# The law, sportsmanship, or neither??



## greenhead_shooter (Oct 7, 2011)

My buddy shoots a button buck that he thought was a doe (no visible antlers). He has both a doe and buck tag and asks me what I think he should tag it as. I try and recall the regs and I know there is no penalty for shooting this deer thinking it was a doe but I can't find a clear statement whether or not he was obligated to use his buck tag. My suggestion was to tag it as a buck because he had that tag. Now I wouldn't have been angry if he had chosen to use his doe tag, I just thought it was the "sportsman" thing to do. Ultimately that is what he did. We have an email into G&F explaining the scenario and asking for an opinion, haven't heard back yet.

Your thought??


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

I haven't looked at some time. But if I remember correctly is antler of 1" or longer is a buck tag.


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## twopopper (Sep 24, 2006)

It's not a doe tag, it's any antlerless deer. If you can honestly not see antlers then I would have used the antlerless tag.


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## greenhead_shooter (Oct 7, 2011)

twopopper said:


> It's not a doe tag, it's any antlerless deer. If you can honestly not see antlers then I would have used the antlerless tag.


My bad - anterless is the correct verbiage...but what constitutes an antler?? A nub, a 1" spike or what? By definition if there is any growth is it not an antler??


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## FoldEmXtreme (Jan 3, 2010)

You can use a doe tag on a button buck and feel good about it. At X amount of yards away you can't tell if a fawn has a little button or not. I would never use a buck tag on a button buck that I thought was a doe when I pulled the trigger.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

From the North Dakota regulations, Any deer with at least one visible antler is considered an antlered deer.


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## HUNTNFISHND (Mar 16, 2004)

Straight from the GNF's frequently asked questions: *What if I have an antlerless deer permit and I shoot a deer with two-inch spikes, but I could not see them when I shot? Game wardens have some leeway about what is an antlered deer. However, it is always a hunter's responsibility to fully identify your target before shooting.*

A button buck is clearly an antlerless deer as there is no visible antler at all. Your friend should have used his antlerless tag on the deer. These are figured in to the antlerless deer harvest stats anyway. Either way, your friend is legal, no harm no foul.


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## striped1 (Aug 17, 2005)

He used an antlered tag on an antlerless deer, how is he within the law? By definition it had to have one visible antler. He used the wrong tag.


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## greenhead_shooter (Oct 7, 2011)

HUNTNFISHND said:


> Straight from the GNF's frequently asked questions: *What if I have an antlerless deer permit and I shoot a deer with two-inch spikes, but I could not see them when I shot? Game wardens have some leeway about what is an antlered deer. However, it is always a hunter's responsibility to fully identify your target before shooting.*
> 
> A button buck is clearly an antlerless deer as there is no visible antler at all. Your friend should have used his antlerless tag on the deer. These are figured in to the antlerless deer harvest stats anyway. Either way, your friend is legal, no harm no foul.


I get all that but the FAQ still does not address the question...If you have both tags are you obligated to tag it as to what it actually was? It had antlers, they were just very very small 8) Good discussion though, thanks all.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

This situation arrises many times each year. There is no length min but it is a bit vague in regards to visible. Putting a antlered tag on a deer with antlers is the sportsman thing to do. I have done it myself as well as seeing others do the same. It also is the safe thing to do if you are unsure.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

If it's a button buck put the doe tag on it and go kill a buck.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Nubbin bucks don't have visible antlers.That deer should have an antlerless tag.My guess is the warden would ticket your friend for putting an antlered tag on it.


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## joebobhunter4 (Jul 19, 2005)

the antlers have to be above the ears. we shot a little fork and on one side it was a spike. one side almost got to the top of the ears but didnt quite make it so we used a doe tag because we shot it running at 200 yards and clearly couldnt see any antlers and i'm one of never shooting young bucks and to let them grow... anyways we got pulled over by the game warden and he was checking our deer, grabbed the ears of the little buck and held it to the antlers and didn't say a word to us and continued on checking the other deer we had. After that we asked him what the for sure law was on it and he said if the antlers are below the ears it is considered an antlerless deer.


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## Fox hunter1 (Jan 15, 2011)

ive heard if its visible antlers its a buck but does that mean visible from 50 yards or 300 running i guess it all depend on the situation but its not visible when your shooting at it from 300 yards i shouldent count as a buck.


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## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

at least MN and MO define it more clearly...considered an antler if it has is at least 3 inches. Now in much of MO that is a moot point because of the point restriction (to be legal, a buck must have at least 4 points on one side)...but a button buck would certainly be considered 'antlerless' for tagging.


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