Some special hunts have earn-a-buck regulations, which require the harvest of one or more antlerless deer before the hunter can take an antlered deer. These regulations are explained below.
- General information
- In order to tag a buck, you must tag an antlerless deer in the park or special hunt area first.
- You do not have to register the antlerless deer prior to taking the buck, but you do need to validate your deer license and tag and have them available for inspection by a conservation officer. If you are found with a buck and no antlerless deer, you will be in violation of the hunt rules.
- There will be no special validation for buck hunting.
- If you already have filled your buck license elsewhere, you still may hunt antlerless deer.
- Deer taken in special hunts must be registered under the special hunt area number.
- Antlers must remain attached to the carcass until after the deer is registered.
- Earn-a-buck rules apply to youth and disabled hunters in state park special hunts.
- Licenses and permits
- Hunters may want two tags in possession. One tag must be valid for taking an antlerless deer and the other for taking a buck.
- Hunters who are only interested in taking an antlerless deer need only bring one tag.
- Party hunting (cross-tagging)
- Party hunting is legal in earn-a-buck areas.
- You can shoot a deer for a member of your party; however, only the person whose tag is on the antlerless deer will be authorized to tag a buck.
- If you shoot an antlerless deer that someone else tags, you cannot tag a buck with your license. You must tag an antlerless deer with your license before you can tag a buck.
- Party hunters should tag their first antlerless deer with their own license. If they have the opportunity to harvest another antlerless deer, they should tag it with another person’s license.