Okay I shot at a 11 point in early bow season and I lost him. I looked all over but never found him. Well Monday I found his skull in a big sink hole and If I decide to mount him or something do I need a tag or anything?

What if you find the skull of one you did not kill? Can you take it home?

Yes, you can take it but you must check the deer in.

So if you've tagged out on bucks this year and find a giant buck that's been dead for a while, you can't legally take it?

Yes, you can take it but you must check the deer in.

Im not TWRA but that is not true. If the deers skulled is bleached from weather then it dont have to be checked in.

But if you wanting to mount it im pretty sure it will have to have a tag on it.

It applies to a freshly killed animal and not a bleached skull.

And, before the question, the "freshly killed" part will be a discretionary call on the part of the officer, so there is not a ticking clock from illegal to legal.

So if you've tagged out on bucks this year and find a giant buck that's been dead for a while, you can't legally take it?

That's is what I am wondering.

if I knew I had not shot it and could not tell if it was shot because it was too far rotten, I personally would just take the skull and do a euro, maybe after season closed or something, couldn't just let a skull pass like that...if it was a squirrelly area I'd take it right then so it didn't get chewed up.

And, before the question, the "freshly killed" part will be a discretionary call on the part of the officer, so there is not a ticking clock from illegal to legal.