There's no such thing as a stupid question, right? Tagging requirements?

[6.8mmARHunter]

So, assuming I do end up shooting a bear...

I walk up to the thing, it's indeed dead. I have the transport tag in my pocket. What are the attachment requirement? Do I tie the tag around it's rear right picky claw, through it's nostrils, or crumple it up and stick in its ear? I searched through the regs and couldn't find anything. What if I end up bone'ing it out? What if I'm packing the hide and quarters out separately, should the tag stay with the hide or carcass? Should

If there is anything in the regs, could you point me to it? Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.


sam

[dreamunelk]

Attach it were ever you want.  When boned attach to largest portion and leave there until processed. 

[JLS]

Tag goes with the biggest portion of meat, or if it's quartered choose one.  Sticking it in the ear sounds like a good way to lose it and have some explaining to do to the game warden.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Take a look on page 79 in the regs, "Tagging and Transporting Game." 

[6.8mmARHunter]

Or (in retrospect), I could have looked at the actual tag and read the instructions printed right on it - to see that I have to cut out the month and day... and attach the tag to the largest part of the carcass as pointed out by Blacktail Sniper's suggestion to look at page 79 of the regs...

I knew I'd seen the Tagging and Transport paragraphs before.

[billythekidrock]

I used to tie them to the jaw or snout and put the tag in the mouth until enforcement told me that was not allowed and that the tag was supposed to be visible.

[Hunter mike]

So if the tag has to be visible, what happens if you have the meat in a game bag (boned out)?

[madmack76]

i have always tied to a horn on deer and elk or tied to a leg on others.

[Bob33]

There is no legal requirement for the tag to be visible.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Copied from the regs, pg 79:

1. Tag Your Big Game Immediately:
Immediately after any big game animal
has been killed, the appropriate tag of
the person who has taken the animal
must be:
••Validated: Cut out and completely
remove the month and day of kill.
Month and day must be completely
removed. A slit is not acceptable.
••Securely attached to the carcass in a
visible manner.

I would have thought, tied to the jaw and in mouth, with it taped shut so you didn't loose it would be good, apparently not though.

[Bob33]

There are two pertinent WACs.

WAC 232-12-061 addresses tagging.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-12-061

WAC 232-12-267 addresses transport.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=232-12-267

If anyone can find a requirement in the WACs that the tag must be visible, I will stand corrected.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Now that is interesting, thanks for digging that out.

[Jonathan_S]

There is no legal requirement for the tag to be visible.

I got torn a new one for having a bear hanging with a tag and the whole thing was in a giant game bag.  He said, "it has to be where I can see it"

[Bob33]

There is no legal requirement for the tag to be visible.

I got torn a new one for having a bear hanging with a tag and the whole thing was in a giant game bag.  He said, "it has to be where I can see it"

Ask him to quote the WAC. I do not believe there is one.

[Jonathan_S]

There is no legal requirement for the tag to be visible.

I got torn a new one for having a bear hanging with a tag and the whole thing was in a giant game bag.  He said, "it has to be where I can see it"

Ask him to quote the WAC. I do not believe there is one.

  Bob, I didn't mean that argumentatively I just meant that there is definitely a modicum of confusion or at least difference in opinions with the LEOs out there.

I was only nineteen and didn't have much of a leg to stand on with him.  He also told me that I better have a good story for the doe in camp.  It was an antlerless tag my Dad drew for the same unit he was patrolling that he didn't know about. he had to eat a little bit of crow.