Packing out quarters. What order?

[Craig]

I drew a pretty good bull tag this year and from looking at maps, talking to people, and my scouting trip. The areas I'm most likely to hunt it would be almost impossible to get a elk out whole. IF i get lucky and get a bull i will need to quarter it up and pack it out.

For people that have quartered a bull and packed it out what order did you pack things out. I am guessing the head goes out on the last trip. What about leaving proof of sex attached. Is the head and antlers good enough?

I don't have a horse so that option is out.

Thanks

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

We pack head out first, and hide it... Then take quarters out, hind first as they are the heaviest.

[boneaddict]

I usually take the head and hide out while heading back to camp to get my packboard.  I then haul the hind quarters out first while I am the freshest as they are the heaviest. Then the front shoulders and the misc meat.  If I happen to have my pack frame with me, the misc meat and hide and antlers come out last as I think they are the safest out in the woods, especially where I am usually at. 

[ICEMAN]

Don't forget the Heart and Liver!

[bobcat]

What about leaving proof of sex attached. Is the head and antlers good enough?

No, that's not good enough. You'll need to leave at least one nut attached to one of the hind quarters.

[ICEMAN]

Cite me! These are usually fifty feet behind me hanging in a tree somewhere. I have never, ever left them attached. Been checked too! No citation...

[bobcat]

OK, I just looked it up to refresh my memory. If you have the head with the antlers attached, you are ok. That's all you need. But if you do what I like to do, and cut the antlers off the head, so that I don't have to pack out the head (it's heavy!) then you need to leave a nut attached. It's much easier to do that than to pack out the entire head. Do people really pack elk heads out of the woods? 

[rackattack]

Do people really pack elk heads out of the woods?

I guess that depends on how far I'd have to go.  Usual pack-out for me is hind quarters first then fronts.  I suppose if I was in real rugged terrain or miles from a road I might cut the antlers, but on the westside your really never to far from some road. 

[Little Fish]

I've never had the pleasure of packing an elk out of the woods, but does anyone recommend boning the elk out and just packing the meat? After processing a few deer I was thinking I wouldn't be too hard to pack the front shoulders out whole, but bone everyting else out (including the hind quarters). Any thoughts?

[Curly]

I'd tend to want to leave the hind quarters and bone the fronts.  The front will most likely be hamburger anyway, so you'll bone it eventually.  The hinds you can keep nice and clean and know that it is all the "good" cuts in there if you don't bone it out.

[ICEMAN]

We carry the head out immediately and hide it near camp, guy who packs head out brings beer back and packboards. We cut off the quarters, we de-bone the ribcage and spine, we bag and save every tiny piece including the heart, liver, backstraps and tenderloins...and carry all out in game bags on packboards. We usually leave behind ribcage/spine, leg bones, hide.

[high country]

I take horns and cape, possibly straps and tloins on the trip to the truck/camp. they are most likely to get nabbed. next is the hinds which I dont bone unless it is a BIG bull in a BAD spot. fronts I dont lose much sleep over boning, but I only do it if I need to save weight. boneing can be more harm then good sometimes.

as for proof of sex you do not need the testes just the sack attached.

[Ironhead]

I always leave head and cape for last. Meat is my #1 priority. If I just have a day pack I take the loins, heart and liver and back straps first. If I have my pack board or eberlestock I will start with Hind quarters and lastly head and cape. Where I bow hunt it is to warm to leave the meat to long, also if you quarter you must leave proof of sex attatched to hind quarter. Having just the head is not good enough they will confiscate your animal and you will end up in court.

[rackattack]

Page 69 of the Hunting regs, " Evidence of animal's sex--Male---head with antlers or horns attached or penis or testes naturally attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat."  I've stopped at many check station, and head and antlers has never been a problem.  Usually the twig and berries are the first things I remove.

[billythekidrock]

Do people really pack elk heads out of the woods? 

I don't know anyone who cuts off the rack, they all pack out the head and some times they "long neck" the elk and pack the rack/head/neck on the first trip. I remember trying to cut the rack off of a bull I killed and I was flipped some crap and told "pack the whole head". Always done it that way since. Now that I am getting older, I may switch.

[bobcat]

You should try it. I don't like to pack out anymore than I have to. Especially if it's uphill and over a 1/4 mile.

[provider]

Hmmm?  I guess I had a different interpretation of how the “evidence of animal’s sex” rule is written.

What it says under Tagging and Transportation is:  3. (b) It is illegal to possess or transport big game animals unless evidence of the animal's sex is left naturally attached to the carcass until the carcass is processed or stored for consumption.  Evidence of sex means:  Male- head with antlers or horns attached (naturally to the carcass) or penis or testes naturally attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat.
 
My interpretation is evidence has to be naturally attached to the carcass.  I routinely have to pack my animal out long distance.  So, the head never comes out on my back and is left behind after antlers and cape are removed.  This, in my interpretation, requires me to leave the testes or penis naturally attached to a hind quarter or, if boned out, to the largest portion of meat.   

[bobcat]

provider,  I think everybody is in agreement on what you just said. 

[billythekidrock]

provider,  I think everybody is in agreement on what you just said. 

[boneaddict]

All I know is that my hound liked moose testicles when I got home with them properly attached to the hind quarter.  SUPER scooby snacks

[provider]

bobcat,  maybe I misunderstood you?  I thought you said that if you have "the head with the antlers attached, you are ok.  That's all you need."  I assumed you meant the cut-off head, but the antlers still attached to the skull?  And that wouldn't be ok, unless the nuts were still attached.

Maybe I misunderstood "rackattack" too?  He said, "head and antlers has never been a problem", even after removing the twig and berries.  I thought both of you were suggesting if you remove the nuts, and cut-off the head but leave the antlers attached... it is ok?  I apologize if I misunderstood.     

[Curly]

Thanks for clarifying, Provider.  I think there was some misunderstanding going on there, but I'm not sure you were the on misunderstanding.............. .

What you were warning people about is if you cut the head off, you better have a nut sack left on the animal.

But if you bring the animal out whole or cut in half, you can get away with just having the head and get rid of the twig and berries.

[bobcat]

bobcat,  maybe I misunderstood you?  I thought you said that if you have "the head with the antlers attached, you are ok.  That's all you need."  I assumed you meant the cut-off head, but the antlers still attached to the skull?  And that wouldn't be ok, unless the nuts were still attached.

Nope, I guess you understood me correctly. We have a different interpretation of the law. The way the law is written, I take it to mean you can either have the head with antlers attached, OR if you don't have the head then you need "penis or testes naturally attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat."

[Dick Cress]

Depends on whether my four partners are close by or not. We use the gutless boning out method. If I'm alone, I'll bone out then my first and second loads are the hind quarters. Then whatever it takes for the fore quarters and misclleanous meat, hide with sex identifier attached last.

[boneaddict]

Basically I think the gist of the law is to keep some *censored* from running around with a set of spike antlers, shooting cows and claiming they belong to the antlers back at the truck.  Though a pain in the ass, it seem pretty reasonable to me.

[bobcat]

Basically I think the gist of the law is to keep some *censored* from running around with a set of spike antlers, shooting cows and claiming they belong to the antlers back at the truck.  Though a pain in the ass, it seem pretty reasonable to me.

But the law doesn't prevent that, if my interpretation of the law is correct.

[Curly]

Bob, maybe your interpretation is incorrect. 

Here is what Provider quoted: "Evidence of sex means:  Male- head with antlers or horns attached  or penis or testes naturally attached (naturally to the carcass) to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat."

I bolded what I think the key to the wording is.  Naturally to the carcass.........does that mean that the head can't be removed?

[boneaddict]

But the law doesn't prevent that, if my interpretation of the law is correct.

That surprises you?
Wheres the lawyer?
Now I'm confused and will have to go back and read all of your posts....
I get the testicle thing if there is NO head.
If there is a whole head, brains, sunken eyeballs and such with antlers attached, NO testicles neccessary.
If there is a set of antlers, sawed off, because I don't want to carry the damn head out, or I want to travel back home to NM and I don't want to be in trouble with CWD etc,
Do I need the testicles on or not???

[billythekidrock]

Bob, maybe your interpretation is incorrect. 

Here is what Provider quoted: "Evidence of sex means:  Male- head with antlers or horns attached  or penis or testes naturally attached (naturally to the carcass) to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat."

I bolded what I think the key to the wording is.  Naturally to the carcass.........does that mean that the head can't be removed?

That is what I understood it to be, either the nuts attached to a hind quarter or the rack/head attached to a front quarter or half.

[bobcat]

I am only saying it doesn't prevent that from happening because somebody could have a spike elk head (with antlers attached) and that could be used to go along with a cow elk to make it look legal. Your interpretation of the law is the same as mine. (I think)  I interpret the law to mean if you have the head, you don't need testicles. It's one, or the other, not both.

[bobcat]

Curly, you quoted provider incorrectly. You put the "(naturally to the carcass)" in the wrong spot. Here is how he had it: 

"Evidence of sex means:  Male- head with antlers or horns attached (naturally to the carcass) or penis or testes naturally attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat."

I'm not sure where that "naturally to the carcass) part came from, I thought provider added that himself, because in my regulations, it isn't there. Maybe I will have to look up the actual WAC and see how it is worded.

[bobcat]

a) Evidence of sex means the head with antlers or horns attached or penis or testes of male big game animals or the head or udder of female big game animals any of which must be naturally attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of meat.

This is the actual wording from WAC 232-12-267. From this it sounds like just having the head is not enough. I bet there's a lot of elk hunters who don't comply with this law.

[boneaddict]

I would have been one of them.  I always packed out the whole head and figured I was ok, except with my moose.  YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ICEMAN]

Basically I think the gist of the law is to keep some *censored* from running around with a set of spike antlers, shooting cows and claiming they belong to the antlers back at the truck.  Though a pain in the ass, it seem pretty reasonable to me.

Oops.    

[boneaddict]

 


You're going to have some green uniformed guys showing up in a brown truck in the next day or so.

[billythekidrock]

Don't ya'll have a set of those? I thought everyone did?

[Fletch]

LMAO at the horns...often wish I had a set when all you see is cows running around hahahahahaha...my interpretation is....if you remove the head from the body, you must leave a nut.  Proof of sex attached to the meat some how...a removed head is not attached to the carcass.  so if you pack out the head and horns you still need a nut...if you drag the darn thing out by the horns no nut is needed...

we cut the elk into 4 pieces and pack the whole darn thing out.  I would say the way we cut them the back half is the easiest to pack and the front half is either heavier or just more awkward...either way they are all heavy!!!

[bobcat]

my interpretation is....if you remove the head from the body, you must leave a nut.  Proof of sex attached to the meat some how...a removed head is not attached to the carcass.  so if you pack out the head and horns you still need a nut...if you drag the darn thing out by the horns no nut is needed...

I don't interpet the written law that way, but I think that's the way it SHOULD be. And, I believe it's that way in other states. I know for sure it is that way in Oregon. I will leave a nut attached anyway just because it's so easy to do, there's no reason not to do so. I have never packed an elk out without first removing the head, and deer I don't bring them out with the head attached much anymore either. Getting lazy (and smarter I guess) in my old age. 

[Curly]

Bob, what do you mean......you don't interpet the law that way?  The wording from the WAC that you posted on the 19th seems fairly clear.  I thought you changed you view of the rule after reading Provider's post and then reading the WAC?

[Coasthunterjay]

He just wants to play with NUTs LMAO

[johnsc6]

If you have packed enough meat out of big country, you will cut off the horns on the spot.  Small bulls with no taxidermy value get the cape left too.  I always carry a small packboard and enough game bags to put all the meat in.  remember to cover meat with some branches or hang from tree so the vermin (weasels, jays ect) don't eat on your prize.

[bobcat]

Bob, what do you mean......you don't interpet the law that way?  The wording from the WAC that you posted on the 19th seems fairly clear.  I thought you changed you view of the rule after reading Provider's post and then reading the WAC?

Damn, I'm not having much luck trying to explain myself here. 

I'll try again. To me, the way the law is written, you need either a head with antlers attached (attached meaning the antlers are attached to the head) OR if you don't have that, you need some other evidence of sex attached to a quarter. The confusion is coming from the word "attached." Some are taking it to mean that for the head/antlers to count as evidence of sex that it must remain attached to the rest of the animal. Well I just don't read it that way. But I still think to be on the safe side you may as well leave a nut attached either way. Then there will be no question about it.

[Wea300mag]

My motto is go in with numbers. Unfortunately I have to do double the work of my hunting crew because they are weak in the knees. I guarantee I have packed more quarters/halves than were packed for me and not because I don't harvest my share.

The ruling in Montana is that you must have proof of sex on one of the hind quarters, I know that for a fact because I quartered a nice 4pt deer many years ago several miles from the road and did not leave proof. At the game check I was read the riot act for 15 min by an old time Gamie looking to make a point for his trainee. He threatened to take my gun, truck, kids, ex-wife (he can have her) etc. This state is not so stringent, you can get away with head/horns. For a doe I'm not so sure, I have never taken one of them.