If a state has hunting laws that stupidly written, I wouldn't count on them letting you off if you reported it. I would probably take it home and process it and keep my mouth shut, that means not telling anybody. I think it would be more unethical to leave it and I think there is no reason to punish someone for an honest mistake like that. I'm not a dishonest person, but I don't go tell the police to write me a ticket for speeding either.

i would turn myself in as a terrorist.

Zak, I think you have some State Regulations mixed up.

Yes, some of the WMA's do have a 12" inch rule. But not the rest of the State. Except for WMA with QDM rules, the entire state is a 4pt or better rule with no minimum spread. A button buck is considered "antlerless" and there would be no fine.

In Kansas our regs are "visible polished antler" to determine which tag you must put on them. We have antlered and antlerless tags. In the past when I noticed a small spike with spikes less than the height of the ears I questioned law enforcement about the legality of taking that deer as a antlerless deer. Their response was that if it was not visible at the time one took the shot it was antlerless. Later during the firearms season a friend shot this same deer at 150 yards broadside thinking it was a doe. He only had a doe tag. He tagged the deer and when we were leaving that afternoon the game warden was at the gate and when he checked the deer he said we have a problem here. When I explained to him what their office had told me he decided to back off. While this isn't exactly the same situation the point is there is always room for interpretation. My view of your situation is that based on Kansas law I would think you are legal, but then again you aren't in Kansas. Thats a lot of rambling to give you no help, but just my 2 cents worth.