Deer collision bill laid over

A provision to allow a motorist who kills a deer with a vehicle to have the first right to keep the carcass was held over for possible inclusion in an omnibus game and fish bill by the House Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee Feb. 9.

Sponsored by Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake), HF31 is similar to a provision in a bill vetoed last year.

Permits to keep a deer killed in a vehicle collision are issued in about half of the 30,000 annual accidents, according to Maj. Rod Smith, an enforcement officer for the Department of Natural Resources. In some cases, local law enforcement has lists of people to call who are interested in taking possession of the carcass. Antlers can have enormous value on the open market and others simply want to process the deer meat.

Dill said language may need to be added to address motorists who might hit and kill a deer where chronic wasting disease has been found in the deer population. The disease — a deadly brain and nervous system disorder — was recently found in a wild deer in Pine Island near Rochester.

The bill has no Senate companion.