In this case, the hunters should do rock, paper, scissors to determine who tags it!!

I have been on numerous deer leases. This issue has never came up. There is nothing "gray" about it. If a lease member did not understand the rules, I would be happy to explain them, and have done so. However, if a member intentionally did not follow the game laws, they would get the boot.

Didn’t know that.

Sharing tags seems akin to using permits when you think about it. Or do those of you on the LAMPS program assign tags to specific hunters and allow them to go unused when the hunter fails to take a permitted animal?

If license sales continue to decline as they have at the national level, party hunting could become an incentive to address it.

First two posts summed it up nicely...

When I was in my teens bowhunting mule deer in Colorado we would have maybe 20 guys in our camp. The warden would come around and offer us a "camp tag" to use. It was an extra tag for either sex muley and could be shot by anyone in camp. Those days are looong gone.

A group of you are dove hunting. A few are better shots than some. It is getting close to sunset. There are 5 of you and say the limit is 10 per person. You have all the doves on the tailgate and there are only 40. You going to tell me the good shooters are going to leave it at that? And how does each know which are the doves he shot? I have had hunters that have crippled a deer. The deer is still alive. I have dispatched the deer. So now I was supposed to tag the deer? If a warden comes into camp and wants to give polygraphs to all the hunters to make sure each deer has the proper tag of each hunter they have way to much time on their hands.

Although illegal, I have seen several cases where hunters and landowners acted as if it were common practice. I have seen a landowner purchase a license so his hunters would not have to use one of their tags to provide him with venison for the winter, and where a hunter offered to tag a lesser buck taken by someone more interested in antlers. In every case, the focus was on someone who purchased a license wanting meat for their own consumption.

While I would never condone an illegal practice, I can understand why it may be far more common that many believe and why I thought the topic warranted discussion.

I think you are right, but I agree with most here that there’s nothing gray about it.

There used to be an outfitter here that was a true Champion in tags bartering

READ THE REGS....A

Admit you did that to the game warden and see what happen, I'l give you a hint, you'll get a ticket.

Not relevant to Texas but it is legal in my part of the world and not just for rifle - all methods. Only requirements are the other hunter must be within 3 miles at the time of the kill, all parties must be licensed, communication between hunters must be possible at all times, and the tag must be applied as soon as is reasonably possible and before the animal is transported. Not just deer either we can do the same for elk, bear, and moose as well.

With the technology that we have available today, hunters can constantly in touch with one another quite easily.

Should there become talk of implementing these same guidelines in Texas, I’m sure there will be those who will fight it because they believe it could increase the chances of someone killing “their” deer.

Party limits are illegal, so I don't see why there would be a discussion. Shoot YOUR limit. Easy to know what bird is mine, because I pick them up as I shoot them and put them in my bag. The only issue we've ever had is two shooters on one bird, who shot it? Not a big deal someone just claims it and puts it in their bag, counts towards their limit.

There's really no grey area at all. Whoever dispatches the animal claims it and tags it or counts it towards their limit.

Clearly illegal. It's not something I'm gonna try to change anyone's mind about. I wouldn't hunt with them either.

Clearly illegal, no gray area. Just another method of circumventing the bag limits to enable someone to take more than their share. No different than shooting an extra buck and not tagging it.