Sheds and racks in the rafters

B

bucklover

Guest
Here's a subject that I haven't seen here and it concerns most of us. How many of us have old racks that we killed or found over the years hanging around? You should be aware that if you don't have the proof of license or an interstate game tag attached you are technically breaking the law. I have a friend that lost a lifetime of horn (and we're talking a bunch). The Fish and Game came in because they heard he had a bunch of racks, and confiscated everything he had. I hunted sheds with him for quite a few years and never once did he talk about having poached a deer. He has just always been hooked on horn and collected everything he came across. The Fish and Game took them, claiming they were going to do age tests on them etc. The whole bunch just disappeared. He was never charged with anything. A lifetime of bone gone. Now there is no record of where the horns are. Pretty dirty deal! So, for those of us who do our own Europeans or saving of racks, remember to keep your tags for proof.
 
So I should keep every used tag left taped on my mounted animals , and all my sheds should some how be documented . All I can say is who ever wants to look in my garage or house had better have a search warrant .

It sounds to me like there is more to this story than is being told . I'm all for law and order and can't stand poaching or any POS that steals wildlife from law abiding people , but some common sense has to be in the picture .
 
Sheds are not the issue. Any horn attached to the skull should have proof of kill or a state issued tag that the taxidermist attaches when he does any work. A taxidermist friend told me if I do my own work I should staple my tag to the back of any wooden mount. Somehow keep track of it. I know if you were me you could be in trouble. Who keeps all those old tags? They are supposed to be kept with the meat until its consumed. I have a bunch in the bottom of my freezer but which tag went with which horn,???
 
I would think they would have to have probable cause to sieze a head. Not having the tag would leave reasonal doubt to a poaching because he could have said he lost the tag. I agree with the guy above who said there is probably more to the story. They would need evidence of an unlawful take to make a siezure.

buck1.gif


Later, Brandon
 
Wouldn't you think that if they couldn't prove guilt, they would have to return the horn? He's spent a bunch of his retirement money fighting to get them back. No one even knows where they are at. Or at least they won't tell him.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-10-11 AT 09:43PM (MST)[p]First off, I've never seen anything in the Wyoming regulations about having to keep a tag as proof for possessing a set of antlers that you legally harvested.

Secondly, I'm sure the WYG&F has computer records for at least the last 15 years of all licenses issued to who.

...and lastly, I have kept EVERY single tag off every animal I've ever taken since I was 12 years old. I've also got photos of 99% of the animals I've taken as well.

If the WYG&F comes to my door...they better bring a secretary and pack a lunch.

IMG_4304.JPG
 
bucklover , he may have messed up by not geting a receipt . Any seized property should be documented , and a receipt or a record of the events should have documented the seizure .

Like it has been mentioned about the tags . Different states have rules in regards to the tag and how or where the tag is displayed or maintained for records . In Utah the tag is to remain with the meat . I have a bunch of used tags that have fallen off in the freezer , and I would be hard pressed to match wich tag belongs to what rack .
 
You got issues Buzz, that right there is abnormal. Get some help before your garage explodes.

DC
 
I have sheds that I have cut the button off of and attached to Mountain Mikes skulls.

Now what do I do? No way to proove it is a shed anymore!!!

Gotta be more to the story.
 
I also have all the tags I've taken game on. I usually stick it behind the pic of the animal in my photo album or staple to the back of the mount.
 
I was with a guy who had a rack confiscated once, they took it told us not only did we need a interstate game tag on the animal, but that we also needed the receipt for the interstate game tag in possesion. He got a fine for picking up a dead head without prior notification to a game and fish officer.
 
I can't find anywhere in Wyoming, Utah, or Colorado regs that says you have to maintain the tag years after you shot it. The only thing the regs say is the tag has to stay with the largest portion of the animal, which in most cases is the carcass at the meat processor. I usually photo copy my license and give it to the taxidermist.

If this is true, there are millions of criminals out there that don't know they've done anything wrong. I know I'm one of them. I think I saved my tag on a couple of more recent animals but I know I don't have the tag from anything I shot over 8 years ago.


It's always an adventure!!!
 
Seems like something is missing there . . . I recently moved to Wyoming from Colorado and the laws for possessing skulls is different in CO. In CO, you don't need to contact a DOW officer to keep a found head, you're perfectly legal to take that head. Likewise, it's not required to keep the tag attached to the mount/skull. I have taken animals in CO and WY and, while I don't consistently save my tags, I do have pics of 99% of killed or found critters.
 
Even here in California you only need to keep the tag on the antlers of your kill for 30 days.
I'm thinkin bogus.
I keep all my tags as should anyone else who posts photos on the web.
A lot wardens look at these message boards very frequently for leads.
 
Something to think about.. You know its illegal to bring a full head from a dead deer home with you, when you find one. You have to call a warden to investigate. He will then issue you a tag so you can keep the rack. The potential for a crime scene is the reason they use. If you have racks at home, without a tag or license to prove you took it legally, you are in violation. I know, most of us probably have old horn that we picked up years ago. But technically you are breaking the law, and if checked could be in the same boat as my friend was.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 10:13AM (MST)[p]In Colorado, it is LEGAL to keep dead heads when you find them. You ARE NOT required to contact a game warden. ALL of the founds heads I have are from CO.
 
From The 2010 California Mammal hunting regulations....

Tagging requirements:

"Immediately upon killing deer , both portions of the deer license tag must be completely filled out and the date of kill permanently marked on the deer license tag.
The deer tag must be attached to the antler of an antlered deer and kept attached for 15 days thereafter."

I was thinking 30 days but it is only for 15 days following the close of the season that you must keep a tag on antlers here in Cali.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 11:55AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 11:15?AM (MST)

And thats why they call those tags "Enterstate Game Tags" so in case you transport across state line. I'm just saying, if we were checked, most of us could be in trouble, at least in Wyoming.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 12:09PM (MST)[p]You mean "Interstate Game Tags" . . . A little confusing, but here's the law . . .

23-3-106. Wyoming game and Wyoming interstate game tags; when required.



(a) No person shall ship, transport, or receive for shipment or transportation within Wyoming, any game animal, game bird, or any part thereof, unless tagged with a Wyoming game tag or Wyoming interstate game tag, or unless:



(i) The transportation is by a person accompanying the carcass of a big or trophy game animal who is in possession of a proper coupon; or



(ii) The transportation is by a properly licensed bird or small game hunter in possession of not more than his daily bag or possession limit.



(b) No big or trophy game animal, or any part thereof, shall be shipped or transported from the state unless accompanied by the licensee who harvested the animal, in possession of a proper coupon, or unless:



(i) The amount does not exceed twenty-five (25) pounds and is properly tagged with a Wyoming interstate game tag. Only twenty-five (25) pounds from any one (1) big or trophy game animal may be exported from the state except as otherwise provided;



(ii) The part to be exported from the state is of a nonedible trophy or hidelike nature and properly tagged with a Wyoming interstate game tag;



(iii) The big or trophy game animal was legally harvested by a nonresident and is tagged with a Wyoming interstate tag.



(c) Tag selling agents may tag meat from any number of big game animals if the person lawfully accompanying the animals signs an affidavit that each animal was lawfully taken.



(d) Repealed by Laws 1987, ch. 156, 2.



(e) Violation of this section constitutes a low misdemeanor punishable as provided in W.S. 23-6-202(a)(v).
 
Yeeeaaah, I'm not sure this adds up. In Utah anyway it's a carcass tag. Stays with the meat until processed, if I'm not mistaken. I could be wrong, I'll have to brush up to be sure.

Anyway, sounds to me like your buddy may have had more than just old antlers hiding in his "closet".
 
Fishy or not,Bucklover is 100% correct.The way the law reads,F&G can do exactly what he claims.KEEP YOUR TAGS!I even keep unused tags because I never used to keep any(so I have enough to cover all my racks).I have 15-20 racks on the garage wall,easily seen by anyone when the garage is open.Luckily my neighbors all hunt too.
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 02:41PM (MST)[p]Nontypical, Thank you for your backing. As I stated somewhere else,you can't legally pick up a skull with horn attached before you call the warden so he can investigate. He will then sell you an interstate game tag so you can keep the rack. If that is the law, then you can't legally have a rack at home without having some kind of proof that it was legally obtained, either a license or a interstate game tag.
 
Guess my plans to move to Wyoming have changed . If thats how they do things up there with no common sense and can just twist the rules to come stormin in to my garage . I'm kidding to make a point that this is a bunch of hype about nothing that a law abiding hunter really needs to worry about .

So a question ? There sure is a lot of museums and different stores in Wyoming with mounted heads . I don't recall seeing any of the mounts with the license still tapped around the rack . Another thing what about a guy that has found dead heads from other states that allow you to pick up dead heads . I have a few from Nevada from years past that a warden gave me verbal permission to take .

I agree its some thing to think about , but I'm not going to lose sleep over it or worry that a swat team is going to be breaking my garage door down .
 
LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-11 AT 04:44PM (MST)[p]Commonly, the game tag is on the back of a horn or shoulder mount. I'm not sure what they do with skull mounts. I have one on the only mount I ever had done by a Wyoming taxidermist. I would venture to say that more that one person has moved to Wyoming and brought their mounts/horns with them without first consulting the G&F. Bucklover, I never doubted your information about the interstate game tags! I just think it's a little odd that your buddy got all of his heads taken, well, just because . . . Maybe the warden was having a bad day?
 
I think this is an extreme case.Maybe he was having a bad day.Could be as simple as that,or maybe a neighbor that hates him and is pushing the issue?I'm pretty sure our local wardens wouldn't be pushing that unless they had a suspicion on a guy or something like that.I won't speculate on your buddy,Bucklover,but HighMtHunter does bring up a good point.
 
Hey, thanks for the responses. It has been a few years since this took place, and to tell you the truth, I just can't remember the details. What I do remember is it was devastating to him. He gave up hunting, sheds and critters. He knows they were stored in someones personal shed for a while, and then they just disappeared. When I get the chance I will talk to him and get the full story. I will then relay that full story to all of you. His experience is not why I brought this up, however. The reason I started this post was because I figured many of you had no clue that you potentially could get yourself in trouble, and at the very least, lose some great treasures that it has taken you years to collect. If you have some large racks, and no proof as to their legality, I would be very careful who you show them to. The law states clearly that you should not transport full heads off the mountain without a tag of some kind. For years horn buyers would not buy your bone still attached to the skull. You would have to break the skull before they would take it. My taxidermist friends have told me exactly what I've told you about having proof. If anyone knows a warden well enough, talk to them and give us their side. They have to assume any skull without proof is a poached animal. Just wanted to get you thinking about protecting your treasures.
 
Tag stays with the meat in MT,the only thing that needs to be pinned is a bighorn sheep skull.
 
Same in kansas the racks don't have to have a tag.i have seen bad wardens try to take racks but you can fight it,if that doesn't get answers file a small claims against the warden and get him in court.It seems that if he wasn't charged with anything I would imagine that the warden never turned them in
 

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