Transport after the kill

[Machias]

My bad. I forgot everyone on here knows how to enterpret every law and all are perfect. Makes so much more sense to lean it against the tree 2 feet away or throw it on the ground just to be legal. Never mind what is more safe.

A tire is the same thing as a tree.   

[wastickslinger]

Leaning it against a tree to take a leak is different than leaning it against a vehicle and taking a break for lunch.
I don't know about you, but I sometimes forget about my damn trailer hitch and walk into it, causing great pain and discomfort, and it is ALWAYS there, I just forget about it....
now just imagine all the different scenarios involved by temporarily forgetting that your LOADED rifle/shotgun is leaning against your vehicle...
A little common sense can prevent a lot of accidents and that is what stupid laws like that are for, to protect the idiots and their victims.

You are telling me that you forget that you gun is loaded. hmmm

[wastickslinger]

Stupid ticket example- two of my buddies were pheasant hunting near pullman on private property. They were parked on the edge of wheat stubble. Came back to the truck for lunch. Leaned the guns againt the front tire. Warden stopped to visit. The warden was walking by the guns and they said carefull that gun is loaded, as a safety precaution. They got cited for loaded weapons in a vehicle.

Stupid ticket, I agree.
Or was it a ticket for stupidity?
 I mean loaded weapons LEANING on the front tire?
I think they cover that in hunter safety.......

When you stop to take a piss in the woods and lean your gun against a tree do you unload it? How about if you stop for a sandwich on a hike and lean you gun up do you unload it? Just asking.

No but there is no law against having a loaded gun against a tree but there is against a loaded firearm on your vehicle.  It's spelled out in the regs.  Not a stupid ticket at all, glad they were fined.

Loaded Firearms in a Vehicle
It is illegal to carry, convey, transport, possess,
or control a loaded shotgun or rifle in or on any
motor vehicle. A rifle or shotgun containing shells
or cartridges in either the chamber or magazine, or
a muzzleloading firearm that is loaded and capped
or primed is considered loaded.

Common Violations
To avoid the most common violations:
Have valid and appropriate licenses, tags,
and permits on your person when you hunt.
Don't have a loaded shotgun or rifle in or on
a motor driven vehicle.
Immediately and completely remove the tag
notches that indicate the month and day the
animal was killed.
Immediately attach your appropriate tag to
the animal you've killed.

Funny thing is that the judge ageed that the law is a bit vague. "on or in" as it is defined. Well I guess it should say against as well. Leaned against is a bit grey. Judge threw it out just in case you wondered. Must not be a real clear law if it cnt hold up in court.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Leaning it against a tree to take a leak is different than leaning it against a vehicle and taking a break for lunch.
I don't know about you, but I sometimes forget about my damn trailer hitch and walk into it, causing great pain and discomfort, and it is ALWAYS there, I just forget about it....
now just imagine all the different scenarios involved by temporarily forgetting that your LOADED rifle/shotgun is leaning against your vehicle...
A little common sense can prevent a lot of accidents and that is what stupid laws like that are for, to protect the idiots and their victims.

You are telling me that you forget that you gun is loaded. hmmm

Read the whole sentence...

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I see no reason to debate, or make something out of this conversation that is unnecessary, I will follow safe, and legal practices, you do whatever you want.
But back to topic....
As far as transporting a Wild Turkey Carcase, as long as you have all the parts together, or evidence of a legal bird and you are not a smart/dumb-ass with a WDFW enforcement officer you should not be hassled.

[jackelope]

should I clean this mess up?

[wastickslinger]

WAC 232-12-267 No agency filings affecting this section since 2003 
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.

So then plucked and in the cooler at camp is stored for consumption. I dont have to leave the head or beard attached for the ride home later in the week?  I have never been stopped but it is nice to know the law for when you do get stopped.

[sneakyjake]

I'm pretty sure they don't consider that stored for consumption.  If you look like you are driving home from hunting, you are still transporting.  I don't think we can pick and choose which regs to follow based on being polite to a warden.  We did get tickets, they did contest them, still got fined,,,,and they  were polite.  I even asked the commis if that meant I had to have a feathered bird head after a week, he said yes. 


This thread is meant to also educate new turkey hunters and keep children from getting tickets.  I think we have all seen it in print.(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.

Choose to follow it or not, but they do issue tickets for it. 

[wastickslinger]

They expect me to leave a feathered head on my turkey in a cooler for a week? That will be tough since I cut out the breast and cut off the legs and wings. I wish we could get a better ruling on this for those who camp for a week.

[woodywsu]

I guess you can always eat it in camp. 

[wastickslinger]

I guess you can always eat it in camp. 

Take the smoker and smoke 6-8 birds!! Now we are onto something. Muleysniper, forget the rib steaks we are eating turkey this year. 

Seriously though. I am not putting 6 half butchered/flea infested turkeys in my cooler for that long.

[jackelope]

I pluck all mine and leave the beard stuck to the skin still on the bird then into the cooler..
 
not sure how I'd do this if I was breasting them out.

On a semi-related note I was thinking about deep frying one in camp this year for our big saturday night dinner.

[wastickslinger]

I pluck all mine and leave the beard stuck to the skin still on the bird then into the cooler..
 
not sure how I'd do this if I was breasting them out.

On a semi-related note I was thinking about deep frying one in camp this year for our big saturday night dinner.

Do you leave the head on it, feathers and all?

Deep fried turkey is the best.

[yelp]

They expect me to leave a feathered head on my turkey in a cooler for a week? That will be tough since I cut out the breast and cut off the legs and wings. I wish we could get a better ruling on this for those who camp for a week.

I camp for more than a week..I gut Turkey well.removing innards, lungs, crop, etc..I then skin or pluck bird so it can cool leave all meat on carcass. I take ice and put it in a ziplock and stuff it in the cavity.  I put it in a cooler, I leave beard attached, head attached and legs attached with spurs and notched tag. Once carcass cools down I put in kitchen bag and add ice around it in cooler.  I let cooler drip..removing melting water.  I take fan off and separate it keeping it dry and so it doesn't get damaged.  

If it is unseasonably warm I will try and get bird home asap or we will send it home with my wife.  Giving her permission written out to transport my animal to my fridge.  

If weather is cooler it is easy to keep bird cool for more than a week.

There are also butcher shops that may allow you to freeze birds for a fee. YOu can freeze the head attached..but I do recommend skinning or plucking the turkey prior to freezing.  

Game wardens wrote several citations last year for this very thing.  There is game check on Mile/Creston and Hwy 2

[wastickslinger]

They expect me to leave a feathered head on my turkey in a cooler for a week? That will be tough since I cut out the breast and cut off the legs and wings. I wish we could get a better ruling on this for those who camp for a week.

I camp for more than a week..I gut Turkey well.removing innards, lungs, crop, etc..I then skin or pluck bird so it can cool leave all meat on carcass. I take ice and put it in a ziplock and stuff it in the cavity.  I put it in a cooler, I leave beard attached, head attached and legs attached with spurs and notched tag. Once carcass cools down I put in kitchen bag and add ice around it in cooler.  I let cooler drip..removing melting water.  I take fan off and separate it keeping it dry and so it doesn't get damaged.  

If it is unseasonably warm I will try and get bird home asap or we will send it home with my wife.  Giving her permission written out to transport my animal to my fridge.  

If weather is cooler it is easy to keep bird cool for more than a week.

There are also butcher shops that may allow you to freeze birds for a fee. YOu can freeze the head attached..but I do recommend skinning or plucking the turkey prior to freezing.  

Game wardens wrote several citations last year for this very thing.  There is game check on Mile/Creston and Hwy 2

Good to know. I guess I wrongly assumed that leaving the feathered head an feet on in a cooler could create a foul taste after a week. I just always wanted it all the way cleaned up. Guess I will leave the head on from now on.