Duluth man sentenced for accidentally shooting moose during deer season
4/20/2026
A Duluth man who accidentally shot a moose on the opening day of Minnesota’s firearms deer season has been sentenced to probation and barred from big-game hunting for a year.
Dane Nelson (38) also paid $1,000 in restitution to the state for the animal.
According to court documents, Nelson admitted firing twice at what he believed was a deer while hunting near Melrude. Conservation officers later found the moose about 110 yards from his deer stand. Nelson told officers that glare from the sun and tree cover made it difficult to see the animal.
Investigators say Nelson texted another member of his hunting party, acknowledging he had made a mistake and shot a moose.
Officers seized the rifle used in the shooting, along with the moose. The animal was turned over to a conservation officer under the 1854 Treaty. Nelson will have to pay $500 to buy back his rifle.
Moose are considered a species of special concern in Minnesota. The state suspended moose hunting in 2013 following a sharp decline in the population.