Your 'right' decision is the one a responsible hunter will take every time. Kudo's to you.
In Ohio, intentionally shooting two with one shot is illegal. Don't care how many tags you possess.
Alas...Accidents happen.
Over 40+ yrs of hunting, I've been guilty of doing this twice.
Both many years ago when most of my hunting was done by still hunting.
Once early m/l season shooting a doe that was on a hillside nibbling some honey-suckle. Her late season fawn was standing directly behind her....talk about feeling bad.
The second time was turkey hunting. Second bird directly behind first coming over a little knoll. I posted of this on a thread here on TFL(names changed to protect the innocent
) not to long ago.
After that thread, I called ODNR and was talking to them about what to do if this happens as I just wouldn't (and didn't) feel comfortable leaving a game animal I shot in the field to rot.
Surprisingly this happens more than we think. DNR handles this on a case-by-case basis and if called when it happens, will usually write the shooter a permit to keep the second animal. Our county officer understands the 'ill-feeling' a hunter would have when forced to leavea game animal in the field to rot.
But, if you get caught dragging two animals out without both being tagged, good luck on getting the DNR to believe your 'accident' story.
Bottom-line, from the horses mouth, here in this county, ...if the accident happens, call ODNR prior to animal removal and more than likely, you'll get both animals.