Elk down... pack antlers first or last

[Bar]

Take it for what its worth, but I emailed Cdow about the gray area of an Antlerless tag a couple years ago. For an Antlered tag with 4 point restrictions, it makes sense that the officer will want to see the points and will write you a ticket if you don't have them. For an Antlerless tag it is a little less clear since the only restriction is less than 5 inches. I asked Cdow about this and they said that the only way to ensure you meet the requirement is to haul the head out for an inspection. If you don't have the head, the officer can write you a ticket.

I've never run into that when I took a cow. As long as I had proof of sex attached and all the meat from a cow I had no problems. Some wardens are ball busters though.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Take it for what its worth, but I emailed Cdow about the gray area of an Antlerless tag a couple years ago. For an Antlered tag with 4 point restrictions, it makes sense that the officer will want to see the points and will write you a ticket if you don't have them. For an Antlerless tag it is a little less clear since the only restriction is less than 5 inches. I asked Cdow about this and they said that the only way to ensure you meet the requirement is to haul the head out for an inspection. If you don't have the head, the officer can write you a ticket.

I think you meant to say if you shoot a male with less than 5" antlers then you need to haul the head since the evidence of sex is male you need to prove it was a legal kill. If it was female you just need evidence of sex since its obviously antlerless.

I've had to do the head haul for an antelope male fawn before. Shot it from 350, walked up still not noticing any horns, flipped it over to see balls and eyes went wide, then looked closely at the skull and saw little 1.5" nubs barely clearing the fur.

 

[5MilesBack]

Good point Brad. I hadn't considered point restrictions

Hadn't considered point restrictions? You have to consider those before you even pull the trigger. And if you're required to shoot 4-point or better, then you're required to have that proof as well. THAT is in the regs.

 

[njdoxie]

I always want the meat out as fast as possible. It goes first. If a warden wants to see the antlers he'll just have to wait until I bring them out. That, or follow me back to the kill.

^^^ this

 

[njdoxie]

I don' have the regs booklet in front of me, but I'm pretty sure it says, once the meat is packed out, it should be transported with the antlers

 

[cnelk]

I don' have the regs booklet in front of me, but I'm pretty sure it says, once the meat is packed out, it should be transported with the antlers

Nope.
No where does it state that ^^^

The carcass tag must accompany the meat at all times tho. [and not on the antlers as they are not considered part of the carcass]
Until it it is processed or consumed
Page 17 of the Regs

 

[Rizzy]

If it's warm (archery) I want to pack the meat out first. If it's cool (rifle) I want to let the meat hang overnight. I take a photo of my notched tag because I've always been concerned with shuffling multiple loads of animal parts and only having 1 tag to put on it all.

 

[mtnkid85]

First load backstraps, tenderloins, heart and maybe a rear quarter.
All the other meat.
And then the antlers/cape.

Ill first get everything several hundred yards away from the carcus, somewhere that I can see from a ways off and If I know Im wanting to do a mount Ill throw a tarp or pine bows over the cape to keep the birds off it.

 

[mdog]

Antlers with all the backpack gear first. Hang the quarters overnight to cool down..... will keep for two days in the shade. Two trips the following day for the cooled meat. Solo...

 

[Bar]

If it's warm (archery) I want to pack the meat out first. If it's cool (rifle) I want to let the meat hang overnight. I take a photo of my notched tag because I've always been concerned with shuffling multiple loads of animal parts and only having 1 tag to put on it all.

While moving meat you keep the tag in your pocket. That came straight from a warden.

 

[Ghost]

Yep, use whatever method works best for a particular situation. Distance, terrain & weather can play a big part as to what comes out first or last! I generally haul the antlers out on the first trip, not always but in most cases. The last 10 years or so we do our best to haul whole elk out in one trip, it's generally boned out & split between two of us with the rack secured to back of pack. It calls for lots of rest stops but at least we do not have to make a 2nd trip!

ElkNut1

Paul, what do you think your average pack weighs doing this?

 

[Bar]

Paul, you haul half a boned out bull and the antlers on one pack? You're tougher than I thought.

 

[Rizzy]

While moving meat you keep the tag in your pocket. That came straight from a warden.

Idaho wants the tag attached to the meat and the regs don't go into much more detail on it. I put the tag in the bag of meat that's going out first and leave it in my ice chest in case a CO checks the ice chest while I'm out getting the rest. The pic of the notched tag is always with me as well as pics of the animal, the carcass, and the rest of the hanging meat. I have always assumed this was fine based on the regs, but it would be worth a call to the local CO.

 

[cnelk]

While moving meat you keep the tag in your pocket. That came straight from a warden.

Pete is correct for Colorado.

Here is the deal:

The carcass tag only needs to be attached when...

1- once the meat arrives in camp
2- once placed in a motor vehicle

If any part of the carcass is in camp or in your truck, the carcass tag will need to be attached to that portion

It doesnt not need to be attached to the meat when transported by horses, but the hunter must accompany the meat.
If the hunter doesnt ride out with the meat, the carcass tag must be attached.

It cant be carried separately
Page 17 of the Regs

 

[5MilesBack]

Nope.
No where does it state that ^^^

"Head or skull plate, with both antlers naturally attached, must accompany the carcass of bulls in camp or in transit, even when the scrotum or testicles are used as evidence of sex." Page 33.

So, if you wanted to get literal in that translation........you can have antlers by themselves in camp or vehicle, but you can't have the carcass (meat) by itself in camp or vehicle. So bringing the antlers out first, is NOT a problem. But according to this, bringing them out last could be.

 

[Bar]

The reason for all these laws is to prevent a hunter from taking two animals on one tag. If you're not doing that you'll be fine. Most wardens are reasonable. Just don't come off as a wise guy.

 

[cnelk]

5MiBack
Thanks for posting that.
It must be fairly new. Im going to look back in my old issues of Regs and see when it was updated.

I also looked under the DEER section and that statement is not posted.
Go figure. Makes no sense

 

[Bar]

I think the reason for this is the wardens don't really want to go in the field to check kills. Maybe they think they'll get shot. With the new laws they can just setup check stations.

 

[ElkNut1]

Here in ID we put the tag on the racks! I don't ever recall having the tag attached to the meat in all the years! Never an issue & have meat checked on a couple of occasions.

Bar, yep, I'm just lazy, don't want to have to return for additional loads! (grin) I'd rather pack out 1/2 & take the needed rests to get him out. Our average time is aprox 4 hr packouts from the kill site. How about you?

ElkNut1

 

[Gunnersdad49]

Here in ID we put the tag on the racks! I don't ever recall having the tag attached to the meat in all the years!

ElkNut1

Colorado is the opposite. I have seen a conservation officer get really crappy with someone from out of state for attaching a tag to the rack. He said "It is a CARCASS TAG! NOT an ANTLER TAG!"

I grew up in Alaska, where all salvagable meat had to be taken out of the field before any trophy parts (rack, skull, hide, etc) can be removed, so that's what I do in CO as well. I would be bummed if I lost a rack, but feel really bad losing meat.