A deputy with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office has been cited and unlawfully-collected deer antlers have been confiscated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR reports that on Nov. 3, they received a call from a man who had come upon a car and deer accident north of Jefferson, who then waited for the deputy to arrive and asked about getting a salvage tag for the deer. Deputy, Kirk Hammer, declined the request. Later that day, the man says he was driving past the scene of the accident and observed Hammer, in uniform, sawing the antlers off of the deer. DNR Conservation Officer, Nathan Haupert, questioned Hammer, who admitted to taking the antlers, which were later found at his home. Haupert also explained the state code that says a salvage tag should first be offered to individuals involved in the accident, then to bystanders at the scene, and that it is unlawful to keep antlers without a deer tag or salvage permit. Furthermore, the salvage permit requires the entire deer, not just the antlers, be removed from the ditch. Hammer was cited for unlawful possession of Whitetail deer antlers and fined a total of $195.
