ORIGINAL: mnbirddog
And a complete misuse of a natural resource.
As long as they are in a high fence, it isn't really a natural resource. Thats why none of the "books" recognize them. That being said, I would NEVER be proud of a high fence kill. JMO, but they are technically livestock. That's one way I think MN has an edge on states like Texas (not to pick on anybody by any means, its just a place I have been), we may not have as many big bucks, but our captive deer are considered livesock.
They are definitely livestock. The does at the place my friend went to were corraled up and trucked to a place for urine collection. Breeder bucks were kept in huge pens that looked like kennels, they would release them if someone wanted to pay enough to "hunt" one. All of the bucks had rings indicating size and were handled often. Cattle in the form of deer basically.