Moscow Hunting Club

                                Buck Harvest Rules 

 An effective restriction on buck harvest must be imposed. Bucks with an inside spread of less that 15 inches will not be harvested this will protect the majority of 1.5 and 2.5 year old bucks allowing many to move to the 3.5 year old class. It is recomended that you learn to score deer by Boone & Crockett system and allow the 15 inch class bucks to mature to the 16 inch plus class bucks that are 4.5 years of age and start to score 120  or greater  Boone & Crockett. By allowing this to happen it is not the difference between two basket racks and an 8 pointer, but its the difference between an 8 pointer and a WOW!! 

1. Any hunting violations noted by any member must be reported to the Club President  and or Game Warden as soon as possible.  Any refusal to comply is a violation of section VII of the bylaws.

2. Ethical Hunting practices are to be followed at all times failure to comply with this will result in expulsion from the club see section VII in the bylaws for further details.

3. Each membership will be allowed a total of five (5) deer this season, with no more than three (3) bucks.  Please read Texas Parks and Wildlife rules on county restrictions for Polk County as club rules on bucks differ.  The Club goal is to harvest bucks 4.5 years or older with a Bone & crockett score of 120 or better.

4. A legal buck in the MHC is one that meets  the following criteria; an inside spread of 15" or greater  No other bucks are considered legal. See exceptions below 

 Each membership will be allowed a grace on one(1) buck down to 13 7/8 inside spread.

5. Violations of the 15" spread rule will carry a fine of $100 if the buck harvested has less than a 13 7/8 inside spread.  A 13 7/8 square will be located at the weigh station and must fit horizontally inside the antlers to prevent a fine.

6. If a second buck is harvested with an inside spread of less than 15 inches all deer hunting for that membership is suspended for the remainder of the season.

Please note these fines and suspensions are to prevent the premature harvest of young bucks and encourage better management practices.

7. If you harvest a mature buck with an inside spread of less tha 15" and is 4.5 years old or older a judgement call can be made by the Club President and the fine waived.

8. FINES MUST BE PAID BEFORE YOU CAN RESUME HUNTING.

9. A buck harvested with an inside spread of less than 13" will cause suspension of all deer hunting privileges for the rest of the season, this is a game vioilation under Texas Parks and Wildlife and will be reported to the Game Warden.

10. Please note the fine by Texas Parks and Wildlife for a buck that has less than 13" spread is  up to $1500 if a member is charged with a game violation you are in violation of section VII of the bylaws and subject to suspension and or expulsion  from the club.

                       Doe Harvest Rules

 An active doe harvest is encouraged and required for a MLD program to be successful. Presently herd management goals are to harvest 27 - 37 does. Without a strong doe removal effort, a balanced age structure can not be achived. With a balanced or near balanced herd buck activity (the rut) durning hunting season will be more intense and scrapes, rubs and other signs will be more apparent. 

11. All doe permits will be located at the weigh station   once you harvest a doe you must return to the weigh station to sign the permit out, tag your doe and record all deer data. Then you repeat the process for each doe harvested.No hunter is allowed to remove a doe from the lease without first going to the weigh station to properly tag the doe. No member is allowed to remove surplus tags from the weigh station this will be rule violation that will subject the membership to suspesion of all deer hunting for the rest of the season.

12. Doe Rule- you must harvest a doe before the second buck can be taken. If two bucks are harvested without a doe harvested between them, the penality will be $ 100. A doe harvested prior to the first buck will count as the doe needed for the harvest of the second buck.

13. All deer data must be recorded at time of harvest at the weigh station, before it is taken to camp or removed from the club.  If you are having a buck mounted record all data in the book and take a jawbone tag.  Once the taxidermist has the deer he will return the jaw bone back to you at that time , place it in the basket.

14. Anterless deer taken during archery season and muzzle loader season are to be tagged with your regular hunting license tag only.  Anterless deer taken during the youth weekends or regular gun season are to be tagged with the permit only, no license tag is required.

15. Observation Data - After each hunt you must record the deer that you have seen in the observation book located at the weigh station. This information is vital in the MLD program and each hunt must be recorded. This is mandiatory for each membership and is due by January 1 each year.

                Late Season Youth and Muzzle loader seasons

Only bucks are allowed under these late season hunts this is to prevent the harvest of does which by this time in the season are alread bred.