Deer skull question

[BryanP]

If someone were hiking in the woods and found a deer skull with antlers still attached just laying in the brush, are their any laws/regulations against taking it home?

[Handsome Rob]

Not as far as I know.

[Oh Shoot]

What could you possibly be charged with? Poaching?

 

I'd opine it would be light years from meeting burden of proof on anything like that.

 

- OS

Edited November 11, 2013 by Oh Shoot

[BryanP]

I did some looking online. Couldn't find diddly on the TWRA site. Apparently there are rules in Kentucky and Missouri. Just want to be sure. Looks to have been there long enough there's no flesh of any sort left. Cleaned up it would make a neat Halloween decoration. I'll call TWRA tomorrow just to be sure. Edited November 11, 2013 by BryanP

[Handsome Rob]

Well, all through summer I spend hours mooching around the woods looking for shed antlers & I know there's no law against that. Can't see how this is any different.

[UncleJak]

Finders keepers!

Sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[DaveS]

If someone were hiking in the woods and found a deer skull with antlers still attached just laying in the brush, are their any laws/regulations against taking it home?

You're good. Enjoy your find. A little bleach will really whiten them up if not so already.

 

DaveS

[RED333]

You got lucky, mice will get them in no time.

[DaveS]

You got lucky, mice will get them in no time.

And the squirrels will destroy the antlers!

 

DaveS

[ShaunM]

Squirrels love them.

[xjsnake]

I did some work with TDEC and TWRA last spring and found an intact skull, rack and some ribs and vertebra without any tissue. They said "take em home", that's good enough for me lol.

[BryanP]

Thanks for all the info guys. Much appreciated.

[JWC]

we had a large collection we found back when i was surveying.

[BryanP]

I just confirmed with TWRA that being bare & stripped as it was it's free for the taking.  If it was fresh it may have required a salvage tag?  I'm not a hunter so I'm not familiar with all the regs.

 

Here's a couple of pics of what I found.  The top is what I looked down and saw as we were hiking through the woods.

 

Edited November 12, 2013 by BryanP

[cj0e]

Nice find!

[TripleDigitRide]

Wow! Nice. I bet that was a nice buck.

[KahrMan]

That is a nice find.  That will make a cool european mount.

[BryanP]

So those of you more familiar with this sort of thing, any idea why I just found a skull?  No other bones at all.

[Wingshooter]

So those of you more familiar with this sort of thing, any idea why I just found a skull?  No other bones at all.

Scavengers probably scattered the carcas around. There's probably another pile of bones nearby. Super nice find!