Someone explain this regulation to me

[AspenBud]

From page 28 of the Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet for 2013-2014...

"It is unlawful to:

Possess in the field or transport game birds unless a feathered head is left attached to each carcass, except falconry-caught birds"

Uh, I don't know about you guys but I've had to wring some crippled birds' necks at times and on a couple of occasions the head popped off in the process. So I'm supposed to just leave the bird there if that happens? Whose bright idea at WDFW was this? Or am I reading this wrong?

[Bob33]

The head is supposed to remain attached. If it is not, take the head and carcass. Leaving the body is a very poor option.

[bobcat]

Don't be ripping the heads off and you'll be okay. 

[snowpack]

Duck tape.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Duck tape.

 

[labsetters]

This is primarily directed toward pheasants. It's so if you get stopped by the gamies, they can tell if you have a rooster or hen. Probably less of an issue in Western Wa with the release program vs Eastern Wa where hens are not legal, but I have been checked at Western Wa release sites and the birds inspected. In other states ie Montana/South Dakota etc, you either need an attached head or leg demonstrating the rooster's spur on all your cleaned birds. (exception is Kooches in Winner SD who has an agreement for processing the cleaned birds with the state). This goes for transport of your birds and states like Montana will check your birds, so follow their upland rules. Last year I believe you needed and attached head or leg with spur. Sometimes kind of makes for a mess with the frozen head/foot attached in your freezer and when you are getting ready to cook.

[AspenBud]

This is primarily directed toward pheasants. It's so if you get stopped by the gamies, they can tell if you have a rooster or hen. Probably less of an issue in Western Wa with the release program vs Eastern Wa where hens are not legal, but I have been checked at Western Wa release sites and the birds inspected. In other states ie Montana/South Dakota etc, you either need an attached head or leg demonstrating the rooster's spur on all your cleaned birds. (exception is Kooches in Winner SD who has an agreement for processing the cleaned birds with the state). This goes for transport of your birds and states like Montana will check your birds, so follow their upland rules. Last year I believe you needed and attached head or leg with spur. Sometimes kind of makes for a mess with the frozen head/foot attached in your freezer and when you are getting ready to cook.

Not to be a smart*** but body color and tail feathers alone should be enough to identify a rooster versus hen pheasant. If this is for field dressed birds, okay, I'll buy into that. But they don't specify and I don't gut my birds in the field.

The other scenario that comes to mind is once in a great while heads get blown off when birds are shot. It happens.

[DOUBLELUNG]

Leave the head on the bird until you get home.  Field dressed or not, feathered or not.  Or, be prepared to take a ticket if you are checked by a game warden.  It's that simple.  If a bird's head gets blown off, hope either you don't get checked or the game warden believes you. 

You don't need to buy it.  Just comply, or take the consequence if you choose not to comply.  Or don't hunt birds.

[Bullkllr]

This is primarily directed toward pheasants. It's so if you get stopped by the gamies, they can tell if you have a rooster or hen. Probably less of an issue in Western Wa with the release program vs Eastern Wa where hens are not legal, but I have been checked at Western Wa release sites and the birds inspected. In other states ie Montana/South Dakota etc, you either need an attached head or leg demonstrating the rooster's spur on all your cleaned birds. (exception is Kooches in Winner SD who has an agreement for processing the cleaned birds with the state). This goes for transport of your birds and states like Montana will check your birds, so follow their upland rules. Last year I believe you needed and attached head or leg with spur. Sometimes kind of makes for a mess with the frozen head/foot attached in your freezer and when you are getting ready to cook.

Not to be a smart*** but body color and tail feathers alone should be enough to identify a rooster versus hen pheasant. If this is for field dressed birds, okay, I'll buy into that. But they don't specify and I don't gut my birds in the field.

The other scenario that comes to mind is once in a great while heads get blown off when birds are shot. It happens.

The feathers are generally enough to identify the bird. The feathered head rule is for birds that are otherwise cleaned/plucked/skinned. If the head accidentally separated, I would try to keep it and leave as much other proof as possible:
 ie) don't lose the head and then skin the bird, it will be difficult to identify.

[AspenBud]

Leave the head on the bird until you get home. 

I'd love to do that, it's a bloody mess otherwise. But when they're crippled and flapping around looking at you with those beady little eyes, well, I like to get things over with quick and sometimes things happen. I've always found it rather unappealing to smother them with one's foot instead.

I just see a rule like this as a one way ticket to game wastage and/or for people to arguably shoot more than their "fair share."   

[bowhunter]

Just stick it in your pocket  and if your checked they can do DNA on the bird it came from 

[Special T]

I blew the head off a flushing Pheasant this year on the western release site with my buddy as a witness! 

Just man up and bite thier head like i do then you wont have to loose any heads!

[Bmcox86]

Just don't do this

[labsetters]

Correct. The rule is for field dressed or processed birds for identification during transport. An example for an exception to the rule is the place in South Dakota did and probably still does have an agreement with the state. They give a certification that the processed birds (really nice job-breasts/legs etc are processed and vacuum packed for transport back to your home state) which Kooch (the owner) told me the state accepts and the head/leg with spur doesn't have to be attached to the packaged/processed birds.

[wildweeds]

I've completely blown the heads off of multiple birds over the years,I leave both legs on them anyhow.Reality of it is in 25 years of rooster shooting I've never been stopped and checked,even when driving a truck with a dog topper containing 8 dogs and a mural on the back of dogs pointing on a hillside as a banner of "PULL ME OVER and CHECK ME".