New Provision Allows Motorists To Keep Deer Killed In Collisions Without Law Enforcement’s OK

A provision tucked into Wisconsin’s state budget is making it easier for people to keep deer that they’ve hit with their vehicles.

It’s long been legal to keep and eat deer killed on the road, but the process required a local police officer or sheriff’s deputy to come to the scene with a paper tag for the animal.

Now, thanks to a tweak in the state budget, DNR Chief Warden Todd Schaller said law enforcement doesn’t need to be involved.

“The new system is that same situation: The citizen simply needs to call the Department of Natural Resources Call Center, give us some basic information, location of deer, name and address, and then they can take possession of that deer without physically having a tag,” he said.

On average, 3,000 car kill deer tags are issued each year to motorists.

Schaller said law enforcement still needs to be called if there is damage to a vehicle.