What's the right thing to do?

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NOTSMC

Well-Known Member
We were driving around after coffee today and drove though St Mary's City down Rosecroft. Long story short, there was doe on the side of the road just standing there eating grass with one leg up in the air. It was obviously injured. We drove until the road ended, turned around and headed back same direction. This was minutes later and the deer was still in the same spot.

Would you have called DNR? I thought yes, BF said no, then the outcome will be the same regardless. I know he's right but...what's the right thing?
 
NorthBeachPerso

NorthBeachPerso

Honorary SMIB
What you did. The deer might heal and have a more or less normal, for deer, life. Or it might not. DNR would most likely euthanize it on the spot.

Look at it as just an input into the Circle of Life.

Now if it had been thrashing around on the ground beside the road then DNR might have been the right call. But, then again, the carcass would provide food for buzzards, crows and maybe foxes. Or the coyotes which "don't exist" in Southern Maryland.
 
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ontheriver

Well-Known Member
My daughter in Callaway hears them every night. She witnessed one take a fawn. She tried to scare them, but were intent on their prey. They are definitely here.
 
LightRoasted

LightRoasted

If I may ...
For your consideration ...

ontheriver said:
My daughter in Callaway hears them every night. She witnessed one take a fawn. She tried to scare them, but were intent on their prey. They are definitely here.
Click to expand...

It's open season for coyotes. Just need a fur bearers permit to take as many as you can kill.
 
LightRoasted

LightRoasted

If I may ...
For your consideration ...

DoWhat said:
I don't think you need that on your own property. My own property I can kill them all year long.
Click to expand...

Welp. Happy to supply the legal hunting information for you. You, do need a furbearer permit, even on your own property, with limited exceptions. As per DNR hunting regulations ...

You are not required to possess a Maryland hunting license if you are:
  • a resident of Maryland (or their spouse) who owns property and who hunts only on that property.
Furbearer Hunting and Chasing Regulations
  • Firearms, archery equipment and air guns may be used to hunt coyote, fisher, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, red fox and skunk.
  • A hunter pursuing these furbearers must possess a valid Furbearer Permit.
And ...

Be aware that hunters not required to have a license:
  • must obtain a Furbearer Permit to hunt, trap or chase any furbearer.
And don't get caught taking a coyote without that permit either.

"The prepayable fine amounts listed below are to be utilized by all law enforcement officers and District Court Commissioners when issuing charging documents in the District Court which charge a violation of any of the provisions of the Natural Resources laws listed below. The fine listed below is mandatory and cannot be altered by the officer or a commissioner. If no prepayable fine amount is listed for a statutory or regulatory section, the charging document must require the defendant to appear. If a violator is charged with a second or subsequent violation, the charging document shall require the defendant to appear. Court costs are included in the prepayable fine amount listed below, but not in the maximum penalty amount. This schedule is effective April 1, 2019."
OFFENSE CODEDESCRIPTION
PREPAYABLE FINE AMOUNT​
MAXIMUM PENALTY​
08.03.06.06A(1)(a)Failure to Obtain Furbearer Permit before Hunting Furbearers
250​
1st/1500; 2nd/4000 and/or 1 year

The only exceptions are ....

Furbearer Permit Exceptions​

Those who are not required to have a Furbearer Permit are:
  • A person who possesses a Wildlife Damage Control Permit and is engaging in the control of fur-bearing mammals in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit.
  • A landowner who possesses a Landowner Wildlife Damage Control Permit.
  • A person who possesses an Apprentice Hunting License.
  • A Furbearer Permit is also not required for:
    • A landowner to destroy a muskrat that is damaging an embankment or impoundment.
    • A landowner to hunt or trap a coyote, fox or skunk that is damaging or destroying the personal or real property of the landowner on their land.
    • The owner of a marsh or the owner’s employees to hunt any raccoon which destroys a muskrat or its home in a marsh area within the state.
    • A landowner or the landowner’s agent to set or use traps or similar devices at any time to trap raccoons or opossums which are damaging property.
 
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