Does such a buck qualify under the "unbranched on one side" rule???

Yes I believe it does.

Yep

Not if he still has a browtine with a mainbeam above it.

got a one sided 3pointer here. it will grow back next year. have seen lots of one sided bucks during archery hunts

The deer I am talking about has 2 points on the right side and nothing on the left side.

I pondered this question Friday evening as I watched a beautiful mature, would have been 10 point. He actually had 5 solid points on his right with a browtine that was 6-7 inches long, and he had heavy horn on that side. He got a pass. He's gonna' be a great deer next year. That busted rack got him a reprieve, at least from me...BTW, his hocks were dripping and his back legs were black from the hocks down.

that's what i refur ta as a depends deer. bad bladder

Yup

Interesting since we have one showing up on camera that has a fork on one side and the other is broken off at the hairline. We got into a discussion about whether it was legal to take or not. I thought it was my buddy said no.

I have been wondering the same thing. I had one walk out on me Sunday. Woulda been a nice 4 point but the right was broke off. He got a pass from me also.

Interesting..I doubt there is a specific rule for that situation, but if I had to guess, I would say you would get a pass with a "don't do it again." Only reason I say that is because while I suppose it is technically following the law, it goes against the intent of the law.

Kind of like a "4 pointer" that ended up having a brow tine broke off on one side making him a 3 pointer. Just because there was a tine there, doesn't mean that it is illegal to shoot him. As he is, he has a spike on one side.

I've always read the AR's literally. It says at least one un-branched antler. If one side is branched, and the other side is completely gone, he does not meet that definition.

What if it is 1"

Heck don't be giving Curly any ideas!

If it was legal you could shoot any buck you wanted and break off the antler on one side and have your meat deer.

If it's 1" then it's not completely gone, and if it's an un-branched 1" then it fits the definition of "one un-branched antler." I think the regulation was carefully worded. That's just my take on it, though.

Thanks guys, this is why I asked. I really don't want to shoot that buck but if push came to shove at the end of December and I still didn't have a meat deer yet was this particular deer legal. You have convinced me it is not.