Blackelk

It's not in the regs. But after dealing with game wardens on a personal note they don't like having to wait around for someone to pack out the rest of an animal just to verify the tag and sometimes they get very testy about it. So it's best to bring the quarter with the verified sex in first and attach the tag on it. It's not a rule it's more of a common sense thing with dealing with game wardens. They may eventually come back to your camp to see if it was a legal bull. Most game wardens are not going to accompany you up the mountain to see a kill. They will either wait for you at the pickup or camp or just move on. If you are worried about someone stealing a quarter from you while it's in the truck or hanging in camp. I do have that answer. The game warden will tell you it should of been tagged regardless of worrying about someone trying to steal it. The tag is useless anyway if someone steals your game. They can always issue another tag if that happens. It is always better to have that tag first time out that's common sense you will see the game warden on the road or at your camp but if you see one in the woods in Colorado during the hunting season please take a picture for me, because they have a tremendous amount of roads to travel in one day to be off walking in the woods. They don't have time to play games during a regular hunting season. And you will likely get a ticket.

Howler

The warden can get all "testy" all they want if they show up at my truck and I have a single 1/4 hanging without the carcass tag attached, the fact is that the carcass tag needs to be attached to something, and just because it's not on the something at camp and is instead on something still in the field, is no reason for them to write a ticket.
If they write you a ticket because the first load you carry out doesn't have the carcass tag attached, they can write all they want because there is NO LAW REQUIREING the carcass tag to be attached to the first load out and it would be non-sense for them to write a ticket. What would the ticket be for?
Since there's two portions of the "tag". The carcass tag should be attached to the carcass and the other portion should be on your person. No way they can write a ticket at that point.

finnbear

I just looked at the regs and it says follow the instructions on the tag!!!

I do know that in washington it says you must tag your animal immediatly, it's supposed to be the first thing you do! In Washington that is...............

1. Tag Your Big Game Immediately:

Immediately after any big game animal
has been killed, the appropriate tag of
the person who has taken the animal

must be:

•

•Validated: Cut out and completely
remove the month and day of kill.
Month and day must be completely
removed. A slit is not acceptable.

•

•Securely attached to the carcass in a
visible manner.

Muley Hunter

I just talked to the DOW. They said the way the warden told me to do it is what they like to see, because most of the time they'll check at the truck/camp. It's not the only way to be legal. You can attach it to the last load, but they would rather not see that.

When i said it's in the regulations I was talking about what it says on the back of the tag. That's where the instructions are. Not having a tag in front of me this time of the year. I was going by memory to remember the exact wording. Which sucks at my age.

Anyway, to keep the wardens happy. I'd attach it to the first load on a quarter with proof of sex. The last thing you want to do is make the warden walk to the kill, or have to wait until you bring back another load.

Stormay05

muley hunter and blackelk y'all sound like you've both had enough experience to know what y'all are talking about so i'll stick with your advice.

ColoStateHunter

I would do as blackelk said. Tag the quarter with evidence of sex, then keep the other portion in your pocket. That way carcass tag is on the "carcass" and the other portion is on your person.

Now to get tricky, what if you decide to bone out the meat to pack it back. What do you do about evidence of sex and tagging? I am asking your thoughts as I do not know.

I would leave testicles attached to a big chunk and tag that game bag at the truck with the carcass tag and then go back in to finish up the packing process.

Muley Hunter

Even boned out you still leave the evidence of sex attached to the piece it's attach to naturally. Nothing changes because the bone is missing.

txhunter58

"I would leave testicles attached to a big chunk and tag that game bag at the truck with the carcass tag"

It almost sounds like you are saying attach the tag to the bag the meat is in. That would definately be wrong. You have to attach it to the meat. Otherwise, as Muley says, nothing is different just because the bone is removed

Howler

I've been checked multiple times with my tag attached to the outside of the bag of meat. I simple tie my bag shut and zip tie the carcass tag to the bag and I've never gotten a ticket and have never had any warden give me a warning to do it otherwise.

I've also had wardens open each bag of meat to inspect it to make sure I had all eadible meat that is required by law to keep and only meat from one animal. Never a problem.

Colorado Cajun

You must sign and notch the tag right away after the kill even though you can put the tag on later at the truck.