Proper Tagging

[Magicman]

Another member and I were discussing tagging. I know that the carcass tag goes on the carcass (meat), not the antlers if the head is detached. Of course, evidence of sex must be naturally attached to a hindquarter.

OK, you detach, sign, punch the tag when the kill is made. Now you start packing out. My thought has always been that the tag goes out with the first quarter packed out and stays with that quarter. (evidence of sex attached)

I've always wondered about subsequent trips. I know that I have my license, without carcass tag, on my person.

What about that part of the meat that is left in the field waiting to be packed out? I've always left a handwritten note on it with my license #, but that can't be necessary. Who carries paper?

In Alaska, the antlers, cape, etc. are the LAST items to be packed out, but Colorado ain't Alaska. I've always packed the head and loins out first, but that leaves the carcass tag on the left behind meat.

At one time, the carcass tag stayed with the hunter while packing out, but I can't find that in the book.

Who is the expert and knows the correct procedure?

 

[bonedaddy]

I think that would have to be a pretty anal warden to give a fine when its quite obvious what your doing. Especially if the tag is on part of the meat already. If it came down to fighting it, I'm not sure. Most of them have a little common sense though

 

[Califelkslayer]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-13-10 AT 00:02AM (MST)[p]I lost my tag off of my bull in '08' while packin him out. Called the Game Warden, he met me and gave me a replacement. He also told me to fill out the tag and keep it on me in the future, not on the meat.


during rifle season (cold weather) I've always left my tag on a quarter hanging in a tree. Come back the next AM with horses and pack it out with tag attached inside a game bag.

 

[marley]

I asked a warden this very same question. He said to tear the tag off, sign it, then put it in your pocket, not on the meat until it is all back in your truck then attach it to some part of it. I've also questioned the evidence of sex and wondered why the antlers are not evidence of sex? Never seen a cow with antlers!

 

[Whiterock]

This is a kind of grey area and each warden can decide for themself how they want to tag the animal.there is no written rule on this ,so it is best to talk to the warden of the area you intend on hunting to get his imput .Also ask him about evidence of sex.One warden in Colorado had us leave one testicle on each hind quarter,this is what he wanted for packing out and the tag was to be attached to the first pack out of meat and left on it.

 

[txhunter58]

I have heard many times the answer Marley gives. Keep it in your pocket until all packed out (detached and signed) then attach it tot he meat before transport to town.

However, as to his question as to the antlers (or lack thereof) as proof of sex, the answer is YOU CAN. However, the regs state that they have to be "naturally attached" to a quarter. One time my brother did what we do on whitetails in Texas, he gutted and castrated a bull 2 miles from the Truck! We had to leave the head attached to a forequarter on the packout. He never did that again!

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[mntman]

+1 Marley, I asked the DOW officer last year too. He said too many lose it while packing out. Fill it out and put it back in your pocket till camp/truck.
Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

 

[feddoc]

Same here. We never put a tag on the animal until it is either hung or in the truck.


Compromise, hell! ... If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?

 

[sagebrush]

This year will be my first time hunting in CO. In every state I've hunted, I've always boned out my animal and packed out only the meat, cape and antlers (except Alaska). I noticed on the DOW website they reference a video on how to bone out your meat. So my question is, how do you leave evidence of sex on boned out meat when you're packing your kill out on your back?

 

[mntman]

I leave the hide(sex organs) attached to one of the hindquarters. Then when I debone it I simply leave it attached to that hunk of meat that is on the hindquarter. On a elk it is usually about a 2-3lb. piece on the inside halfway up the hindquarter and I put that in a seperate bag by itself with the sex organs to prevent any hair etc... from getting on the good meat. Then when I get home I just throw all that away.

In the regs (CO) it says to leave it naturally attached to the largest piece of meat but if you are deboning your animal, don't worry.
If you ever do run across a game warden that is weighing the individual pieces of meat in your games sacks to determine which one is larger, well you have bigger issues because you are going to get...

Mntman

"Hunting is where you prove yourself"

 

[txhunter58]

I generally try and keep rear quarters intact AND debone them. Just make a slit down the inside of the leg to the bone and cut the bone out. So when I get done, I have only meat, but the rear quarter is still intact. For me this allows me to get the meat back to the truck with minimal contamination and drying out. That also makes it easier to leave the scrotum/mammary bag attached.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)