Approaching Downed Game

A downed deer or other large animal should be approached carefully from above and behind the head.

• If the animal appears to be dead, wait a short distance away for a few minutes. Watch for any rise and fall of the chest cavity.
• Notice whether the eyes are closed—the eyes of a dead animal are usually open.
• You can be certain that the animal is dead if the eye doesn’t blink when touched with a stick.
• If the animal is still alive, it should be finished with a quick shot to the heart-lung area.

Once the animal is dead, follow the state regulations for reporting or recording a kill.