13" rule keeps this goofy one alive. Frustrating

Gradpa at that!

Camp meat.

That buck is mature and does not need to be breeding! Frustrating rule on a deer like that!

Moral vs legal decision. Hmmmm, what to do.

I didn't see you do it.

Your screwed, every deer from now on is going to look exactly like him.

Get on the MLD3 program and you can shoot whatever bucks they give you tags for.

MLD 2 or 3. I'd just sayin!

What deer

That is the overall number one problem with the Antler Restrictions! And I'm with everyone on this, but please don't shot it. Murphey always seems to come back up in the future to bite.

Try like heck to get into the MLD 2 or 3 program.

Any chance you can send a pic to the county Wildgame biologist/ game warden and get a pass for this one??? Might be worth a shot.

I had two bucks come in a couple of years ago. Both young, but one had an obvious injury to his left front leg. He was under the 13" rule, but he could barely walk. They both jumped the fence and he basically nose dived into the ground. That is probably the worst hunting experience of my life as I had to choose between breaking the law (and all the ramifications) or letting a wounded animal continue to suffer. I let him walk but to this day I regret that decision. Never saw him again so I'm sure he suffered a fate worse than a bullet. I know people would abuse it, but I really think there needs to be an exception for obviously wounded animals.

I dunno it looks like 13" to me. How about everyone else?

We have one just like that, and now his offspring look the same as well. The papa we have has main beams that are literally within inches of touching, is a solid 8 point, and is very tall. He is the very definition of a basket buck and so are his sons. I get what the antler restrictions are meant to do, but this gene pool is doing absolutely no good.

Go MLD then take him out...

I would have shot him and then just left him lay where he fell. Give him back to nature.

No way can I see an animal suffer like that.

yes but how many bucks did it save....that needed saving?

he might have made it....I've seen deer with broken legs make it. just cause he is hurt bad does not mean they are dying

I think I'll talk to the local warden and see what happens....thanks for the suggestions

Good luck. I've heard of things like this working out from time to time.

As an old deer hunter, I have always believed they went an inch too far. Very few basket racked bucks will not make 12". Very few 18 month old bucks will be 12". The original AR program was sold as a way to protect 18 ms old bucks that made up the majority of the buck harvest at that time and this was a worthy goal. (There has been a gradual truth creep in that goal to include 2 1/2 yr bucks and some 3 1/2 yr old bucks, but I remember how it came down.) If anyone will take the time to measure the racks and mounts of mature bucks hanging proudly on walls all over Texas they will notice that many are under 13" inside spread, yet most are over 12" inside spread. Do it for fun when you have the time. Try another test...look at the results of the big buck contests in areas with poor soil and feed. Many of the winners will be just over 13" inside spread and most will be less than 15". Some of the winners were probably nervous squeezing the trigger..Just saying..