Thread: What or who defines a "trophy buck"?

Originally Posted by RetiredRR

What criteria has to be met before a buck can be classified a "trophy"?

I'm waiting to hear from the Texas Parks and Wildlife legal department for an answer.

I live in a two buck county, but only one buck can be a trophy and I don't know
what defines a trophy. In the Texas Parks and Wildlife Annual, under definitions,
there is no such definition.

What is your understanding? This might become educational.

Nothing within the TPWD regulations have a 'trophy" buck associated with the exiting regulations and Antler Restrictions. I believe this is what you are getting confused on, since nowhere within the Antler Restrictions says you may take a "trophy" buck. Those counties only have the definition of a legal buck(s) that may be taken within those counties with the Antler Restrictions.

"I live in a two buck county, but only one buck can be a trophy and I don't know what defines a trophy." Where in the regulation/Antler Restriction below does it state either of the legal bucks are a 'trophy'? This is where you are confused since it is not stated within our regulations or our Parks & Wildlife Statutes.

Special Antler Restrictions:
- Antler restrictions apply only in certain counties (see County Listings, pgs. 80-103). In these counties, the bag limit is two legal bucks, but only ONE may have an inside spread of 13 inches or greater. In these counties, a legal buck deer is defined as having:
• a hardened antler protruding through the skin AND;
• at least one unbranched antler; OR
• an inside spread measurement between main beams of 13 inches or greater (does not apply to a
buck that has an unbranched antler).
- IT IS UNLAWFUL TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE BUCK WITH AN INSIDE SPREAD OF 13 INCHES OR GREATE R IN A COUNTY
WHERE ANTLER RESTRICTIONS ARE IN EFFECT.

All other bucks are ILLEGAL to harvest. Shooting/harvesting/killing any buck other than those that meet the Antler Restriction requirements, would result in a game violation which then results in County Court costs for the county it was killed in plus a Civil Restitution fine from TPWD for the replacement of the illegal buck which base cost is $881.50 for ANY illegal buck and then it is scored by Boone & Crockett for every measureable inch of antler which is charged per inch. Reason I know this is that I work for the TPWD.

Sounds like you are confused with listening or hearing what others have said to someone or told to you about a trophy buck.

In all other counties that DO NOT have the Antler Restrictions, a trophy buck to someone is in their own mind what they want it to be since the bucks are not restricted within those counties.

Originally Posted by RetiredRR

Expected Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett to get into the discussion, but are they a branch of the Parks & Wildlife Department?
If the Legal Department of the Texas Parks & Wildlife invoke either organization, that will be my next question. Would they be called into the conversation as expert
witnesses in the event the question should arise? I'm just looking for a legal leg to stand on if the question ever comes up, if I ever shoot two bucks on my property
and they happen to fall in the same county. Half my property is in one county and the other half is in another county. I can handle the technical aspects of tagging
one buck in one county and another buck in the other county, but I have found that there are those that cannot handle such technicalities. The results are very
expensive for the individuals that cannot remember where they were when they pulled the trigger. One mans trophy does not always equal "trophy" status in the eyes
of the other man. In a court of law, there has to be something or a criteria for establishing a buck to be of "trophy" status, so fines can be levied against the hunter,
should he drop more than one buck in a season in the same county.

Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett Club are not a group or extension of TPWD, they are their own organization, not a state agency.

If you look at my previous reply to your question, there is nothing that a judge/JP or an Attorney could throw the case or citation out since the word 'trophy' does not or is not associated with the Antler Restriction in any way nor is it written as such. Hate to say this, but you either have listened to someone or heard someone say that the 13" or greater between the main beams is a 'trophy' buck.

Breambuster, I was going on conversations with two game wardens. Plus a third retired game warden I've know for more than 30 years. The term trophy didn't come up
until they made a statement about a trophy buck that was take illegally and how the fine was determined. That is what sparked my questions because I couldn't find
the word trophy in the handbook. The older retired game warden told me the term trophy should not have been used and I agree. I just did not want to have an issue
here on my own property since my nephew did have an issue and he has now resolved his mistake. I can't afford his kind of mistakes, so I was looking for answers.
Thanks for your opinion and response. I do know how I will handle the situation if it ever happens to me. I got over "buck fever" many, many years ago. LOL

Trophy Buck is anything that "blows up your ego".

In Indiana it would be a keeper on the wall.

Thank goodness I got over my ego. Egos cause folks to trip and stumble. At my age, I need to keep my balance as much and as long as I can. LOL