New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

October 24, 2001

Conservation officers with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife have received complaints of hunters checking in road killed deer or the same doe more than once in an attempt to circumvent the current Earn-a-Buck regulations that exist in some deer management zones. In an attempt to deter hunters from this illegal practice and ensure that proper procedures are followed, conservation officers are placing special emphasis on hunter and deer check station tagging requirements.

This increased effort paid off when on October 7 officers observed a Milltown New Jersey hunter check in a deer at the S&B Sport Shop deer checking station in North Brunswick. Officers observed the hunter enter the store with what appeared to be a hunting license in his hand. He exited a short time later with a possession seal. Instead of affixing the seal to the deer, it was placed on the dashboard of the hunter's truck. The hunter then turned down a dirt road a short distance from the check station and discarded the deer. The officers recovered the deer and determined that it had been struck by a motor vehicle and not killed by the hunter.

The hunter received three summonses for his part in this illegal practice, while S&B Sport Shop had its privilege to check deer revoked.

Hunters should note that two deer check stations remain in Middlesex County. Those who wish to check in deer may do so at All Season's Sports & Taxidermy, 1938 Englishtown Rd. (Rt. 527) in Jamesburg or Sayreville Sportsman, 52 Washington Rd. in Sayreville.