How to Tag a Colorado Elk

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I have a Colorado Rifle tag for this year, and I just wanted to double check that I understand the regulations on evidence of sex and tagging.


Here is my understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong:

• Evidence of sex must remain naturally attached
  • I will be boning out all of the meat, so what I assume that means is I will need to leave the testicles naturally attached to one of the boned out hinds?
  • What about item 4 below, does that mean I have to be able to pack out the entire elk in one trip, or does that mean transporting in a vehicle that it must be kept together?

• Tagging
  • I read that the tag must be placed on the meat, but if I'm going to be boning the meat out in the field, how do you attach the tag? Can I put it on one of the meat bags?
  • Normally I would attach the tag to a leg, but with boning out in the field, that's out the door...

Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Pelican]

You don’t need to pack out an elk in one trip. Transporting must mean a vehicle. Cable ties are a good way to attach meat to the quarter. Bring a few extra. Attach the tag to the quarter with the evidence of sex for the sake of simplicity if you get checked.

 

[jeremyA1987]

I might not be doing it the BEST way, but after its is boned out (one quarter still has to have evidence of sex naturally attached) I zip-tie the tag right to a chunk next to or directly on the evidence of sex and then throw a ziplock bag over the whole deal. The ziplock might be overkill, but it keeps the tag cleaner and keeps the dirty bits from getting all up on the meat. I've gotten checked twice and both times the ranger/warden was friendly and had nothing to say so I assumed I was doing it right.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I think both of those options makes sense, thanks guys.

 

[davinski]

When packing over the course of multiple days, I keep my detatched, signed, and notched tag on my person. When I'm done packing and have it all at camp or all in a vehicle, I keep the carcass tag attached to the quarter with evidence of sex attached. I typically just pack out the scrotum or udder skin and leave the inner bits in the field. Been checked a couple times on that and never have been hazed for it. I've only been checked in camp midway through a packing effort once, and the CPW officer said my notched signed tag in my pocket, ready to show him, was the right answer since the meat we did get out (not the evidence of sex portion) was hanging in a tree. To attach the tag to a hunk of meat, I find a thin but strong section of meat, poke a hole through it, then attach the tag with either a zip tie or a string from inside my paracord.

Funny story...once we had a bear get into the quarters, including eating the whole damn scrotum, on a bull. We video'd the heck out of the site as we found it that morning, found what evidence of sex we could, while not attached we still packed it off the mountain anyway. I figured we'd get points for due diligence while not meeting the letter of the rule. My buddy, who tagged and took it, drove home to Denver with all of that but never got checked. We all hoped he'd forget the gallon bag with the giant elk penis somewhere in his truck, but sadly it was the first thing to go once he got home. Never did find out how, upon arrival, the conversation went with his wife...

 

[Flatrock]

I called CO about this exact issue last year. The guy told me to do just what jeremyA said. Leave the evidence of sex attached to a quarter and then ziptie it or secure the tag to that hind quarter. He also said to take that quarter out first. Just don't attach them to the antlers. I see a lot of pictures like that but that is totally wrong. In my opinion, the tagging requirements are written very poorly.

 

[Scuda20]

I was curious about the same thing and found this video. It's from Idaho fish and game, but I would imagine it would be the same for other states. There is a video from Colorado circa 2013 essentially stating the same but doesn't go into as much detail.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I called CO about this exact issue last year. The guy told me to do just what jeremyA said. Leave the evidence of sex attached to a quarter and then ziptie it or secure the tag to that hind quarter. He also said to take that quarter out first. Just don't attach them to the antlers. I see a lot of pictures like that but that is totally wrong. In my opinion, the tagging requirements are written very poorly.

Yep. Both you and @jeremyA1987 are spot on, this should keep you legal in most western states. I'm unaware of any state that actually requires you to tag the antlers, although I'm sure one exists.