Bone-Out in the field

[wabow]

This year I'll be hunting alone for the most part and dont like to wase meat. I need to get the preseason planning done and necessary equiptment purchased. Ive been told its illegal to bone-out in the field because you dont really leave proof of sex. Fairly easy with and antlered buck but what about a doe. I usually pack in way to far to carry back a full animal with bones along with all my gear. I carry enough ultralight gear to stay for a few days/night if need be. Any help would be great. The law looks pretty straight forward. Are the F&G guys following the law to the letter and ticketing.


Thanks
Don

[Bob33]

A big game head with antlers or horns attached to the head alone is not sufficient evidence of sex. To be legal proof of sex, either the head with antlers, or the sex organs, must be attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of the meat (one of them must be attached.)

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

(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.

If you want to bone out the meat and be legal, you need to leave the sex organs attached to the largest portion of the meat.

[AKBowman]

A big game head with antlers or horns attached to the head alone is not sufficient evidence of sex. To be legal proof of sex, either the head with antlers, or the sex organs, must be attached to at least one quarter of the carcass or to the largest portion of the meat (one of them must be attached.)

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

(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.
If you want to bone out the meat and be legal, you need to leave the sex organs attached to the largest portion of the meat.

That is an absolute crock of $hit! WDFW can absolutely tell what pieces of meat you have and dont have.

What if your on a backpack hunt and want to eat a backstrap in camp? Wanton waste? Come on...WDFW has got to change that. I think I would sue if ticketed for that BS.

[AKBowman]

A doe or cow elk in an antlerless area I can understand having the proof naturally attached.

Why 1/4 of the meat? That just makes NO SENSE to me. Maybe I'm missing something.

[Bob33]

One quarter or the largest portion. The idea is to prove that the sex organs or head belong to the animal.  If they are detached it is not as easy to know.  You could bring a doe or cow head with you on your hunt, shoot a bull, haul out the meat and say it was a doe or cow.

[spikehunter]

I would tell to check my sex by opening their hand !

[JoeVon]

Why 1/4 of the meat? That just makes NO SENSE to me. Maybe I'm missing something.

Its a pretty standard requirement, not just something that Washington has enacted.  

Its also not that tough to skin the bucks pecker out and leave it attached to the rear quarter, and you don't have to pack bone, just take your knife and follow the inside of the leg bone down and roll the whole chunk out in one piece.

[MtnMuley]

Are the F&G guys following the law to the letter and ticketing.


Thanks
Don

Every officer will differ.  I've boned out several deer and elk and left no proof of sex other than the skull with lower jaw detached.  Technically, illegal, but to each his own.  One look in the pack at the meticulously clean and well-cared for meat, should be a pretty good indication of the type of hunter you are.  In my opinion, if the officer can see than you're a serious hunter and hunting to the extremes, most of them would rather hear your success story, than nit pick about not leaving the proof of the sex attached.

[kirkl]

if you drive around to deer camps during the season everyone has the head cut off and theres no body parts attached to the carcass so thats the same thing basically and ive never heard of anyone getting a ticket.

[MtnMuley]

if you drive around to deer camps during the season everyone has the head cut off and theres no body parts attached to the carcass so thats the same thing basically and ive never heard of anyone getting a ticket.

20 years ago I shot a dink whitetail buck in the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife area.  We were camped near the headquarters.  I hung, skinned, and cut the head off the buck and left it tied to the rope hanging the deer.  I left for a while and arrived back to camp to find a ticket hanging my deer with a note to report to headquarters immediately.  I did.  The officer (Federal) told me of the violation and said he would destroy the ticket beings I came and talked to him.  He told me of the law, and from then on, I always left the head on hanging in camp.  I was used to hanging them in my shop with the head off to drain all the blood out I could. 

[cohoho]

Similar rule in AK, never an issue to bone out and leave the penis and/or sheath attached to the largest portion meat. If it isn't the biggest then cut the others smaller...

[wabow]

Thanks for all the help. After a nice talk with F&W I found I really dont need to be overly concerned. As stated above you dont need the actual organs. So for both male and female skin around the penis or udder and leave that small strip of  hide attatched to the meat. If its for example a 2pt min. area you have to bring back the antlers still attatched to the cap. If the animal has lice or is a flea bag you can put the hide strip in a plastic bag leaving it just barely attached.

Thanks
Don

[LongTatLaw]

Hey wa...

just bone out with that protion of skin attached to the leg..de-bone with hide attached..dont be concerned about size ect...never killed a deer/elk that the hind quarter wasnt the biggest part any way.

ps- if within 2 hours of Lacey WA...grab my cell prior to heading into the woods... Ill hump a few hundred pounds for ya for the cost of enough meat to make one hoggie sandwhich!

my elk last year died within 2 miles of the truck and i decided to do the pack out alone (the wife carried the head/horns out) and that still took me all day and left me crippled for another 3...  friends dont let friends pack elk out alone!

[Antlerking]

I have boned out alot of animalse and never have been talked to or told to leave anything attached, even thoe its the law I guess. Last year i was stopped on both trips out with 2 dif bucks and the gamies never once asked or looked for proof, all I had was game bags full of meat and a deer head, but u never know what can happen. Here is one buck from last year with everything layed out cooling off. The gamies always ask for a liscence and they make sure its tagged. Were we go there is no option for cutting it in half and packing it out, just debone it and get er dun. You dont even have to gut it out.

[AKBowman]

Why 1/4 of the meat? That just makes NO SENSE to me. Maybe I'm missing something.

Its a pretty standard requirement, not just something that Washington has enacted.  

Its also not that tough to skin the bucks pecker out and leave it attached to the rear quarter, and you don't have to pack bone, just take your knife and follow the inside of the leg bone down and roll the whole chunk out in one piece.

Thanks, I guess you are right its not that tough. I just try to stay as far away from skinner a "pecker" as I can 

Got to be legal so I will compy this yer if I am fortunate enought to harvest a buck. Thanks again, best of luck.