Got a buck I'm not sure is legal.

I hunt in a county with antler restrictions and I've got a buck coming to my feeder that I'm not sure is legal. He looks to be at least 3 years old but has antlers growing out of one side(only 2 points on it) but doesn't have an antler on the other side. There is either a nub where the antler never broke the skin or he broke it off. Does anyone know if this is a legal buck to kill? The wording says they must have at least one unbranched antler but again the antler is not there just a nub.

Does the one antler he has go out beyond the tip of the ear?

Also,

I think it does. It's got a wide curve. I'm in the blind already so I don't have my laptop to check but I think it's right at the tip of his ear. And thank you

Kill it! He has to have "two" antlers to meet antler restrictions!

Appreciate the advice guys. Just had a legal 6 point walk out I've been watching on camera and took him

Congrats....

Congrats

If the antler has broken off, I'm not sure it would be legal. Otherwise, you could shoot any buck and break one side off to make it legal.

I have an email from Vance Flowers (Current Mills County GW) over this exact subject, his words, the law states "Un-branched Antler" doesn't matter if it is broken or not, as long as it is Un-branched.

I will try to get a photo uploaded. It won't let me upload a photo from my phone. I'll also post a photo of the buck in question.

Here is the picture of the deer in question. It's a night shot but I will try to find a day shot

I did a quick hack job on the antler image. If you are going to take it, I would only do it based on the at least one unbranched antler rules. I don't think it would be 13" inside if both antlers were still there. If the antler base is healed, then it would be clear that you didn't remove the antler just to meet the regs.

Yea. I wish they would make it more clear on the restrictions.

Here's the buck I took that night.

I would say illegal. No unbranched antler, and no spread.

I don't think he makes 13, did you measure?

lol

Yea we measured cause I thought the same thing when I first walked up to him but he measured in at 13 1/16" Just barely made it

don't take much to hit 13

Congrats on the buck!

Wow, talk about cutting it close. Congrats on the buck and the calibrated eye.

If not, I guess you could just break off the other side....

The buck with only one antler is legal to shoot. The missing or broke antler isn't branched obviously. Therefore making it legal to take.

WRONG!!!, that buck in the first pick is not legel under the AR, if an antler is missing that doesn't constitute one unbranched antler. Even if there is some antler left this doesn't count as an unbranched antler, they classify it as a "broken" antler not an unbranched, this is how they prevent someone from shooting a <13" deer and just breaking off one side.

looking at the both, I'd say they are both young and need more age. The GC pic, that deer could have damaged or lost it early in the year. The other just young.

Good job on getting a deer.

Thanks. Yea he looked a lot more impressive on the game camera than he did laying on the ground but out where I hunt it hard to find any legal deer. Bucks are slim pickens especially finding a legal one. I think I've 2 on camera that are legal and this was one of them. The rest are just babies. But the rut is kicking off so I'm hoping the game camera picks up something for me to look forward to next year.

Not to start a pissing contest on the forum, but i can fwd you an email from Vance Flowers (Current Mills County GW) stating that a broken antler is considered and unbranched antler.

The first is pic is a legal buck. Meets the requirement in the hunting guide as one side is unbranched. Now would I shoot him, probably not given that he probably lost it early in the season and he's a young deer. The other buck, congrats. I can see your excitement of taking that deer.

Before you go saying something is WRONG you may want to verify what you are talking about.....My daughter just shot a buck like this and the GW was at the processor when I showed up...it's considered an unbranched antler...The gw can tell if the antler was broken off with a hammer or similar...they consider a broken beam an unbranched antler if there's just a small piece left....

Maybe the GW just cut your daughter some slack. Or maybe he interprets the rules that way. I wouldn't count on the state's other GWs to see things the same way.

I talked to a GW about ar's and broken antlers and he said they are legal. He did say to be prepared for some questions though.

Lol on the meme

dang young deer right there.

NVM

diva

must have her way exactly, or no way at all. often rude and belittles people, believes that everyone is beneath her and thinks that she is so much more loved than what she really is. selfish, spoiled, and overly dramatic.

Just talked to another game warden that stated otherwise, said he had just confiscated a deer earlier for a broke antler. It is at the discretion of the individual game warden but yes they can ticket you for a broke off antler.

Correct!