This is why it's important to self-report your mistakes in the field.
So, you just shot a buck and filled out your tag correctly, but on the way out, your tag suddenly goes missing and you just can't find it.
Quickly, what do you do? It's an interesting question to pose to any hunter, especially in states with a mandatory deer check-in where officials will be looking for it!
For anyone who needs an example of the right thing to do in this scenario, look no further than an example the Oregon State Police provided. It seems an unnamed teenage hunter got her first buck, but lost the tag.
Some people might try to cover this up by butchering the deer right away or buying a second tag. But she did the right thing and called in OSP Fish and Wildlife to report the lost tag. Officials then issued her a temporary tag allowing her to keep her first harvest.
One has to imagine it would have been a very different situation had she tried to cover things up like some poachers have been known to do in the past.
"Congrats on the hunt & great job calling for assistance!" the OSP post reads.
And from this post is a lesson for all hunters, both new and old. If you make a mistake or have an honest accident in the field, it's best to self-report it. You might find law enforcement to be more reasonable than you think.
We don't know what this young lady's name is, but congratulations from all of us at Wide Open Spaces on a fine first buck and for doing the right thing!
NEXT: MONSTER ROAD-KILLED BUCK CREATES BIG CONTROVERSY IN MINNESOTA
