Stormay05

Ive been reading up on the Colorado big game regulations and I'm a little confused. Do i have to make an entire carcass at once or can i move the four quarters separately?

Muley Hunter

Fill the tag out right away. Put the tag in your pocket while taking the first load to the truck/camp. Then tag the quarter that has the proof of sex at camp/truck. Go back for the rest.

That's how my local warden told me how to do it.

Blackelk

Muley is right that is exactly how you do it. Take the first quarter with evidence of sex and tag it once you get to the vehicle. You don't have to have the tag on the quarter until you get it to camp, vehicle or your leaving it overnight until the next day for pack out.

Stormay05

Thanks for help

txhunter58

This may be right, but I have always heard to keep the tag in your pocket until you take the last load, then attach it.

Of course, have it filled out and detached from the license

Blackelk

That's an easy ticket for the game warden to write if he shows up at camp or your vehicle and there's partial quarters hanging and no tag.

txhunter58

You may be right, but if so, why would you ever put the tag in your pocket for the first trip out? Why not just attach it with the first load?

If you keep it in your pocket, wherever you are, you will be in possession of the tag and can take the officer to the remainder of the meat.

This is always confusing as they do not address it in the regs brochure. I have sent an email to the CO DOW and will post their reply.

Howler

As long as the tag is filled out and attached to a quarter with proof of sex, it don't matter if the quarter is the first or the last one hauled out. It's attached to the carcass and that's all that is required.
If a game warden shows up at camp and there's one quarter hanging without a tag, then the game warden is going to have to decide if he wants to accompany you back to the kill site of take your word for it, and like wise if a game warden happened upon the kill site and there's a quarter missing and the tag isn't there, then he'll have to make the same decision.

Muley Hunter

In Colorado you can put it in your pocket to the camp/truck on the first trip. It's so you won't tear it off during the trip. Once you get to camp/truck. You have to attach it. It's in the regulations.

I've been doing this for too may years to get it wrong. I've never gotten a ticket, because i'm careful, and if i'm not sure. I ask the warden, or call the DOW. There's no reason to not know the laws.

txhunter58

Blackelk and Muley, please post the regs that says this. What you guys are saying makes perfect sense, but I have never been able to find it in the regs.