TYGH VALLEY, Ore. -- A man was cited for two misdemeanors after he ran over an Oregon State Police decoy deer with his pickup truck on Sunday.

Troopers with Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife division said they cited Brian Lafaver, 34, from Tygh Valley, after he ran over a decoy deer in the area of Rock Creek in south Wasco County.

The deer decoy, used to catch poachers, was placed about 30 feet off a roadway in a clearing among trees. Troopers watched as Lafaver drove off the road, through a ditch and rammed the decoy, throwing it back 12 feet, Lt. Gregg Hastings said. The impact knocked the decoy's antlers off and broke two legs.

OSP troopers pulled Lafaver over and cited him on two charges of unlawful taking of deer during closed season, criminal mischief and driving without a valid operator's license, Hastings said.

Lafaver had his wife and children in the car and he told officers that they were out trying to find a Christmas tree, Hastings said. He told the troopers that he didn't intend to hit the deer but was trying to get close enough to show it to his children.

The decoy deer was placed in the area to try to catch the people responsible for killing a number of large buck deer and removing only the heads or antlers and leaving the carcasses to waste, Hastings said. A $500 reward is being offered to anyone with information about these killings.

Anyone with information regarding that case can call the Turn in Poacher line at 800-452-7888.