Got a new place to hunt this year, and this guy showed up on the camera this week. I've heard there is a game preserve or ranch of some kind close but can't find any info to back that up. My first thought was a young elk, but not certain. My question is when it comes to legality/morality of harvesting such a thing, that is if this guy walks by one morning. I'm definitely not the hunter that shoots anything that walks by, but the whitetail have eluded me this year. Open to thoughts....looks tasty.

Looks like a young elk to me, no tag I'm plugging it. If no county season for elk, is that considered an exotic?

Wouldn’t it be considered livestock?

Aren’t elk considered exotics and therefore there is no closed season or bag limits? I’m shooting him if he walks out.

Any chance it is a red/stag deer?

Do you have any pics at that camera to show size relative to a deer? This guy doesnt look tall enough to be an elk with that much branching. Young elk will be shorter more like a big deer but will show spikes and forks rather than all that branching. Red stag will be shorter than elk with that antler configuration for sure.

Either eats really well…shoot if there is no season in your county!

It look like either a young elk or a Red deer. If no ear tag or tattoo visible and no known game lodge around I think you are good to go. To my knowledge there is no Elk season in Texas so it can be taken at any time.

That's not like any Bull Elk I've seen.
But without a size referance or a look at the backside I can only guess.

What I can say for sure is; it's not a young animal. It takes 5 to 6 years to grow a rack like that.

I lean toward it being a Red Deer. Elk have a hump and a much heavier looking body in my experiance, but I know there can be regonal differences that could explain that away.

As far as I know the one thing that Elk always have and Red Deer never have is the pale rump patch and shoulder hump.

Bang, Bang, Flop

Red deer.

So exotic, good to shoot if no visible tags, ownership tattoos?

Red deer or elk, still young but often have a 4 or 5 point rack per side. Either way if in Texas would still be exotic. Good eating either way. If no visable owner tag if I saw it I would be planning on a good supply of good eating meat if given a chance

Another one for young elk, my understanding is if it does not have a tag in its ear or other identifiable marking of ownership you can shoot it.
If I had no clue who the owner was, I would shoot it and enjoy the wonderful meat

Agree...

KEEP us posted on this critter

Hard to tell from the pic but if its an elk its prob. 4-5 years old.

Here are some better pictures and a deer for reference. Hes hung around eating corn for a few days. I'm with you guys. Hopefully he will stroll back by this weekend.

It’s an elk looking at the other pics gonna say 3-4 year old

Elk



BOOOOMMM......................................



WHOP!

Red Deer IMO -- notice the white around the snout. It's a younger one given the rack hasn't flayed out toward the end points. For those saying young elk, that would match the red deer height/weight stats. Could also be a cross breed if it's wild....

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/red-stag-vs-elk/ has some good info.

I can positively identify this as backstrap, tenderloin, neck roast, cube-steak, and ground meat....and a rack for the wall. Good luck getting him!

Even if it had an ear tag, it is considered an exotic. To my knowledge that is fair game. We have a giant whitetail that has an ear tag that has come onto our lease. I can tell you that if it shows up during legal shooting hours it will be taking a dirt nap.

If it has an ear tag, it is considered someone's livestock. 'Pretty sure it is illegal to deliberately kill it. Your decisions as to who tells;brags/announces what, what happens to the ear tag immediately after the kill, etc. is your business.

Call local sheriffs office ask if anyone has reported it missing in your area. He will tell you. Your good to go if no one has reported it missing you can also check with the local game warden to see if he has been contacted. I would do those two things before heading to the woods again because the temptation will be to great if he shows up.

Elk or Elk hybrid. Red Deer simply don't have that rump patch.
Could be a two year old, if the habitat is good. But the mass suggests an older animal, perhaps a 4 year old. Which for an Elk is relatively young.

Two year old Red Deer

Not my photo


Two year old Elk

Not my photo


Depending on nutrition they can have larger racks.

Based on the new photos I agree with those who say it's a young animal. Most likely a two year old.