2-pt skulls, poached or natural?

[7mmfan]

It seems that every spring when I'm out and about I come across at least one or two skulls with 2-pt antlers firmly attached to them. Rarely can you ever confidently diagnose whether the deer was shot and left or died naturally... but I have my suspicions. Its sad to think that there are that many 2-pts shot and left every year. What do you guys think?

[MtnMuley]

Most of them are mistaken for a 3pt........or better yet, not even mistaken, but the "shoot and find out later" type.

[h20hunter]

I think there are plenty of people that do exactly that.

[MIKEXRAY]

I found a skeleton with a 2 pt this year & someone had shot it through the fore head with a rifle.  It was about 40 yards off the road & about 12 inches tall. Must of been looking at them & they assumed it must be a three. I found it in Sept during archery , looked like last years rifle. Nice little buck, sad to go to waste. Mike

[HornHoarder]

I think a large number of two points are shot and left to waste every year. I also seem to find a couple of recently killed 2 point carcasses each year.

[shedcrazy]

I have found some also, up in the wheat fields. The one field borders public. I also think it's a shoot first and check later . It sucks because in another year they would probably have been nice legal bucks

[alecvg]

I too have found a couple, at least one of them was deffinatly shot.  It is a shame for a deer to go to waste like that!

[bowhunterforever]

I find a few dead 2 points every year after modern rifle is over

[Button Nubbs]

I found a fresh one this year archery hunting mulies. Someone shot it. The vultures sure ate good.

Question: if you find one can you legally keep it?

[boneaddict]

No

[Harold]

had a situation like this happen a few years back on a east side hunt. i went with a close family friend and his son and daughter. us 3 guys did a little push on a thicket in a meadow/canyon type area pushed 2 bucks and 3does out. the daughter was the only shooter and her being a newbie shot the biggest one. well he was a huge 2pt no question about it a giant 2 point, but a 2 pt... we called the game warden told them where we were at and the situation. he simply told us to tag it, if any other wardens had an issue to tell them the situation and give him there number. it was a good experience for how it could have went. the girl was 14, hunted for 2 years on the west side. lesson learned and has been sure of her target ever sense. think that was 7 or 8 years ago.

[HornHoarder]

I found a fresh one this year archery hunting mulies. Someone shot it. The vultures sure ate good.

Question: if you find one can you legally keep it?

                   
can you legally saw the antlers off, diconnecting them from the skullplate?

[CAMPMEAT]

I found a fresh one this year archery hunting mulies. Someone shot it. The vultures sure ate good.

Question: if you find one can you legally keep it?

                   
can you legally saw the antlers off, diconnecting them from the skullplate?

I believe you can. But, I'd be leery if is a fresh found kill. Ya might be asking for trouble. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[boneaddict]

NO, you can't.   The definition is naturally shed antlers.  The RCW has been posted on here several times.

[MtnMuley]

x2,3,4,5,6.........