I bet he didn't mean to shoot an illegal buck Captain Obvious.

Well sounds like it was well under the limit...don't shoot if in doubt captain obvious

Feel sorry for the guy, but his age and health is irrelevant.

Will This Strategy Select For "Narrow-Rack" Bucks?

Some people interpret this as a strategy that will select for branched-antlered deer with less than a 13" spread. Well, it will - until those deer reach the age at which their spread exceeds 13". In other words, this strategy will select for better quality (i.e., branched antlered) young bucks, and will allow many of them to mature before they are available for harvest. It will eliminate the risk of high-grading, which is a likely outcome when many hunters choose to use their only buck tag on a 6-point or 8-point yearling instead of using it on a spike. Hunters are correct when they say there are some "narrow-rack" older bucks out there. They are also right when they say a portion of them will be protected under this strategy, which is not desirable. We don't claim that this strategy is flawless. We must be mindful of the long-term effects. This strategy will allow hunters to "turn-over" the population. Based on 34 years of solid data from research that was designed to answer these questions, those older "narrow-rack" deer likely were spikes as yearlings. If hunters take advantage of the extra tag, they will reduce the incidence of those older "management bucks" that slip through the cracks. By the way, the incidence of mature bucks that would not be legal under this strategy is much lower than what one may expect. In most of the areas where we're considering such, less than 5% of the mature bucks would not be legal based on these criteria. But in those same areas, only 5% of the harvest consists of mature bucks!!! They simply aren't living that long.

Says the guy who isn't on his way out.

3/4 inch is significant.

OK.

Just saying that when you're 80 years old and dying of cancer feeling like you've
given this country a lot more than it has given you and you think you have one last hunting season in you and then you make an honest mistake, you just might appreciate it if the younger generation went a little easy on you. Sometimes respecting your elders means forgiving some of their smaller mistakes.

great question. we got into a healthy AR debate on our lease a couple years ago and a buddy put it pretty well. "He said all this over an animal, we shoot and eat."

Next time you catch yourself going over the speed limit just head over to the nearest court house and pay the fine because the law is the law

When I get caught, I don't complain and blame the law, the one who wrote the ticket, the one who made the sign, or make excuses because I was "only" 5 over

As I said...I feel sorry for the guy (ie...compassion), but that is irrelevant to the OP of an AR enforcement on an illegal deer. What chart should these Game wardens refer to when enforcing the law so as to apply various exceptions? There isn't one...they are just doing their job as required.

Ever wonder how many non AR bucks are dragged into the bushes and left for the coyotes and pigs to eat?

I have to agree with your buddy. I've seen relationships wrecked, families at war, game laws violated, people harassed, feeders and other property destroyed, people shot at etc, etc, etc, ad nauseum, over a deer. Unbelievable.

The processing place can get fined for not have a tag with the meat,as well as you ticketed. Most people put tag on horns but....when seperated the tag always stays with the meat . But your suppose to have proof of sex as well I'm pretty sure. But I do know for sure your suppose to have tag with meat until you get it home.