Skull with antlers still attached...can you take it?

[BuckHunter23]

I was asked to revise this post.

What are the rules about sheds and skulls with antlers attached, when the find is during the hunting season (if that even matters)?  

My brother and I were hunting for elk this past weekend and while out on his hike he came across an awesome find.  He found an elk skull with 4x4 horns still attached.  There were no other bones or hide near by.  The skull was laying next to a creek about 200 yds off the road, up in some thick timber.  It looks like it had been dead for a while, since the skull was a yellowish/brown, and it had been picked clean, with the exception of a little fatty tissue at the base of the antlers..  My guess is an archery kill that wasn't found...but odd that there were no othe parts of the animal nearby.

Your thoughts...what should we have done?  Would you have kept it?

[stumprat]

Definitely illegal!

[Huntbear]

Only NATURALLY SHED antlers may be kept.

[ICEMAN]

Unfortunately, not legal to keep...

[agchawk]

Yup. The law is in place to keep unethical folks that might pop a big buck or bull and then return later and say they "found" it. I won't argue with the validity of the law...but that's why it's there. Just as they say, "A few bad apples will spoil the barrel."

[jjdavis2222]

 Might not be legal, but sure would be hard not to keep them!! I would of kept them!

[Galpster]

So is he supposed to go put it back and wait for the antlers to fall off the skull to take it home? I think I would call a gamey and get clarification. You did nothing wrong and it is just going to fall apart laying in the woods. Maybe they will let you keep it.

[Galpster]

Yup. The law is in place to keep unethical folks that might pop a big buck or bull and then return later and say they "found" it. I won't argue with the validity of the law...but that's why it's there. Just as they say, "A few bad apples will spoil the barrel."

Now that makes sense. Thanks for clarifying. Looks like it has to go back.

[jjdavis2222]

  That is a great find and not very many people will ever find anything like that! If you dont take it, someone will!

[509er]

Should have left it like everyone else would of.    By the way, cool find!

[agchawk]

So is he supposed to go put it back and wait for the antlers to fall off the skull to take it home? I think I would call a gamey and get clarification. You did nothing wrong and it is just going to fall apart laying in the woods. Maybe they will let you keep it.

By law, he's not supposed to keep it at all. However, it would be tough to leave it as it lay...but that's the law.

[carpsniperg2]

Yup. The law is in place to keep unethical folks that might pop a big buck or bull and then return later and say they "found" it. I won't argue with the validity of the law...but that's why it's there. Just as they say, "A few bad apples will spoil the barrel."

well said

[509er]

Kind of a B.S. law if you ask me.  If someone is willing to shoot a buck or bull out of season or without a tag, do you really thing a law against picking up a skull is going to stop them.   

[Hunterman]

Mount them. How many gamies have something like that, that they have "found" in their homes..

Hunterman(Tony)

[jackelope]

you have now posted photo-proof of you breaking the law on the internet and provided the gamies with your email address and other info so they can track you down.
dumb law, agreed...but you may want to reconsider posting your story and pics on a website frequented by game wardens.