With all the AR threads, I just thought of a scenario that I’m positive happens, but haven’t heard of. And no this is not a do you agree with ARs or not thread. When a buck is harvested that does not meet the AR requirements, are you supposed to tag it and how if so? I get you have buck tags, but the deer log has a box for unbranched or greater than 13”? Wwyd?

Is this an oops too narrow? If so it is a call to the warden and he/she will likely take the deer and give it to a needy family and you will get a ticket. If it is unbranched you tag with a buck tag.

Don’t shoot bucks that are borderline and you don’t run into these scenarios

There are no AR’s in Oklahoma where I hunt the most, but in 2020, I killed a 185” buck up there that would’ve barely met TX AR’s. I’m for AR’s and think it’s made a difference, but in opinion, there needs to be common sense also. Obviously mature bucks with big racks shouldn’t get a guy in trouble. I had a huge bodied buck with a tall narrow rack behind my house here in TX last year that was at least 4 and maybe 5, but his spread wasn’t 12”. I wouldn’t shoot him, but I know one of the guys on the places around me probably did. To me, he should’ve been exempt from AR’s.

One simple solution to avoid trouble with AR’s is not to post pictures on any social media. If you make a mistake, don’t tell the world about it.

If I screwed up and accidentally shot a buck that did not make ARs, I certainly would not intentionally screw up even further and check the '13" or greater inside antler spread' box.
Folks can get a "holier than thou" real quick when it comes to hunting. I have not and will not break hunting laws, ever. But if I made a judgment mistake, I would not turn myself in.
If a warden checked me, I would not lie to him, and I would fess up and face the fine.
I also do not call the sheriff when I speed or roll a stop sign.

X2

lol that’s an honest answer if I’ve ever heard one

You'll get in a lot more trouble for having an untagged deer than one that is mistagged, IMO. I would put a buck tag on it and not check either box.




I am also not calling the warden on myself for shooting a 12.5" deer, if I found myself in that situation. I'll do what I do with all my deer - eat him.

My dad shot one a couple/few years ago that went 12.5 or so. He called the game warden, told him what happened, and the game warden essentially told him not to worry about it but don't do it again. We took it to the processor in the next county, and that GW was there. Dad told him we'd already talked to our GW and told him what he'd said.

Second GW said he'd have absolutely written him a ticket, but since he'd been honest about it he was just going to give him a verbal warning. Said to check the 13" box so that he couldn't use it on another big buck that year.

SSS

What's to keep someone from just writing in a County over that doesn't have ARs?

Over the years there's been two bucks killed on my places that didn't meet AR's. Called the warden and he wrote a warning and let the folks keep their bucks. He said if they tried to sneak them out and got caught, it would be a hefty fine and would take the buck.

But that's my Warden, others may not see it that way.

The cost of getting caught with a dirty whitetail buck. The base price of civil restitution for a deer is about 900 dollars. Then the fines and other bad possibilities.

If I had to transport the deer I might think about self reporting. If on my land where I lived , no way. I’ve passed on so many 3 year old 10 points that others would have shot that my conscience would be ok. Kind of like the time I caught 78 hybrids and threw all of them back and accidentally kept 26 sandbass another time. Checks and balances. 🤷‍♂️

Shoot him between the eyes and split the skull cap in half

Only correct answer in my book. After you cut the back straps and tenderloins out first of course.