If I shot a deer and found it a week later, I would not tag it. I'm not gonna tag a uneatable deer. Thats my feelings on it. I know of no law in Arkansas that requires a hunter to do so either, I might be wrong, but I have never read of such a law. If a hunter wants to tag it, more power to you, I'm just not gonna do it.

With the variety of answers here, I guess it depends on where you live and the law there. I am the one that started the "replacement tag" bit and it was misunderstood or possibly that is the way the law is in other states. The law in Pa. states that you must make every reasonable effort to recover game. I don't think a Game Warden here ever had some one bring in a deer that was dead for 5 days so they could get another tag. That is a lot of extra work for a GW to do and he throws the deer on a dump any way, so what was gained?

yep..new member..new hunter...and some of you ran him off..with your holier than thou attitude

Not true. He was gone after the 2nd page, on the 23rd. No one had said anything that would run him off. There were discussions among other members about advice that was given to him, nearly a week later, but, nothing untoward was said to him.

i know your getting chewed by everyone but you know you messed up, that's good you understand that. everything will be fine. happy hunting.

I don't mind getting "chewed" by folks who are either (a) condoning game law violations, or (b) simply wrong, which are, pretty much, the only two choices if you disagree with what I've said. And, it's not everyone. Quite a few have agreed that the deer should have been tagged (assuming that his state uses tags).

And, bottom line, the Original Poster had been gone for a week before I ever posted on the thread.

new hunter or not,bottom line is if he was caught by a warden he would have been charged with failing to tag a harvested game animal.

the law is the law.welcome to reality,best go tell the government they have a holier then thou attatude and see what they say.

Just remember this and always look for sign early the next morning in the daylight. If the temp. is cold enough the deer meat will still be good. Even the best hunters loose game. Keep hunting and keep looking! Jim

This is very good advise, the best of this thread!

You are correct, NO one is above the law!! a person should get a book of regulations and read & follow what it say, period!!

I do not totally disagree, but, a dead deer + hunter doesn't necessarily = that hunter shot the deer. I have found deer dead in the woods, had a warden came upon the scene should I be charged? I think not. if (the op) found the deer the next day or the day after that, the warden would be "hard pressed" to issue a ticket, after a few hours even the person who did shot the deer would would be hard pressed to say inconclusively that it was the deer they shot, (they do look a lot alike) The best I think anyone could do would be to say Yes, I shot at a deer!! is that the one??? I don't know. jmop Doc