tagging Q

[jasnt]

So lets say my bull is down. I've quartered him out and ready to pack him out. Im solo so ill be packing it all back to the truck alone. Which should I pack out first? Rack or meat. Does my tag stay with the rack or with the meat.

Also how do you secure the rack back at camp?
Im a modern hunter so weather should be cool. But how do you guys keep your meat. Ill have coolers with blocks of ice at the truck

[pianoman9701]

Always the meat. In AK, I believe it's the law. The tag goes with the largest portion.

[CP]

The tag stays on the largest piece of the animal.

[WapitiTalk1]

Yep, WDFW regs state "If quartered, the tag should remain with the carcass or largest portion of the carcass. If you need to take the head to a taxidermist and the meat to be processed, you can complete a taxidermy ledger or invoice, providing information outlined under "Possession and Use of Wildlife" for the taxidermist, and keep the tag with the meat at the processor."  I take the rack, straps, loins out first "normally".  This way, if brer bear or wolves have staked claim to my boned out meat bags (or quarters), I at least have the rack and loins/straps out already.  That's just me.  Most folks I know are more concerned with getting the majority of the meat out before they worry about the headgear.  I just put a black sack around the skull cap of the rack and hide it in the brush by camp.  Each evening after the hunt, I'll work on taking all the flesh/hair off the cap so it doesn't begin rotting in the bag.  Boned out meat will go into the coolers with block ice and transported to processor as soon as possible. 

[jasnt]

Thanks guys. Hope this scenario plays out this fall

[Eli346]

 It may be illegal but with public hunting for elk in WA being what it is I carry my tag with me on each trip. When I'm done getting the animal out I attach it to the largest portion or the antlers. I don't trust anyone!

[coachcw]

yep righty or wrong the tag gets notched and goes in my pack til all is out . then the tag goes with the meat . remember that if you cut the horns off the carcass has to have evidence of sex attached to it .

[jasnt]

yep righty or wrong the tag gets notched and goes in my pack til all is out . then the tag goes with the meat . remember that if you cut the horns off the carcass has to have evidence of sex attached to it .

What if im packing out the whole head

[pianoman9701]

It may be illegal but with public hunting for elk in WA being what it is I carry my tag with me on each trip. When I'm done getting the animal out I attach it to the largest portion or the antlers. I don't trust anyone!

It is illegal and you run the risk of being ticketed for not tagging the critter. This is justified because you could later claim losing your tag and get a replacement tag to kill another animal.

[jasnt]

This whole leaving proof of sex attached has me confused.  Isn't a fresh skull and antlers proof of sex? Why would I want to pack out anything more than i need too? 

[Johnb317]

    Thought if I had intact head I could quarter and leave the rest behind?

If one must, do you leave a little skin and proof of sex on one quarter?   
Kinda difficult if you bone it out. 

[BULLBLASTER]

Even if boned out you still technically still need to leave evidence of sex attached to a large portion of meat to be completely legal. Personally ill take the citation if a warden wants to make that much fuss about it. Im not leaving a nut on my quarter or piece of quarter. 

[pianoman9701]

The following says to me that any evidence of sex must be attached to the carcass, including the head. This seems ridiculous as it would be easy to prove a match between the head and body with DNA testing, which is used in almost all big game violation/poaching cases.

From page 81 of the big game regs:

"3. Evidence of Animal's Sex:
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 or penis or testes any of
which must be naturally attached to
at least one quarter of the carcass or to
the largest portion of meat.
••Female - the head or udder must
be naturally attached to at least one
quarter of the carcass or to the largest
portion of meat.
Big game taken in antler or horn
restriction areas: The head or skull plate,
with both horns or both antlers naturally
attached, must accompany the carcass
while in transit or in possession.
The feathered heads of game birds must
be attached to the carcass when they
are in your possession in the field or are
being transported."

[T-Dozzer]

I think I remember a thread where some1 was asking BigTex about this proof of sex thing. It used to be worded so weird I think it was open to interpretation of the officer. If your packing out a rack that should be proof enough. I never leave his frank and beans attached.
I make a photo copy for the taxi & leave original with meat

[pianoman9701]

The regulation has been rewritten to be less ambiguous. I think it's ridiculous that the head or penis or testes be attached to a quarter, but that's how this reads now. Someone who takes an animal will likely have pictures and if a gamie thinks something is afoul of the law, they can take DNA samples and often do. The head by itself should be enough.

[Woodchuck]

I will say that when a friend of mine killed a big cow down in the bottom of Mother Nature's evil version of vertical pick up stix, we were more than happy to leave the head and take the udder instead. 

[Bean Counter]

The regulation has been rewritten to be less ambiguous. I think it's ridiculous that the head or penis or testes be attached to a quarter, but that's how this reads now. Someone who takes an animal will likely have pictures and if a gamie thinks something is afoul of the law, they can take DNA samples and often do. The head by itself should be enough.

Sounds like they either don't live in the real world (impossible) or they're just out to make ticket revenue (also impossible). So they must have just wanted to give the wildlife officers the easy ability to ruin someone's day if they want.

[bobcat]

There's a reason for the law being the way it is. It's to prevent poaching. It's really not that hard to follow.

[Bob33]

When packing out an animal in multiple trips, it is impossible to not have some portion of the animal untagged.

The most important thing is to immediately notch the tag correctly.

If possible the notched tag should be attached to the largest portion of the meat. It should not be attached to the head or antlers. It must remain with the meat until consumed. Proof of sex is required.

I trust that the vast majority of WDFW enforcement officers are reasonable in enforcement of this regulation, and can discern honest mistakes from intentional ones.

[pianoman9701]

There's a reason for the law being the way it is. It's to prevent poaching. It's really not that hard to follow.

Most states require the head OR attached body parts. It's because most states start with the assumption that most hunters are trying to follow the law and they want to make it easier to do so. It's faulty logic to think that making it more difficult to follow the rules will reduce poaching. Poachers don't follow the rules and don't even pretend to. It's more likely that making it more difficult to follow the rules will create more violations and therefore, more income through ticketing. For a department concerned about falling hunter numbers, this isn't a good path.

[Bob33]

Here are the two WACs you need:

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

WAC 232-12-061 Tagging requirements

It is unlawful for a person who kills a big game animal or turkey to fail to immediately cut out and completely remove from his or her tag the designated notches corresponding to the day and month of the kill for that species (unless the tagging requirement is specifically exempted by the fish and wildlife commission), and to fail to immediately attach his or her notched tag to the carcass of such animal or bird. That tag must remain attached to the carcass while it is being transported and must remain with the wildlife during the period of retention of the edible parts.

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

WAC 232-12-267 Field identification of wildlife—Evidence of sex—Definitions

(1) It is unlawful to possess or transport game birds unless the feathered heads are left attached to the carcass, except falconry caught birds, until the carcass is processed and/or stored for consumption.
(2) It is unlawful to possess or transport big game animals unless evidence of the sex of the animal remains naturally attached to the carcass until the carcass is processed and/or stored for consumption.
(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.
(b) For the purpose of this rule, "stored for consumption" means at the final point of storage prior to consumption of the meat.
(3) It is unlawful to possess or transport goat, sheep, moose, deer or elk taken in hunting areas which have horn or antler restrictions unless the head or skull plate, with both horns or both antlers naturally attached, accompanies the carcass.
(4) The possession of a taxidermist's receipt which includes the taxidermist's name, address, and telephone number, the hunter's name, address, telephone number, license, and tag number, the species and sex of the game bird or big game animal taken, as well as antler points or horn size and the date and GMU location or special deer/elk permit area where taken, shall be deemed to constitute compliance with this section.
For the purpose of this rule "accompanies the carcass" means to remain with the carcass until it has reached the point of processing or storage.
(5) It is lawful for persons who have complied with the department of fish and wildlife's chronic wasting disease sampling program to possess deer and elk without proof of sex under the following provisions:
(a) The head of the deer or elk must have been surrendered to an authorized department collection site.
(b) The hunter is in possession of an official department disease testing program identification card, completely filled out and signed and dated by a department employee or authorized agent.
(c) The carcass of the deer or elk is transported directly from where the head has been surrendered to the point of processing or storage.
Failure to comply with (a) through (c) of this subsection constitutes unlawful possession of big game and is punishable under RCW 77.15.410.

[pianoman9701]

There's a reason for the law being the way it is. It's to prevent poaching. It's really not that hard to follow.

Most states require the head OR attached body parts. It's because most states start with the assumption that most hunters are trying to follow the law and they want to make it easier to do so. It's faulty logic to think that making it more difficult to follow the rules will reduce poaching. Poachers don't follow the rules and don't even pretend to. It's more likely that making it more difficult to follow the rules will create more violations and therefore, more income through ticketing. For a department concerned about falling hunter numbers, this isn't a good path.

I'm wrong. At least MT and ID require the same. Previous rant retracted.