Button bucks

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Are button bucks legal to kill in an any buck unit?   I have seen a few with my son and the regs doesn't  make it sound like they're legal.  Any thoughts?


This is the description in the regs.

Any Buck/Bull: Only deer/elk with visible antlers may be taken (fawns/calves illegal)  Visible antler is a horn-like growth projecting above the hairline


Dose the velvet on the buttons count as a hairline?

[hollymaster]

Horn has to be 1 inch.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Does the button count as a horn?  a few Ive seen have had two inch buttons still under velvet.

[Mike450r]

Horn has to be 1 inch.

Not true.

Only has to be visible bone above the hairline.  If the unit is any buck the button bucks are legal if you can see the bone.  It can be virtually flat but has to be bone not just the hair covered bumps on the noggin.

[woodswalker]

Horn has to be 1 inch.

Not true.

Only has to be visible bone above the hairline.  If the unit is any buck the button bucks are legal if you can see the bone.  It can be virtually flat but has to be bone not just the hair covered bumps on the noggin.

Visible antler, not hair/fuzz/velvet.

[Odell]

An antler in velvet is still an antler.

[Mike450r]

An antler in velvet is still an antler.

agreed,  would be hard to tell on a button if it was velvet or hair but if the button is covered by velvet -vs- hair it would still be legal. 

[buckcanyonlodge]

A " Button Buck " is a fawn that was born in late May/June of this year. Still a fawn....

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Here's what I call a button buck and would believe it to be ileagle to shoot?

[LeviD1]

Why would you want to shoot a button buck. Thats not teaching your kids good game management. I know you want them to be successful but hunting isn't just about going out and killing something. Personally I would feel sick if I shot a button buck. What a waste. You would get like 25 lbs of meat maybe. I dont know how you could consider shooting one on purpose knowingly. If you werent experienced and had a doe tag and it was by itself and you shot it thinking it was a doe then ok. But come on....

[sirmissalot]

 

I agree completely. A button buck is this years fawn, they are tiny.

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Why would you want to shoot a button buck. Thats not teaching your kids good game management. I know you want them to be successful but hunting isn't just about going out and killing something. Personally I would feel sick if I shot a button buck. What a waste. You would get like 25 lbs of meat maybe. I dont know how you could consider shooting one on purpose knowingly. If you werent experienced and had a doe tag and it was by itself and you shot it thinking it was a doe then ok. But come on....

I don't want to shoot anything.  My tags are filled. 

Good game management ?  Are you fn kidding...?  I'm teaching my son about hunting.  I'm teaching my son about marksmanship, family tradition, killing deer an elk and eating good this winter.  I'll leave the game management to the wdfw.  As for a doe is ok and button only 25 lbs I call bs.  For out in the back just yesterday and a button buck was with her. He was a lot bigger than her and probably weighed 150 lbs on the hoof.  I knew I shouldn't of asked a question on hunt wa just get ridiculed. 

Btw my sons partially disabled.  So considering all the options and pull out all the stops.  I'm sure at one time any legal was one of your ways to hunt.  Thanks for the help guys.  As if I'm about to set off in search specifically for a button buck .  Jeez

[Quaka Wacka]

I shot a few in my younger years. They are legal in an any buck unit provided they have a visible antler,  as well as tender and delicious:) Goodluck to your son.

[elkoholic1]

as long as there  visible there legal in a any buck unit!!     

[sirmissalot]

Why would you want to shoot a button buck. Thats not teaching your kids good game management. I know you want them to be successful but hunting isn't just about going out and killing something. Personally I would feel sick if I shot a button buck. What a waste. You would get like 25 lbs of meat maybe. I dont know how you could consider shooting one on purpose knowingly. If you werent experienced and had a doe tag and it was by itself and you shot it thinking it was a doe then ok. But come on....

  For out in the back just yesterday and a button buck was with her. He was a lot bigger than her and probably weighed 150 lbs on the hoof. 

There is no possible way a button buck is 150lbs 

Sorry. Not happening.

A button buck is this years fawn, there is some bone there but no antler protruding. If it is, I'd call it a spike and it would obviously be legal in an any buck unit. A spike is generally a year and a half and under 100lbs.

[buckfvr]

So, 2014 rules page 18 under " Any buck "......Any deer with visible ANTLERS may be taken ( fawns illegal ).

My entire life a button buck has been a fawn buck with the  pedicle visible just above the hair line , and NOT a legal buck by the game laws. 

I think what was seen was sibling fawns, one doe and one buck.......explaining the size difference.

If it was a spike, great!!       

[Mike450r]

I am talking about the year and a half bucks that only have a button of bone.  Same age and size body as the spike with  4 to 6 inch spikes but just not growing any bone.   And I am not advocating shooting them but rather saying they are legal.

There are quite a few of those out there.   I am not talking about the fawn as shown above that just has bumps on it's head and is 5 month old.

[buckfvr]

Read the regs.....no antler, no shoot...........in over 40 yrs of hunting, never seen an 18 month old with only its pedicles........not saying impossible, as it may have been a result of a very late bred doe, but the fact remains, its illegal.

[Mike450r]

Read the regs.....no antler, no shoot...........in over 40 yrs of hunting, never seen an 18 month old with only its pedicles........not saying impossible, as it may have been a result of a very late bred doe, but the fact remains, its illegal.

In 40 years of hunting or just being out in the woods I have seen several every year which equals well over a hundred in that time period and every one was legal in an any buck area.  If it has bone its legal, no size requirement just has to be visible.  If it is still covered by hair it's a fawn and illegal.

[sirmissalot]

Apparently there are different interpretations of what a button buck is. To me if it has visible bone its a spike... I have seen one that just looked like it had the pedicles of a spike

[buckfvr]

Pedicle and antlers are not the same..............look it up.

[sirmissalot]

Pedicle and antlers are not the same..............look it up.

You're right. I used the wrong terminology. I was speaking of the base of the antler or the burr.

[Mike450r]

Pedicle and antlers are not the same..............look it up.

ok,  now I got what you were saying.  I am simply trying to help people who would shoot a small deer understand what is legal and help with the difference between fawn and yearling.  I have never referred to the fawns as buttons because they were nothing more than hair covered bumps (pedicles)

[oldleclercrd]

I'll add this pic because you can see the nubbs pretty clear. Sounds like the WDFW needs to clarify. I personally wouldn't shoot one just because the meat wouldn't amount to much.

[RB]

Definition on page 16 of regulations:

Any Buck/Bull: Only Deer/Elk with visible antlers may be taken (Fawns/Calves illegal). Visible antler is horn-like growth projecting above the hairline.

It is up to each individual to decide if they want to harvest a small Buck or not. If it were not for small bucks most kids and a lot of adults would not harvest and animal. 

[buckcanyonlodge]

Definition on page 16 of regulations:

Any Buck/Bull: Only Deer/Elk with visible antlers may be taken (Fawns/Calves illegal). Visible antler is horn-like growth projecting above the hairline.

It is up to each individual to decide if they want to harvest a small Buck or not. If it were not for small bucks most kids and a lot of adults would not harvest and animal. 

Key words here --- (Fawns/Calves illegal). ----Button Bucks are fawns therefore NOT legal..

[LeviD1]

To junkie. You can get mad all you want. The picture you posted is this years fawn and in no way 150 lbs. Im all for teaching you son about hunting. Marksmanship can be taught not on baby deer. That deer just got done sucking on boob a couple months ago. Personally i wouldn't teach anyone to shoot fawns. Hunting is also about patience and not always harvesting an animal. When i started hunting, I didn't shoot my first deer for a couple years. I was with my dad and we saw animals but just didn't have a good opportunity for a shot. I still had a blast being out with my dad and to this day we hunt all season together. Neither of us have shot deer in 3 years. My opportunity to harvest a deer last year came the last hour of the last day and it was a yearling in a unit for any deer. Did I shoot, no cause I would rather have that deer have a chance to grow up and make more baby deer. We obviously have 2 different outlooks on hunting.

[WSU]

I agree completely. A button buck is this years fawn, they are tiny.

But tasty!

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

To junkie. You can get mad all you want. The picture you posted is this years fawn and in no way 150 lbs. Im all for teaching you son about hunting. Marksmanship can be taught not on baby deer. That deer just got done sucking on boob a couple months ago. Personally i wouldn't teach anyone to shoot fawns. Hunting is also about patience and not always harvesting an animal. When i started hunting, I didn't shoot my first deer for a couple years. I was with my dad and we saw animals but just didn't have a good opportunity for a shot. I still had a blast being out with my dad and to this day we hunt all season together. Neither of us have shot deer in 3 years. My opportunity to harvest a deer last year came the last hour of the last day and it was a yearling in a unit for any deer. Did I shoot, no cause I would rather have that deer have a chance to grow up and make more baby deer. We obviously have 2 different outlooks on hunting.

not mad at all you wear that jacket just fine.

I never posted any pics.

all I asked is if it was legal.  some people think I care about there opinions.  Seems mighty rude and self entitled of you.  The spikes I've seen are the same size if not some times smaller.  They're probably 18 months and just have a small nub.  I was just clarifying. 

[RB]

I'll add this pic because you can see the nubbs pretty clear. Sounds like the WDFW needs to clarify. I personally wouldn't shoot one just because the meat wouldn't amount to much.

The picture of this Deer is by definition a legal deer in an any buck unit because:

A- It meets the requirement of a "Horn like growth projecting above the hairline" Which makes it a Buck.

B- It does not meet the antler-less definition because of A.

I personally would let this guy walk and know others would not

[buckfvr]

Pedicle is skull bone.........it is not an antler like growth............see page 18 wdfw laws...........it is not confusing.   Neither is it legal.