Where do you keep your tag when packing out meat?

[Bassman]

Hi all - I am curious what everyone does for tagging their game following a successful hunt? Where do you hang the tag as you are packing out meat in multiple trips? I could imagine a difficult conversation with conservation officers if you have a several trips worth of meat in the truck but the tag is with the antlers at the killsite. What is best practice?

Longtime whitetail hunter who will be heading out west for the first time in 2019 so appreciate any insights/comments.
Thank you

 

[AdamW]

Consensus seems to be in the first load to the truck, attached to the rear quarter/meat with evidence of sex also attached there if required by state. Assuming that if you're going to run in to an agent, it will be at the truck.

 

[5MilesBack]

It's a carcass tag, not an antler tag. That's the first thing that a Colorado game warden will tell you. I always attach my tag to the outside of the top of the bag that holds the evidence of sex......as was stated above. Not that this is required.......but just makes it easier to locate the evidence of sex......because if you get stopped, they're going to want to see it.

 

[ckleeves]

I take a picture of the punched tag on my phone on that off chance I get checked while in between trips.


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[Bassman]

Thanks guys, appreciate the responses.Great point on proof of sex and carcass tag v. antler tag.

 

[Lawnboi]

Wherever your tag ends up, I take pictures as soon as I reach the downed animal. Pictures are taken of notched tag with animal, gps coordianates with animal. I also take a few pictures following breaking it down, especially of evidence of sex.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I’ve always been told with the majority of the meat here in MT but it always ends up with my meat in cooler on first trip out.

 

[topher89]

On a rear quarter and its the first thing that goes back to the camp/truck. I keep the other side of tag with me.

 

[fulltiltaudio]

When I hunted Idaho last year (Reside and hunt in OR) I shot a bull. We De-boned the animal and left the nut sack attached to the rear quarter, I put the nuts in a plastic sack (so the hair etc didnt get on my meat) and ziptied My elk tag to the nut sack. My dad hauled it home, as I was headed to MT for my next elk hunt, so we filled out the transport tag etc as well. We took the horns with the skull cap and had it sitting with the meat. My dad had to stop at a hunter check station, and they told him that was the first time they had ever seen that, and they liked it and said we did everything perfect.
So from here on out, that is what I have done. Tag attached to the nut sack that is still attached to a large portion of meat, then if you get checked, you plop out the sack, and its all right there for them to see proof of sex as well as your legal documents!!!
Many people don't realize that a lot of states you have to attach the tag to an edible portion of meat....NOT THE HORNS- unless still attached to a large portion of meat.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I take a picture of the punched tag on my phone on that off chance I get checked while in between trips.
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I don't know about anyone else but I have never seen a game warden more than 10 feet from their vehicle in almost 40 years of hunting.

 

[ckleeves]

I don't know about anyone else but I have never seen a game warden more than 10 feet from their vehicle in almost 40 years of hunting.

As strange as it sounds I have actually been checked several times in remote areas. A few years ago my wife and I ran into what looked like a dirty hippy in a wilderness area. He was actually starting to creep me out a bit, he was following about 100 yards behind us and when we would stop he would also, like he wouldn’t close the gap no matter what. Body language was off, would nervously look away whenever I looked back at him etc. We left the trail to hike up and check out some wallows and my wife heard him call out to us. I looked back to the trail and he was holding up a badge. Still wasn’t 100% sure on the situation so I told her to stay up there while hiked down to him. Sure enough he was a legit UC game warden. Strangest way I have ever been checked. Also been checked twice by game wardens on horseback.


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[rayporter]

some years ago I met a GW about 12 miles from the trailhead riding a horse the day before season. he chatted a while and never asked for tags or to see our rifles.

I have also been loading meat at the trailer twice and had one drive past and not stop.

 

[5MilesBack]

Also been checked twice by game wardens on horseback.

Years ago the warden used to come through on horseback to our backcountry camp. We'd see him almost every year. Most the time he wouldn't even check our tags, just stop for some coffee and chit chat for awhile.

There's a warden in one of the units I hunt that I've gotten to know pretty well. A couple years ago I'm in town eating lunch and I get a text from him asking where I'm at. I tell him "in town eating lunch......where are you at". He replies "at your camp.....eating lunch".