Author Topic: 2-pt skulls, poached or natural? (Read 8922 times)

7mmfan · « **on:** February 16, 2011, 03:54:03 PM »

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 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2011, 03:57:51 PM »

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

h20hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2011, 03:58:41 PM »

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

MIKEXRAY · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2011, 07:02:45 PM »

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 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2011, 08:43:10 PM »

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 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2011, 09:12:47 PM »

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 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 16, 2011, 09:45:36 PM »

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 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 16, 2011, 09:57:55 PM »

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

Button Nubbs · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2011, 07:36:17 PM »

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 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 17, 2011, 07:37:02 PM »

Harold · « **Reply #10 on:** February 18, 2011, 04:18:29 AM »

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 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 18, 2011, 07:19:35 AM »

Quote from: Button Nubbs on February 17, 2011, 07:36:17 PM

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 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 18, 2011, 07:37:52 AM »

Quote from: HornHoarder on February 18, 2011, 07:19:35 AM

Quote from: Button Nubbs on February 17, 2011, 07:36:17 PM
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 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 18, 2011, 07:41:33 AM »

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

MtnMuley · « **Reply #14 on:** February 18, 2011, 07:56:35 AM »

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

Button Nubbs · « **Reply #15 on:** February 18, 2011, 02:08:10 PM »

Thanks guys! Always been curious about that

WonkyWapiti · « **Reply #16 on:** February 20, 2011, 10:47:33 PM »

I took my daughter out on her first hunt this past rifle season and she didn't tag out. One day we came across a nice big two by that had been shot cleanly and left behind to rot. I kept getting pissed off that I had to keep explaining to a bright eyed little girl that not everyone has the same respect for the deer that we do. The two by incident was one of many illegal and or unethical situations she had to experience during her first hunt.

WonkyWapiti · « **Reply #17 on:** February 20, 2011, 11:17:37 PM »

I agree, there is a two point that we call "swords" where I hunt that we've been watching the last four years. He has gotten HUGE and refuses to grow a third point.

hoyt2002 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 20, 2011, 11:29:02 PM »

I've seen several like your "swords". One that I seen several years was pushing that 30 inch mark and tall. Never did grow that 3rd point. He was found dead on my uncle's land on the last day of muzzle loader season the year before last.

alecvg · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2011, 12:09:57 AM »

I saw one a couple years ago during late archery that we could have put the stalk on, he was in a great spot, easy stalk. Had to be at least 26" wide, heavy, carried his mass all the way up. Watched him for 30 minutes, not a third point on him, no eye guards, nothing.

d-rock · « **Reply #20 on:** February 22, 2011, 02:52:35 PM »

So given the amount of left for dead 2 pts and Big boy forkies that will never get to 3 pts, Should something change in your opinions? Either way Poached or Natural, then they could have been harvested right? Or would this just lead to less fully mature bucks? I too have seen many over the years that are found this way.

h20hunter · « **Reply #21 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:17:31 PM »

In my uneducated opinion there has to be something with genetics. I have heard arguments both ways saying it is age/habitat and food/genetic and this or that won't fix it. I would suppose you could go to "any buck" to resolve the issue but you would have to have it a "any buck" draw instead of general season. Then, more complaints but you would weed out some of those big wide two points. I'd take big 2x before eating tag soup any day.

Button Nubbs · « **Reply #22 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:25:55 PM »

3 point max for a couple years?

NWWABOWHNTR · « **Reply #23 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:31:54 PM »

In quality deer management they kill off the bucks with bad genetics so that those with good genetics will breed. In our State, with a 3 point minimum for a long period, those bucks with the good genetics to grow decent racks are killed off, and those with the Forky genes live to become big, strong breeders spreading the 2 point genes. Just my philosphy of why we are seeing so many huge forkies running around.

h20hunter · « **Reply #24 on:** February 22, 2011, 03:34:08 PM »

How about some 2pt max youth/disable/vet permits?

Alchase · « **Reply #25 on:** February 23, 2011, 08:38:57 AM »

I have found that allot of the cougar kills I see are also two points? Could be first winter makes for easy kills for the cats.

blacktailcrzy · « **Reply #26 on:** February 24, 2011, 09:16:06 PM »

ya i found a two point elk in a spike are and also a two mule deer in dayton a bad yeas for ethics

Shed Stud · « **Reply #27 on:** February 25, 2011, 08:57:03 AM »

By the number of 2 point sheds that are being found, young and mature, we need a two point only season very bad. If the 3's,4's and 5's get shot then the 2 point's will breed.

It doesn't take a educated man to see that soon the two point bucks could be the majority of breeding stock. Yes, the buck to doe ratio is real good right now. But are the bucks quality? I'm not saying there are no more good bucks left by any means, but I would of gladly put my tag on one of the thirty something two pointers I was forced to pass on last year. Two point only draw permits, youth and dissabled two point hunts, something, please!

heavy hauler · « **Reply #28 on:** February 25, 2011, 08:07:27 PM »

cougar kills?

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 26, 2011, 11:32:43 AM »

Quote from: heavy hauler on February 25, 2011, 08:07:27 PM

cougar kills?

Could be. I once came across a mountain lion that had accidentally killed a 2x2. He knew he was busted. I came around the corner, and there he was, staring at it and looking guilty. We looked at each other for a second, he mumbled something about "..could'a sworn it had a 3rd point..", and off he went like a shot...

...wierd...

400out · « **Reply #30 on:** February 26, 2011, 01:43:59 PM »

Quote from: Pathfinder101 on February 26, 2011, 11:32:43 AM

Quote from: heavy hauler on February 25, 2011, 08:07:27 PM
cougar kills?

Could be. I once came across a mountain lion that had accidentally killed a 2x2. He knew he was busted. I came around the corner, and there he was, staring at it and looking guilty. We looked at each other for a second, he mumbled something about "..could'a sworn it had a 3rd point..", and off he went like a shot...

...wierd...

Did you reprt it

huntnnw · « **Reply #31 on:** February 28, 2011, 12:08:46 AM »

If its out to its ears as a forky... should be shot. Waaay too many forkies running around

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #32 on:** February 28, 2011, 08:13:02 AM »

Quote from: 400out on February 26, 2011, 01:43:59 PM

Quote from: Pathfinder101 on February 26, 2011, 11:32:43 AM
Quote from: heavy hauler on February 25, 2011, 08:07:27 PM
cougar kills?

Could be. I once came across a mountain lion that had accidentally killed a 2x2. He knew he was busted. I came around the corner, and there he was, staring at it and looking guilty. We looked at each other for a second, he mumbled something about "..could'a sworn it had a 3rd point..", and off he went like a shot...

...wierd...
Did you reprt it

no. Didn't get a license plate #...

7mmfan · « **Reply #33 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:01:39 AM »

Thats funny right there. As for dealing with all the 2-pts, I think they should give out a select number of two-point permits. This would help as long as people know the difference between a mature 2-pt and a young fork horn. I'm with most people on here I would much rather put my tag on a nice 2-pt then eat tag soup.

I remember years ago in the Methow, youth hunters were allowed to shoot any buck. I think it was short lived though due to people taking advantage of the program. I didn't see it happen but I stopped by a camp and talked to a guy with his two sons. They were 7 and 9 and two nice two points on the ground, only one rifle in camp though. He said his 9 year old son shot one of them at 280 on the run with a 300 mag... uh huh

millertime89 · « **Reply #34 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:54:26 AM »

haha the kids got potential

he can't help that he's such a dang good shot

AMBUSH OUTFITTERS BC · « **Reply #35 on:** March 04, 2011, 10:55:59 AM »

same stuff here In BC, In my guide area for moose residents can take 2 point or less.We find 3 points left for wolf's

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Author Topic: 2-pt skulls, poached or natural? (Read 8922 times)

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