AR legal or not?

I would say so!

Yes

It's really close. I'd play it safe and pass. May look different in person/in the field but unless you know what 13" looks like, it's not worth the risk.

County, quality of land and feed also play a big factor in those assessments

looks like he'll make it but I would try to get a pretty good look at him once he's fully shed his velvet before I put the hammer down on him. he's definitely close IMO

close but I wouldn't pull the trigger if in an AR county ...

I would say so it is close but the second picture his ears are straight out not natural.

I've got one on the wall that looks a lot like that, he's 14 1/4" inside. That said, I'd take a long, hard look at this one before I thought about pulling the trigger (if he's one you'd like to shoot). As 775 said, with the ears out like that it's hard to say.

What is the spacing on the varmit cage? Is it inch mesh? See if you can scale something off.

If you aren't sure then pass it up!
If you don't mind paying the fine then you could take the chance, but it's impossible to know for sure without putting a tape to it!
I hunt in an AR county and have passed up many a buck that looked like that one!

I agree, if you have to ask, probably should stay on the safe side. I have no doubt passed some because I wasn't sure, if I have to argue with myself, I'm not pulling the trigger.

Good looking buck though

your good. Nice buck also!

I don't hunt an AR county, but out of curiosity if you happen to shoot a buck that is less than 13 and get caught do they fine and confiscate or just fine? Or does it depend, if ist a booner they fine and take it if its a 12" wide 8pt they fine and you keep it?

I appreciate all the responses. I am nearly 100% certain this guy is well legal, but just thought I would show these pics as an example of a middle aged deer having big ears. He was around all preseason last year and was legal enough last year as a nice 8, but never saw him in person, plenty of pics to study. This year he put on a clean 10 rack and is a little bigger in the body, so I know he will be legal. Plan to ground check him if he shows up at all and will post up the measurement. I am guessing he is just north of 14 wide.

Should make him a hair wider when he sheds velvet also.

Good point RC

I saw a big old buck year before last that had a heavy narrow rack that was high above his head and long tines but definately inside the ears.
I watched that buck for a good 45 minutes out at 100 yards and got every angle from him and those darned horns would not stretch no matter how hard I stared.
There were a couple of younger mature bucks in the same sendero and this dude, but he made them look like fawns. His chin sagged, his back swayed and he had such a gut that looked like he was going to drop a fawn any minute.
Just the size of the deer told me his ears were probably outside the magic 13" mark, but I passed him up simply because I wasn't sure.
It's probably why he lived as long as he did, and I didn't see him last season so he may have died from old age or someone probably took him.
I know my Game Warden and I'd just didn't want to take the chance.
Hunting in an AR county you have to change your mindset when those deer are borderline. Have the money to pay the fine, or just wait until you see a buck that is outside the ears.
Speaking from experience, when you see one that is over 13" you will know it!
Just remember that it's the inside measurement that is taken, not the outside!

I shot a big bodied buck in Woodson like that a couple years ago. Thought for sure he was gonna be plenty wide enough. Measured his width at the processor later on that day and it was 13 1/16". I won't be cutting it that close again.

Yep, ground shrinkage is a grim reality in an AR county!

Here's a pic of him this past March before he shed last years set...

Never seen a deer who's head stuck straight out of its back.

I hope that's a joke....two deer there, buck in question is back one...

If you know the field dresssed or live body weight of bucks in your area that will help. Here are 2 bucks killed in an AR county on my place. One was 13 6/8" IIRC(dressed 108 lbs in late Dec) and the other was 14 2/8"(dressed 139 lb in late Oct).
13 6/8"


14 2/8" IS