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

[Special T]

Stupid laws are meant to be broken! We all break laws we just all don't get caught!  That's how civil disobedience got started... just got to be willing to pay the price of admission if you get caught.

[TONTO]

  Two years ago while elk hunting, I found an old bull elk skull, green with moss, naturaly shed, just had the bone pedistals. Defenatly no trophy value what so ever, even the ivorys gone. I packed it out and hung it in camp. Killed a bull a day or so later, packing up camp the next day I put it in the back of the truck, loaded up and heading down the hyway, I was stopped by the gamie, he checked out my kill alls good. Then asks where'd you get the skull, what are you doing with it. Told him where I found it ,it was obviously several years old and naturaly shed(winter kill),told him I thought it would make some good yard art. He confinscated it , but told me he wasn't going to cite me for it, then have a nice day.

[Hangfire]

A few years ago a friend was archery hunting elk in the Blue Mt's.  He had a game biologist  with him or had met him in the woods. My friend found a large dead bull that looked like it died from injury in a fight. This bull was 360 plus class bull.  The biologist could not give him permission to bring the head out.  They cell phoned a agent who gave them permission to bring the head out, but said it belongs to the state.

Since my friend works for DNR he got permission to hang the head in a DNR office. The horns are never to leave the office and remain state property.

[wrangler]

A few years ago a friend was archery hunting elk in the Blue Mt's.  He had a game biologist  with him or had met him in the woods. My friend found a large dead bull that looked like it died from injury in a fight. This bull was 360 plus class bull.  The biologist could not give him permission to bring the head out.  They cell phoned a agent who gave them permission to bring the head out, but said it belongs to the state.

Since my friend works for DNR he got permission to hang the head in a DNR office. The horns are never to leave the office and remain state property.

oh brother... 

[boneaddict]

Just to stir the pot a little.
Now Bone has one on this post that he got in Idaho, which someone else said was legal and the gamie said he could keep.(no problem)

Huntingphool has one he got in montana that the gamie said he could keep due to it's condition. (no problem)
Bone also said a person (lady) was able to pickup and retain a sheep skull after letting the gamies know about it and they gave her the ok.
So has anyone on here ever gotten premission from a gamie in this state to pickup and retain a skull? If so how would they make the decision to go outside the law and say it is ok? What parameters do they use? The laws states only naturally shed with no mention of or if it is this old or obviuosly old and weathered/white?
Also what if you own property and the animal dies on said property over the winter, do you just let it lie or is it then yours because of were it perished?

IT WOULD BE NICE....if it was written like NM law.  It is unlawful to pick up but if you give coordinates, photos, etc, they will investigate it and allow you to have it.  I copy and pasted it on here somewhere how it reads exactly.   I found out it isn't illegal in Idaho, but I haven't confirmed that and I wasn't going to take any chances.  The lady and the sheep skull still amazes me. 

[Cougeyes]

A few years ago a friend was archery hunting elk in the Blue Mt's.  He had a game biologist  with him or had met him in the woods. My friend found a large dead bull that looked like it died from injury in a fight. This bull was 360 plus class bull. 

This story sounds familiar, i think i saw a picture of the bull and it was a toad if its the same bull deffinetly 360+

[boneaddict]

Of course I can't prove it was wolves, but very likey.  Coyotes part out their kills and seperate the parts.  Cats usually eat more.   teeth were fine.  Canine chews on some of the bones.  Nice buck you and I won't be hunting this next year.

[NWBREW]

 Bone...was that the Methow area?  

[boneaddict]

No, thats not in the Methow.

[HHPro]

Did you do the right thing and cut the antlers off the skull 

[boneaddict]

I left it, it smelled too bad.

[hirshey]

Very sad to see such a beautiful animal go to waste.

Thanks for sharing the photo though! Hope the critters pick it clean for you soon.

[boneaddict]

I'm going to try to get approval for it, but since it is trophy class, I am guessing probably not. 

[cannon-master]

well it is highly highly and i mean highly illeagal int he state of washington i have an interesting story about this years hunting season and the game department if you want i will tell you all about it and the trouble we faced

[gasman]

Do Tell........

You may reach more eyes if you post a new thread about your story.