# Is there any legal way to shoot a deer in your yard?



## Sheripoms (May 17, 2008)

Somebody told me that there was some kinda law that allowed you to shoot deer in your yard even if it is not deer season.. Does anyone know of this.
They are eating up my garden.. 
I could definitely use the meat too.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I am not an expert. I know that some predators can be shot if they are going after your livestock. As deer are NOT predators, I would look up your state's game laws to be sure it is legal before shooting a deer. Perhaps a call to your local game warden, and a request for a handbook?


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

Call your local game warden and ask him. Some states will give special permits for them if they are eating your garden. In the meantime try putting a string of fresh yarn around the garden. The kind you knit with. Works for some as the don't like the dye smell. Good luck. Sam


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

not for eating your lawn or bushes, if you had a farm, some states give out land owners permits to shoot the deer if they're eating their corn and hay. 25-50 deer on a farm can eat a lot of cow food.


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Employ the Three S Rule.
Shoot
Shovel
Shut-Up
It has worked for hundreds of years.


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## palani (Jun 12, 2005)

I suppose if it assaults you or makes an aggressive move in your direction.

Common law has it that an enditement fails if the deer was shot on freehold property as opposed to a park or warren.

Might be a good test to see if you hold your property in freehold or if the state owns it. My bet is on the state though.


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## Chickadeedee (Jan 28, 2009)

WolfWalksSoftly said:


> Employ the Three S Rule.
> Shoot
> Shovel
> Shut-Up
> It has worked for hundreds of years.


Before you risk that, you might want to find out the amount of the fine that would have to be paid if you were caught. It varies so much even from county to county in our state. In our area you can get a agricultural permit.


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## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Coax that king-sized rodent out into your driveway and run the sucker over with the car. :baby04:
Never any questions asked if'n a car did it.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Micheal said:


> Coax that king-sized rodent out into your driveway and run the sucker over with the car. :baby04:
> Never any questions asked if'n a car did it.


hitting it with a car works sometimes, but doesnt always kill them. they need to hit it with the car and then shoot it to end the suffering. I have even had them hit near our place, and them rascals run off the hiway into my garden where I then had to shoot them.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

How close are your neighbors? Can they see your yard? This will determine your course of action.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

How big is your garden? Have you tried a fence? We live across the road from a state game refuge that is full of deer. Even though we see deer in our yard every single day, the deer never bother our garden onaccounta it's fenced.


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## nappy (Aug 17, 2003)

A fence or dog?


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## WindowOrMirror (Jan 10, 2005)

Rose's advice is the advice to follow (in my opinion) depending on your state. Most have this as an option.

R


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## seagullplayer (Nov 6, 2008)

You could call the sheriff and they will let you know if you can get a permit.

Or, you could just use a 22, hollow point if you would like it to die in a few days or
Bird shot if you want to try running it off. Either way it more than likely won&#8217;t return&#8230;


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

seagullplayer said:


> Or, you could just use a 22, hollow point if you would like it to die in a few days or Bird shot if you want to try running it off. Either way it more than likely wonât returnâ¦


 Sick~! Please don't even think of doing something like this. Geesh.


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

Here in my County depradation permits are quite easily obtained. However, once utilized you now have a reasonably large carcass to dispose of. Just something to consider......


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Louisiana is pretty hard-core about hunting. If I remember correctly, it's the only state that has a clause in the state constitution specifically guaranteeing the right to hunt.

I believe that you can get Landowner Anterless Deer Tags for offseason on your private land. I don't recall all the details but a friend of mine did that and hunted the deer that were overgrazing his land. Not sure if that works in all settings. Check out:

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/


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## Oggie (May 29, 2003)

Wildlife is pretty much legally considered a common state-controlled resource, even if it is on your property. You have to get the proper permits to legally shoot, capture or otherwise use it.

Your game warden would be the best person to ask as laws vary from state to state.


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## SteveD(TX) (May 14, 2002)

palani said:


> I suppose if it assaults you or makes an aggressive move in your direction.
> 
> Common law has it that an enditement fails if the deer was shot on freehold property as opposed to a park or warren.
> 
> Might be a good test to see if you hold your property in freehold or if the state owns it. My bet is on the state though.


Yea, that might work if you live in England or maybe in Canada. But I doubt it.


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## ninny (Dec 12, 2005)

Shoot the darn thing and say it attacked you. It was self defense.

.


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## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

farmers can get a shoot permit..they can even get a permit to have hunters come and shoot the deer if they are damageing crops


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## Itsme (Jan 12, 2008)

seagullplayer said:


> You could call the sheriff and they will let you know if you can get a permit.
> 
> Or, you could just use a 22, hollow point if you would like it to die in a few days or
> Bird shot if you want to try running it off. Either way it more than likely wonât returnâ¦


Unreal. Please do not follow *THAT* advice.



Killing *A* deer is not going to solve your problem. 
Fencing in the garden will solve your problem.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I know what Ohio law says. Only allowed to shoot a deer in season and even then only with the proper permits even if it is on your own property. A fence would cost much less than any fine for taking a deer out of season.

BTW, Ohio div of wildlife has been known to confiscate carcasses and meat and perform DNA testing on all suspect items. If you are found with a poached deer you could lose everything, and I do mean everything. They have taken homes even.


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## Saffron (May 24, 2006)

In some states, if you are Native American, you can kill deer for meat.

Otherwise, prove that it is eating your garden which you use to feed your family, and follow the requirements to save you lots of legal problems.


Marigolds are a great deer deterrent. They hate the smell. In my garden you can see how they circle around the area to avoid the marigolds.


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

WolfWalksSoftly said:


> Employ the Three S Rule.
> Shoot
> Shovel
> Shut-Up
> It has worked for hundreds of years.


For deer, "SSS" stands for shoot, serve, shut-up...too delicious to shovel


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

seagullplayer said:


> You could call the sheriff and they will let you know if you can get a permit.
> 
> Or, you could just use a 22, hollow point if you would like it to die in a few days or
> Bird shot if you want to try running it off. Either way it more than likely wonât returnâ¦


The question was about "LEGAL" ways. What you describe is not. When you get caught I would like to sit on your jury.:bash::bash::bash:


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Danaus29 said:


> I know what Ohio law says. Only allowed to shoot a deer in season and even then only with the proper permits even if it is on your own property. A fence would cost much less than any fine for taking a deer out of season.
> 
> BTW, Ohio div of wildlife has been known to confiscate carcasses and meat and perform DNA testing on all suspect items. If you are found with a poached deer you could lose everything, and I do mean everything. They have taken homes even.


You might want to read the rest of the law. Ohio issues "nuisance" deer permits on a regular basis.


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## used2bcool13 (Sep 24, 2007)

Check with the game warden, my father in law got a big ticket shooting a bear that was attacking him on his property. 

The bear was eating his garbage 10 feet away from his door and he was in the doorway trying to scare it off, then it stood up and started running towards the trailer. 

It is pretty stupid when animals have more rights than humans - and no I don't abuse animals or humans.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

edcopp, thanks for the info. I did find something on it:
http://www.erie-county-ohio.net/eswcd/pdf/nuisance.pdf

I wonder if anyone has actually ever been issued one of those permits. It used to be that you could register your property as having too many deer which allowed open hunting during the season. Anyone with a license and deer tag had to be allowed access to your property under those regs. I'm glad they changed it.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Sheripoms, here is the info you need:
http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/publicservices/landownerassistance/nuisanceanimals/

Good luck.


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## Sheripoms (May 17, 2008)

Thanks for all the info. Going to read it right now


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## melina (May 10, 2002)

My son-in-law was able to get nuisance permits in central California for the wild boar that roto-tilled his lawn. Mmmmm, good sausage!


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

...............Shoot...Dress out...Bar Bque...Enjoy... , Tools.... Sharp knife , Hack saw , Beer , sauce , salad , Beer , paper plates , Chopsticks , Tater Salad , Beer , Knapkins , More beer , etc , lol . This is the "Big Rockpile" method of critter remediation ! , fordy:bouncy:


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

So whatcha all are saying is that maybe if we run outa venison in late spring all we have to do is plant a few veggies to attract some deer, call the DNR and get a permit, then go a huntin' over the new garden plot? 

In Minnesota baiting deer is illegal...but maybe this could be a loophole.

I'm gonna have to give this idea some thought....

Any recommendations what I should plant in my new 4x4' garden plot?


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Cabin Fever said:


> So whatcha all are saying is that maybe if we run outa venison in late spring all we have to do is plant a few veggies to attract some deer, call the DNR and get a permit, then go a huntin' over the new garden plot?
> 
> In Minnesota baiting deer is illegal...but maybe this could be a loophole.
> 
> ...


Now that's what I call using the Legal System to your advantage:bouncy:


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## palani (Jun 12, 2005)

SteveD(TX) said:


> Yea, that might work if you live in England or maybe in Canada. But I doubt it.


I made no claim that this argument would work. I said that it was common law. The reason it fails in the U.S. as well as Canada and the rest of the U.K. is you don't hold your property in freehold.

That is the way things go in countries where private property has been outlawed.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Get a dog! We have deer all over the place. Our garden isn't fenced in, but the dogs are! Even with the dogs in a fenced back yard the deer have NEVER touched our garden (which isn't in the fenced back yard).

The other day I was working in the garden and watching seven deer grazing in the field a short distance from me. The dogs were barking like crazy, but the deer didn't seem to mind. However, they didn't try to come up close to the house or garden.

GET A DOG!


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Sheripoms said:


> Somebody told me that there was some kinda law that allowed you to shoot deer in your yard even if it is not deer season.. Does anyone know of this.
> They are eating up my garden..
> I could definitely use the meat too.


If it's in my garden, it dies.

A grown doe will net you about 31 pounds of meat, not including the backstrap.

A story....a game warden walks into a hunting camp in Colorado. After examining the game hung nearby, he asks which fellow is from Louisiana? When Thibodeaux raises his hand, the game warden arrests him for shooting and killing a bear at night.

"How'd you know dat?", Thibodeaux asked.

The game warden replied, "Well, I noticed the bear had been shot only one time, but the bullet hole went through both paws and into the face."

That's definitely Louisiana...


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## RavensNest (Nov 16, 2007)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> hitting it with a car works sometimes, but doesnt always kill them. they need to hit it with the car and then shoot it to end the suffering. I have even had them hit near our place, and them rascals run off the hiway into my garden where I then had to shoot them.


Or, you could shoot them first and then run over them, just to CYA. (Tire marks).

Ravens Nest


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## kohburn (May 21, 2009)

just have to hit it with you car  

edit: awe, too slow on the draw.


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## Sheripoms (May 17, 2008)

I do have dogs. They are out all day and part of the night.. Saw one chasing one yesterday in the middle of the day. 
The only problem is that when they come in at night, the deer know it.:happy::happy:
I may start making them stay out all night and letting them in in the day to sleep. 
Somebody said something about a motion detector light. But with all the critters we have here it would probably be going on and off all night.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Yeah, we have dogs outside 24/7 and, even though they're fenced in the deer still stay away.

Also, hubby and the dogs "mark their territory" around the garden when they are out walking. I think this also keeps the deer away.


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

WolfWalksSoftly said:


> Now that's what I call using the Legal System to your advantage:bouncy:


Thats not what I call it.


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## silverbackMP (Dec 4, 2005)

In Missouri we practice "catch and release." Catch by rifle, cut out the backstraps, loins, and hams (the front shoulder are worthless anyway) and release the remainder.


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## hotzcatz (Oct 16, 2007)

Move to Hawaii. No deer in my garden! Although there are some on Molokai, so you have to be careful which island you garden on.


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## Montanarchist (Feb 24, 2005)

arabian knight said:


> Sick~! Please don't even think of doing something like this. Geesh.


A .22 to the guts is a common practice around here with vicious dogs. If you have some sort of ethics issue with it. Try a paintball gun, or one of those "grouse" arrows for your bow.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

the game warden/sheriff around her would laugh and say build a fence. If you shoot one there's always another one behind it.


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## snowshoehair (Jul 3, 2008)

prometheus said:


> A .22 to the guts is a common practice around here


Shooting any animal in the gut is cruel, inhumane and just plain mean. The animal suffers for days before finally dying.


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## Montanarchist (Feb 24, 2005)

snowshoehair said:


> Shooting any animal in the gut is cruel, inhumane and just plain mean. The animal suffers for days before finally dying.



the rest of the quote was ..."for vicious dogs." Myself and most here figure they've earned it.


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## VOR. (Feb 3, 2009)

In TX, we are allowed to shoot any animal that is eating crops. I use an electric fence and dogs though. I couldn't afford the ammo to shoot all the deer I have around my place.


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## catahoula (Dec 14, 2005)

Cabin Fever said:


> So whatcha all are saying is that maybe if we run outa venison in late spring all we have to do is plant a few veggies to attract some deer, call the DNR and get a permit, then go a huntin' over the new garden plot?
> 
> In Minnesota baiting deer is illegal...but maybe this could be a loophole.
> 
> ...


 Plant stand up peas, the pea fields around here that border any timber are thick with deer and elk with the occasional moose.


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## catahoula (Dec 14, 2005)

Sheripoms said:


> Somebody told me that there was some kinda law that allowed you to shoot deer in your yard even if it is not deer season.. Does anyone know of this.
> They are eating up my garden..
> I could definitely use the meat too.


 How close are your neighbors? Could they see you shoot the deer?
Aim for the deers head, you'll either miss and it will run like the wind, or you'll kill it where it stands. As long as you aren't brazen about the deed, don't shoot your mouth off about the deer you bagged out of season you'll never get caught. 

The only mistake you have made is to post the question on a public forum.


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## EvansNC (Nov 14, 2008)

*This is the worst time to kill a deer. They are nursing their young. Put a fence around your garden that's what I did to keep chickens, dogs and every other kritter out.*


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## snowshoehair (Jul 3, 2008)

I second what EvansNC just said. You aren't going to see a fawn because they leave them hidden whenever they go into the open to browse.


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## edcopp (Oct 9, 2004)

Danaus29 said:


> edcopp, thanks for the info. I did find something on it:
> http://www.erie-county-ohio.net/eswcd/pdf/nuisance.pdf
> 
> I wonder if anyone has actually ever been issued one of those permits. It used to be that you could register your property as having too many deer which allowed open hunting during the season. Anyone with a license and deer tag had to be allowed access to your property under those regs. I'm glad they changed it.


I am in the SE part of the state, and have a neighbor who gets 7 nuisance permits every year to defend his corn crop. Myself, I just plant a little extra.:happy:


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## Jolly (Jan 8, 2004)

Fawn?

Or Fryer?


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## EasyDay (Aug 28, 2004)

prometheus said:


> the rest of the quote was ..."for vicious dogs." Myself and most here figure they've earned it.


A shot to the gut to ensure suffering and prolonged death is NEVER right. A "vicious dog" can just as easily be permanently eliminated. Come to our garden and we'll demonstrate the difference for ya!

I also disagree with your last sentence. I think, having been around HT awhile, that (fortunately) MOST here try to be good stewards of the land and live WITH nature. No one earns the right for the behavior you describe. Killing things should be a last resort... not some macho act. And causing intentional suffering, as opposed to putting an animal out of its misery, is purely a wussy way to act.


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## VOR. (Feb 3, 2009)

snowshoehair said:


> I second what EvansNC just said. You aren't going to see a fawn because they leave them hidden whenever they go into the open to browse.


Great point from Evan.

Snowshoe is right, fawns are almost impossible to spot. They lay in tall grass and won't move even if you are within feet of them. We still manage to find a few though:


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## Sheripoms (May 17, 2008)

I did forget about it being fawn season. Wouldnt want to shoot a mama. 

Oh and by the way speaking of fawns , one day me and my big golden retreiver (Rocky) were walking on my land and he ran about 50 yards ahead of me and very gently picked up a fawn by the back of his neck (like a puppy) and brought it to me. Ha Ha . He was very pleased with himself. I didn't want to touch it just in case the mama would smell my scent on the baby. So I said "Go and put it back" and he went and put it right back were it was snuggled in.
Quite an experience.


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## xrayman (Feb 19, 2009)

arabian knight said:


> Sick~! Please don't even think of doing something like this. Geesh.



yupp shoot it in the head make it qwick, then shoot slaughter shovel and shut up, that way you have some venison loins


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