Follow Proper Protocol for Big Game/Vehicle Accidents

PIERRE, S.D.--Drivers who pay attention to safety and do everything right can still find themselves in an automobile accident involving wildlife. Just as there are a variety of safety precautions to take to guard against such an accident, there are also procedures that need to be followed after a mishap.

Often during this time of year, unfortunate motorists may find themselves involved in vehicle-deer accidents. The first thing a motorist should do in the event of any accident involving big game is contact law enforcement.

If a collision occurs that kills the animal, South Dakota law allows the vehicle driver to claim the deer or antelope, if the proper procedures are followed. The first step is to contact a conservation officer.

“Before the deer or antelope can be removed or processed, the driver must obtain authorization from a conservation officer,” said GFP Regional Conservation Officer Supervisor Mark Smedsrud of Sioux Falls. There is no fee for the authorization.

Such a law protects the resource by ensuring that possession limits are enforceable. “Without a law like this,” Smedsrud explained, “poachers could claim that any deer in their possession was found at the side of the road and conservation officers would be powerless to prove otherwise. With this law on the books, unlawful possession of a road-killed deer or antelope can lead to arrest.”

According to Smedsrud, the written permission to possess the animal must remain with the carcass while it is in processing and storage.  No part of the animal may be sold, bartered or traded.

--GFP--