This year when I got my first license here in Texas I asked where I register my deer, when I was told you don't do that here I thought " I bet there is a lot of illegal deer shot here. When growing up in Wisconsin you had deer registration stations all over the place where they would account for you tag number and the deer associated with it.

I bet people would check deer in if you were required to send your tags back in at the end of the season and any tags that were missing and had not been registered at a check station cost you either lose your lisence for a year or a pretty penny, say $1,000.00 each

And TWarren, your right it has gotten out of hand, but so is the number of mature basket racks that will keep breeding and not help the areas genetics. The AR's were put in place to let deer mature, and now there's a bunch of mature deer that nobody can harvest. I'm not against the AR's but they have to find a way to change the rules to balance things out. Otherwise it's just covering one problem and creating another

Don't know if they would take the extra time to do that but don't be surprised in a few years if CWD checkstations become mandatory... its coming I think.

It wouldn't have to necessarily be a GW but someone that's a registered official like they have in some of the northern states.

I could see that, especially in south and central Texas

This is why they should let you shoot non 13in mature deer

I already answered that question by saying if it was a legal deer, down it goes. That means if it isn't a legal deer it walks.

On the same lines I guess, but why wouldn't they allow you to take, or email trail cam photos or such to the area TPWD biologist and they could give a waiver on the taking of a mature deer, that didnt meet AR's? I know it is not definitetive without jaw bone or teeth, but I would say most biologist would be accurate on pics with very few absolute mistakes on age.

This is what I would do. If caught ask for consideration of it being a fully mature deer and pay the ticket if need be.

I hunt in an AR county and I would take my chances.

how wide was that buck this morning? he was the one taking chances sounds like...

sorta related...

The current low fence leader for best 8 at Los Cazadores scored in the 150s and its only 13 inches wide. My BIL killed a 10 point that scored 163 with just a 13 inch spread back in 2006.

That's true my dodge 3/4 ton at 65 will mow them down.

I think you meant 13" on the LC LF 8.

fixed it, thanks

Wouldn't work, the state could never prove age of a deer beyond the shadow of a doubt by teeth. Lawyers would be lining up to take that to court.

Absolutely....

No.

Going by rack width is more accurate?

Infinitly.

No, but it can be scientifically proven to be too small with a ruler.

Because biologists have better things ga to do. They would be completwly inundated with pictures, and the cause there is still a really high percentage of hunters who don't have game cameras.

The law is the law...13" legal..only. I feel as though we need a law to remove narrow mature bucks also...but.. if it is too narrow then it is illegal for now..if ya take this buck ..then you probably would take a narrow two year old also, and so on. I know many hunters take illegal bucks year after year until they get caught then continue to harvest illegal deer. I feel as though if you will break one law you will break others. Go by the rules we all have to go by ...let him go if you are a good hunter....however if he looks to be 13 ...then take him and if he is less than 13 but very close within a quarter of an inch..to me that is legal..if he is less then you are going to be fined if caught.
good luck...stay legal

That GW broke the law himself. If he deemed the animal illegal then he is supposed to confiscate it not just part of it. That story makes absolutely no sense!

The whole show a picture to the game warden is nonsense anyways. How many of us see mature bucks every year on camera one time only and never again. Besides that, the game warden cannot change the law. Some may give you a pass, but it's still an illegal kill.