VIRGINIA — A Duluth hunter has been charged with illegally taking a moose, which he told officers he mistook for a deer.

Dane Landon Nelson, 38, faces a gross misdemeanor charge after allegedly shooting the animal on Nov. 8, the opening day of the firearms deer season, just north of Cotton.

Minnesota has not had a moose season since 2012, as the once-thriving population began a rapid decline about 20 years ago.

The incident was reported to the Department of Natural Resources shortly after 9 a.m., according to a criminal complaint. Conservation officers Shane Zavodnik and Jake Peterson responded and met Nelson and his hunting party at their camp in the Melrude area.

Nelson allegedly said he was in his stand when he saw what he believed to be deer antlers and shot the animal. He fired

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