Non-native, 11-point, European fallow deer shot by hunter in Spafford

[HuntingNY-News]

Non-native, 11-point, European fallow deer shot by hunter in Spafford1 December 2010, 9:52 amSubmitted photo You don't hear about this every day. David Hutcheon, of Liverpool, shot an 11-point, European fallow deer in Spafford recently. "It apparently escaped from someone who raises them (for meat)," he said. The deer had a black tail...Source: Outdoors Blog

[ny hunter]

Is he in any kind of trouble? I wonder?

[Doc]

Interesting question. I assume we have no laws covering fallow deer. So does that mean that it is unprotected and eligible for hunting or does that mean that since there is no specified season that allows hunting them, they cannot be hunted? Suppose one of PA's elk wandered up this way ...... would they be legal to shoot?

I have no idea.

Doc

[Bballhunter11]

If there are no regulations on them and they are a non native species then it is open season on them, just as it is on mountain lions in ny. Because the DEC does not recognize them existing here they would be considered invasive and equivalent to feral hogs

[ny hunter]

So does he have to use his deer tag?

[steve863]

I thought I read somewhere that it would be illegal to shoot a mountain lion in NY if someone did happen to see one?  If it were legal you would think someone would have shot one already from all the claims that NYS has a good population of them.  That would surely lay the rumors to rest, don't you think?  Maybe a few of them would have DEC ear tags on them.  LOL.  Amazing how many people believe that!  Just talked to someone this past weekend who is convinced of it! 

[ny hunter]

I was talking to a guy who swears the DEC released mt.lions in the woods back in the 70's and 80's.He actually got angry when I questioned him on the subject.

[Doewhacker]

haha I meet a ML beleiver last September, I kinda chuckled when he started with story time and later in the day he and his buddies were watching Turkey Vultures flying in a kettle and they insisted they were hawks. I tried to correct them and ofcourse I was wrong..haha I was not surprised at all.

Any way, I also was wondering about tagging that Fallow deer..how does that work?

[phade]

I'm guessing he doesn't tag it. I think it's akin to shooting a wild pig because it is not a regulated game animal. I image he would only need a hunting license to shoot it....not tag.

ML has some type of distinction (federally applied) where someone would get in trouble for shooting one, outside of defense. I'm unsure where the line is drawn since ML can be legally hunted in some states.

[WNYBuckHunter]

If its a non native or invasive species, you woulndt use your deer tag on it, you wouldnt use any tag on it. Your best bet would be to report it to DEC as soon as you can, they would want to have a look, then they would advise you on what to do, probably just to take it to the butcher unless there was something wrong with the animal.