. In relation to the first part question how long are we talking that there deer was found dead? If we are talking recent then yes you need to call the DNR but that is no guarantee that you will be able to keep the deer. As stated above it is illegal to tag a deer that you did not lawfully kill.

As to the second part of the question, yes if you killed it and found it later after making a reasonable effort at the time and didn't find it you still have to tag it if you want to keep it. If you no longer have a tag then it would be advisable to again call the DNR with the realization again there is no guarantee you get to keep it.

As for the second post by Gideon, what the CO stated is true.


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## cmgronsk10 (Feb 13, 2008)

So than boehr if he finds the animal that he shot this February he should tag the animal out of season? What law states that if a dead deer is found on someone's property the DNR must grant approval to retreive the antlers or must be reported months after the season? I would think that the landowner would have rights to animal remains that die on his property as long as it was not an attempt to harvest game out of season or a recent kill. I find it hard to believe that a landowner cannot keep antlers from a deer that died on his property months ago.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

cmgronsk10 said:


> So than boehr if he finds the animal that he shot this February he should tag the animal out of season? What law states that if a dead deer is found on someone's property the DNR must grant approval to retreive the antlers or must be reported months after the season? I would think that the landowner would have rights to animal remains that die on his property as long as it was not an attempt to harvest game out of season or a recent kill. I find it hard to believe that a landowner cannot keep antlers from a deer that died on his property months ago.


First, slowly read my post, especially the part that states, ...*In relation to the first part question how long are we talking that there deer was found dead?* Second, read the original post which talks about two weeks and then try to stay with the topic.

Third but not last, wildlife dead or alive, found on a persons property does not mean the property own owns it or has any rights to it. Please do a search about antlers and dead deer as I stated above that it has been talked about many times and you will have all sorts of reading material and examples. Hope that answers you questions cmgronsk10.


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## Wendy (Oct 6, 2008)

I believe it's pretty clear, you cannot have a dead deer in your posession without a tag or permit to have it. 

If you find the deer, you don't have legal right to it, whether it's on your property or not. You need to call the DNR, they may take the deer, they may give you a permit to keep it. If you shoot a deer and didn't find it till later, you have to use the tag toward the deer you shot.

Same if you kill one on the road, the cops have to give you a permit to take even road kill.

You cannot keep live deer with out a permit from the state.

In other words, the state owns ALL the deer. The state determines what you can and cannot do with the deer. To have one in your posession you have to have a license or permit.


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## eyehog (Mar 7, 2006)

Where can I find the this "Rule" on taking the skull of a dead deer. My buddy was cutting corn about a week ago and found a dead deer in the corn field. He cut the rack off and took it home. It scored over 200 inches non-typical. Word got around to the CO and he came a took it from him. He said the CO told him that if it was a small buck he most likely would have done nothing. When he asked the CO what he would do with it he told him that the DNR would mount it and put it in an office, or field station. I personally have a couple of problems with this. 
1. Why is it OK to keep the antlers from a little buck that died on your property , but when you find a huge buck it belongs to the State of Michigan?
2. I never knew that Taxidermy was included in the cost of our hunting license


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## thekoch (Jul 25, 2008)

Just curious where does Michigan law state that the state owns the deer? The state should manage the deer for the enjoyment of people and the preservation of the species. This whole thing where the state (owns) the deer is pretty a**inine I just dont get it.

If it was me just put them in my shed and wait for a year to display them.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

eyehog said:


> Where can I find the this "Rule" on taking the skull of a dead deer. My buddy was cutting corn about a week ago and found a dead deer in the corn field. He cut the rack off and took it home. It scored over 200 inches non-typical. Word got around to the CO and he came a took it from him. He said the CO told him that if it was a small buck he most likely would have done nothing. When he asked the CO what he would do with it he told him that the DNR would mount it and put it in an office, or field station. I personally have a couple of problems with this.
> 1. Why is it OK to keep the antlers from a little buck that died on your property , but when you find a huge buck it belongs to the State of Michigan?
> 2. I never knew that Taxidermy was included in the cost of our hunting license


Pretty simple and Wendy did a pretty good job at explaining it in the post above.



> ...you cannot have a dead deer in your posession without a tag or permit to have it....the state owns ALL the deer. The state determines what you can and cannot do with the deer. To have one in your posession you have to have a license or permit.


An animal on your property doesn't mean you own the animal. If that was the meaning then you would need a license to hunt. Also, if you were allowed to keep, in this case deer or any part of a deer, then that would open it up to cheaters which there are enough of them out there already and there are those just after antlers. Some would poach deer let them lay a few days or even weeks, maybe even keeping an eye on them from time to time and then obtain the antlers which is what they were after without having to use a tag. There are a large number of poached deer reported every year where the deer are found and the antlers have been removed from August through January especially.

Also if you went to the Plainwell Office and took a look at the Wall of Shame that I started at that office, taxidermy costs was not paid for by your licenses but all that work was donated by very good law abiding taxidermists who hate poachers and will try to do many things to help stop it. That is not to say any deer the state displays has never been paid for such as decoy deer. They do cost money and other things having to do with mounts and furs too but your license moneies, one of the hundreds or thousands of things that money is used for is to stop poaching and advertise against poaching and to display the great natural resources, in this case again. deer, that Michigan has to offer.

So even the small buck does belong to the state in which the state (the CO) would likely allow you to have it, maybe. In my time I wouldn't allow anyone to have any antlers in that situation because I would use them to change to look of a decoy deer to catch poachers, especially using small racks.

So sorry you are upset that you didn't get to keep a rack from a deer you didn't shoot to start with but that is the way it is.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

bucksnbows said:


> If you found a dead buck on your property and wanted to keep the head would you have to tag it to keep it or call the dnr or local law enforcement like you would if you wanted to keep a road kill?
> If you shot a deer and found it 2 weeks later do you have to tag it to keep the rack? Or can you get a permit like for road kills?


Last spring while checking trees on the property I found this guy:










As Boehr and others stated, you have to have a permit. I contacted the DNR wildlife division in Lansing because I wanted to be proper and legal with keeping the head of this guy. I was told that a tag such as the type used by the DNR or LEO's for car-deer crashes would suffice. 

On another note one thing I learned during this regarding some using the analogy it's like finding sheds. It's not. Finding sheds and a dead buck are two different things. The dead buck and his antlers are considered animal parts and you need a permit. Sheds are no longer considered part of the animal that therefore legal to possess without a tag. Not too long ago I read of a guy finding some huge antlers on a dead buck and he made sure he contacted the DNR because he wanted everything legal and didn't want them seized.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

MCL 324.40105 All animals found in this state, whether resident or migratory and whether native or introduced, are the property of the people of the state, and the *taking of all animals shall be regulated by the department *as provided by law.

MCL 324.40104(1) &#8220;Take&#8221; means to hunt with any weapon, dog, raptor, or other wild or domestic animal trained for that purpose; kill; chase; follow; harass; harm; pursue; shoot; rob; trap; capture; or *collect animals*, or to attempt to engage in such an activity.

MCL 324.40106 A person shall not take, release, transport, sell, buy, or have in his or her possession game or any protected animal, whether living or dead, *or parts of any game or protected animal*, from this state or from outside of this state, except as provided for in this part or by an order of the department or an interim order of the department. This section does not enhance the department's powers to establish an open season for an animal that is not game or give the department the power to designate a species as game.


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## eyehog (Mar 7, 2006)

I do understand and appreciate you input, the question remains about finding the Rule that states you can not take the skull of a deer that you found. In the Hunting and trapping guide it only talks about animals that have been shot. It states It is unlawful to tag an animal that you did not kill. In this publication it says nothing about what to do with an animal that you find in the woods. As hunters this is the only set of rules that are available to us. If it is the States intent to not allow you to remove any part of any animal that has died from any cause other than you shooting it, wouldnt be smart to state that in the Hunting and Trapping guide? Size or how long it has been dead should not matter. And if it is Ok to call the DNR and obtain a tag to a dead animal that you find, then why wouldnt the officer just give him a tag? He knows the story and he has pictures of the buck that clearly shows it decomposing before he cut the rack off.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

Finding parts of a deer is not part of hunting or trapping. That is why it is not in a Hunting or Trapping Guide. Just like the guide doesn't address highway killed animals. As for the rule and skull, that is why the laws says "parts of", that covers everything without listing every little thing for every animal.

There are lots of laws that are not in some publication or guide for people to read but everyone can read the laws if they so choose.

All wild animals and all parts or wild animals belong to the state and the state can choose what to do with those parts. They migh choose to give them away to a person or might choose to use them for other purposes. That is all there is too it.

So the bottom line is do it the legal way or take your chances and do it illegally.


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